Thu, 8 May 16:48:09 GMT17

 
Ecuador
 
Capital: Quito
Area size: 276840 sq. km Slightly larger than the United Kingdom
Time zone: GMT -5
Currency: U.S. dollar (since 2000)
Area code: (+) 593
Driving: Right
Climate description: Variable with altitude from tropical in coastal lowlands to areas of permanent snow in the Andes; the rainy season is warm and humid from December-May; dry season from June-November
 

People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
Spanish is the official language although 40 percent of the population speaks Quechua and other indigenous languages.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population
2007 13.3 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 13.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 13.1 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 12.9 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 12.8 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 12.6 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 12.5 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2000 12.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
17.7 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)

Ethnic groups
Some 65 percent of Ecuadorans are mestizos (mixed descent) and 25 percent are indigenous. There are also Afro-American and white minorities.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Predominantly Christian; 95 percent are Roman Catholics.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population
2007 63.8 percent U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006 63.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2005 62.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2004 62.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2003 61.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2002 61.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2001 60.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2000 60.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1929 1967
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2006)

Percentage of population under 15
2005 32.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 32.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 33.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 33.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 33.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 33.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002


Average life expectancy
2005 74.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 74.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 74.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 70.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 70.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 70.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
2005 71.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 71.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 71.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 68.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 68.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 67.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female
2005 77.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 77.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 77.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 73.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 73.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 73.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality
2006 21 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 22 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 23 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 24 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 25 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 24 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 25 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
2006 24 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 25 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 26 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 27 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 29 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Births attended by skilled personnel
1997-2005 75 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004 69 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003 69 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 69 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001 69 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000 69 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality
2005 110 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000 130 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)
2005 89 UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 83 UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 82 UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 100 UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 97 UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 93 UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
2000-2006 9 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005 12 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004 12 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003 12 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 15 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2000 5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population
2002-2004 average 6 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average 5 percent FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water
2004 94 percent UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002 86 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 85 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation
2004 89 percent UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002 72 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 86 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average
2004 91.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 91.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 91.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 91.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 91.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
2004 92.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 92.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 92.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 93.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 93.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female
2004 89.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 89.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 89.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 90.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 90.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones
2006 131 per 1,000 people International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2007
2005 127 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 123 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 118 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 110 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 104 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 97 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Cellular telephone subscribers
2006 632 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 472 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 269 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 183 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 120 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 67 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 38 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Internet users
2006 115 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 73 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 47 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 44 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 41 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 26 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 14 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)
2007 150 (joint) Transparency International 2007
2006 138 (joint) Transparency International
2005 107 (joint) Transparency International
2004 112 (joint) Transparency International
2003 113 (joint) Transparency International
2002 89 (joint) Transparency International
2001 79 (joint) Transparency International
2000 74 (joint) Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
1990-2005 17.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 15.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 17.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1990-2002 17.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2001 20.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method
2005 2620 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 2320 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 1920 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 1560 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 1380 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 1340 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country’s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP
2005 36.5 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 32.6 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 28.6 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 24.9 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 21.3 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 15.9 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Annual GDP growth
2005 4.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 7.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 3.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 4.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 5.3 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 2.8 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Annual inflation
2005 6.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 5.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 11 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 12.4 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 26.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 -7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
0.9 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
41.6 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians
2000-2004 148 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 148 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 145 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002 138 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
2005 0.3 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2006
2003 0.3 percent UNAIDS 2006

Malaria
Risk from P.vivax and P.falciparum throughout the year below 1500m. Some risk in Cotopaxi, Loja and Los Rios. Higher risk in El Oro, Esmeraldas and Manabi. No risk in Guayaquil or Quito. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported.
Source: WHO

TB cases
2006 128 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2005 132 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2004 136 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2003 140 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2002 144 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2001 148 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2000 152 per 100,000 people WHO 2008

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here
2006 887 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005 770 UNHCR
2004 727 UNHCR
2003 730 UNHCR
2002 822 UNHCR
2001 653 UNHCR
2000 671 UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here
2006 11789 UNHCR
2005 10063 UNHCR
2004 8450 UNHCR
2003 6381 UNHCR
2002 3240 UNHCR
2001 1715 UNHCR
2000 1602 UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
No data available

Landmine casualties per year
2004 7 Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
2005 2.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 2.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 2.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education
2002-2005 No data available percent
2002-2004 No data available percent
2000-2002 1.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001 1.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000 1.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health
2004 2.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004 2.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002 1.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 2.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 1.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003


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