Ecuador

Ecuador Background

The Republic of the Equator was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.

Ecuador Information

• Population: 13,212,742 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian
• Location:: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
• Religions:: Roman Catholic 95%
• Ethnic Groups:: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%
• Land Boundaries:: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
• Area: total: 283,560 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands water: 6,720 sq km land: 276,840 sq km
• Coast Line: 2,237 km
• Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
• Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath
• Land Use: arable land: 5.85% permanent crops: 4.93% other: 89.22% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
• Natural Resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
• Highways: total: 43,197 km paved: 8,164 km unpaved: 35,033 km (2000)
• Railways: total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo
• Airports: 205 (2003 est.)