Ecuador
|
| Basic Facts |
| Country name |
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador |
| Gevernment type | republic |
| Capital |
name: Quito
geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Flag description | three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) |
| Internet country code | .ec |
| Ports and terminals | Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar |
| Agriculture products | bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp |
| Industries | petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals |
| Geography |
| Location | Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru |
| Coordinates | 2 00 S, 77 30 W |
| Continent | South America |
| Area |
total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands |
| Boundaries |
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km |
| Coastline | 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) |
| Natural resources | petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower |
| Natural hazards | frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts |
| People |
| Population | 13,547,510 (July 2006 est.) |
| Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3% |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 95%, other 5% |
| Languages | Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua) |
