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| {{redirect|Equador|the city in Brazil|Equador, Rio Grande do Norte}} | |||
| {{outline|Outline of Ecuador}} | |||
| {{Infobox Country | |||
| |native_name = República del Ecuador | |||
| |conventional_long_name = Republic of Ecuador | |||
| |common_name = Ecuador | |||
| |image_flag = Flag of Ecuador.svg | |||
| |image_coat = Coat of arms of Ecuador.svg | |||
| |image_map = Ecuador (orthographic projection).svg | |||
| |national_motto = ''"Dios, patria y libertad"''{{spaces|2}}<small>{{es icon}}</small><br />''"Pro Deo, Patria et Libertate"''{{spaces|2}}<small>{{la icon}}<br />"God, homeland and liberty"</small> | |||
| |national_anthem = '']''{{spaces|2}}<small>{{es icon}}</small><br /><small>''We Salute You, Our Homeland''</small> | |||
| |official_languages = ] | |||
| |ethnic_groups = 65% ], 25% ], 7% ], 3% ] | |||
| |demonym = Ecuadorian | |||
| |capital = ] | |||
| |latd=00 |latm=9 |latNS=S |longd=78 |longm=21 |longEW=W | |||
| |largest_city = ] | |||
| |government_type = ] ] | |||
| |leader_title1 = ] | |||
| |leader_title2 = ] | |||
| |leader_name1 = ] | |||
| |leader_name2 = ] | |||
| |area_rank = 73rd | |||
| |area_magnitude = 1 E11 | |||
| |area_km2 = 256,370 | |||
| |area_sq_mi = 98,985 | |||
| |percent_water = 4 | |||
| |population_estimate = 13,625,000<ref name=unpop>{{cite paper | url=http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf | title=World Population Prospects, Table A.1| version=2008 revision | format=.PDF | publisher=United Nations | author=Department of Economic and Social Affairs | |||
| Population Division | date=2009 | accessdate= 2009-03-12}}</ref> | |||
| |population_estimate_rank = 66th | |||
| |population_estimate_year = 2009 | |||
| |population_census = | |||
| |population_census_year =12444567.3563 | |||
| |population_density_km2 = 53.8 | |||
| |population_density_sq_mi = 139.4 <!--Do not remove per ]--> | |||
| |population_density_rank = 151st | |||
| |GDP_PPP = $106.993 billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2009&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=248&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=32&pr.y=7 |title=Ecuador|publisher=International Monetary Fund|accessdate=2009-04-22}}</ref> | |||
| |GDP_PPP_year = 2008 | |||
| |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $7,685<ref name=imf2/> | |||
| |GDP_nominal = $52.572 billion<ref name=imf2/> | |||
| |GDP_nominal_year = 2008 | |||
| |GDP_nominal_per_capita = $3,776<ref name=imf2/> | |||
| |sovereignty_type = ] | |||
| |established_date1 = August 10, 1809 | |||
| |established_event1 = from ] | |||
| |established_date2 = May 24, 1822 | |||
| |established_event2 = from ] | |||
| |established_date3 = May 13, 1830 | |||
| |established_event3 = from ] | |||
| |Gini = 42 | |||
| |Gini_category = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font> | |||
| |HDI = {{increase}} 0.807 | |||
| |HDI_rank = 72nd | |||
| |HDI_year = 2006 | |||
| |HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font> | |||
| |currency = ]<sup>2</sup> | |||
| |currency_code = USD | |||
| |country_code = | |||
| |time_zone = ], ] | |||
| |utc_offset = -5, -6 | |||
| |time_zone_DST = | |||
| |utc_offset_DST = | |||
| |drives_on = right | |||
| |cctld = ] | |||
| |calling_code = 593 | |||
| |footnote1 = ] and other ] spoken by indigenous communities. | |||
| |footnote2 = ] until 2000, followed by the U.S. dollar and ] | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Ecuador''' ({{pron-en|ˈɛkwədɔr}}), officially the '''Republic of Ecuador''' ({{lang-es|República del Ecuador}}, {{IPA-es|reˈpuβlika ðel ekwaˈðor|pron}}), literally, "Republic of the ]") is a representative democratic republic in ], bordered by ] on the north, ] on the east and south, and by the ] to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America (with ]) that do not have a border with ]. The country also includes the ] in the Pacific, about {{convert|965|km}} west of the mainland. Ecuador straddles the ], from which it takes its name, and has an area of {{convert|256371|km2}}. Its capital city is ], which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the 1970s for having the best preserved and least altered historic centre in Latin America.<ref>http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/2</ref> The country's largest city is ]. The historic centre of ], the third largest city of this country, was also declared a World Heritage Site in 1999, for being an outstanding example of a planned inland Spanish style colonial city in the Americas.<ref>http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/863</ref> | |||
| Ecuador is a medium-income country with an ] score of 0.807 (2007), and about 38.3% of the people living below the poverty line.<ref>http://www.indexmundi.com/ecuador/population_below_poverty_line.html</ref> | |||
| Ecuador is also home—despite its size—to a great variety of species, many of them ], like those of the ]. This species diversity makes Ecuador one of the top eighteen ] countries in the world.<ref name="Conservation International Site"></ref> | |||
| ==History== | |||
| {{main|History of Ecuador}} | |||
| Evidence of human cultures in Ecuador exists from c. 3500 B.C.<ref></ref> Many civilizations rose throughout Ecuador, such as the ] and ] on the coast, the ] (near present day Quito) and the Cañari (near present day ]). Each civilization developed its own distinctive architecture, pottery, and religious interests. After years of fiery resistance by the Cayambes and other tribes, as demonstrated by the battle of Yahuarcocha (Blood Lake) where thousands of resistance fighters were killed and thrown in the lake, the region fell to the Incan expansion and was assimilated loosely into the Incan empire. | |||
| ===Inca Empire=== | |||
| Through a succession of wars and marriages among the nations that inhabited the valley, the region became part of the ] in ]. | |||
| When the Spanish conquistadors arrived from the north, the Inca Empire was ruled by ], who had two sons: ], being in charge of the northern parts of the empire, and ], seated in the Incan capital ]. Upon Huayna Capac's death in ], the empire was divided in two: Atahualpa received the north, with his capital in Quito; Huascar received the south, with its capital in Cusco. | |||
| In ], Atahualpa defeated Huascar and conquered the entire empire for its own. | |||
| In ], the Spanish ], under ], arrived to find an Inca empire torn by civil war. Atahualpa wanted to reestablish a unified Incan empire; the Spanish, however, had conquest intentions and established themselves in a fort in ], captured Atahualpa during the ] (1532), and held him for ransom. The Incas filled one room with gold and two with silver to secure his release. Despite being surrounded and vastly outnumbered, the Spanish executed Atahualpa. To escape the confines of the fort, the Spaniards fired all their cannon and broke through the lines of the bewildered Incas. In subsequent years, the Spanish colonists became the new elite, centering their power in the vice-royalties of ] and ]. | |||
| ===Colonization=== | |||
| Disease decimated the indigenous population during the first decades of Spanish rule — a time when the natives also were forced into the '']'' labor system for Spanish landlords. In ], ] became the seat of a ] (administrative district) of Spain and part of the Vice-Royalty of Lima, and later the Vice-Royalty of Nueva Granada. | |||
| ], one of the first ] ].]] | |||
| After nearly 300 years of Spanish colonization, Quito was still a small city of only 10,000 inhabitants. It was there, on August 10, 1809 (the national holiday), that the first call for independence from Spain was made in Latin America ("Primer Grito de la Independencia"), under the leadership of the city's ''criollos'' like Carlos Montúfar, ] and Bishop Cuero y Caicedo. Quito's nickname, "'']''" ("Light of America"), comes from the idea that this first attempt produced the inspiration for the rest of Spanish America. Quito is also known as "''La Cara de Dios''" ("The Face of God") for its beauty. | |||
| ===Independence=== | |||
| {{main|Ecuadorian War of Independence}} | |||
| On ], ], ] became the first city in Ecuador to gain its independence from Spain. On May 24, ], the rest of Ecuador gained its independence after Field Marshal ] defeated the Spaniard Royalist forces at the ], near ]. Following the battle, Ecuador joined ]'s ] - joining with modern day Colombia and Venezuela – only to become a republic in 1830. | |||
| The 19th century for Ecuador was marked by instability, with a rapid succession of rulers. The first president of Ecuador was the Venezuelan-born ], who was ultimately deposed, followed by many authoritarian leaders such as ]; ]; ]; ]; ]; ]; and Flores's own son, ], among others. The conservative ] unified the country in the ] with the support of the ]. In the late ], world demand for ] tied the economy to commodity exports and led to migrations from the highlands to the agricultural frontier on the coast. | |||
| ===Liberal Revolution=== | |||
| The coast-based Liberal Revolution of 1895 under ] reduced the power of the clergy and the conservative land owners of the highlands, and this liberal wing retained power until the military "Julian Revolution" of ]. The 1930s and 1940s were marked by instability and emergence of populist politicians such as five-time President ]. | |||
| ===War with Peru=== | |||
| {{main|History of the Ecuadorian-Peruvian territorial dispute}} | |||
| {{Campaignbox Ecuadorian-Peruvian}} | |||
| ] | |||
| Control over territory in the ] led to a long-lasting dispute between Ecuador and ]. In ], amid fast-growing tensions between the two countries, war broke out. Peru claimed that Ecuador's military presence in Peruvian-claimed territory was an invasion; Ecuador, for its part, claimed that Peru had invaded Ecuador. In July ], troops were mobilized in both countries. Peru had an army of 11,681 troops who faced a poorly supplied and inadequately armed Ecuadorian force of 2,300, of which only 1,300 were deployed in the southern provinces. Hostilities erupted on ], 1941, when Peruvian forces crossed the Zarumilla river at several locations, testing the strength and resolve of the Ecuadorian border troops. Finally, on ], 1941, the Peruvians launched a major invasion, crossing the Zarumilla river in force and advancing into the Ecuadorian province of ]. | |||
| During the course of the war, Peru gained control over part of the disputed territory and some parts of the province of ], and some parts of the ], demanding that the Ecuadorian government give up its territorial claims. The Peruvian Navy blocked the port of ], almost cutting all supplies to the Ecuadorian troops. After a few weeks of war and under pressure by the United States and several Latin American nations, all fighting came to a stop. Ecuador and Peru came to an accord formalized in the ], signed on January 29, 1942, in favor of hemispheric unity against the ] in ]. As a result of its victory, Peru was awarded the disputed territory. | |||
| Recession and popular unrest led to a return to populist politics and domestic military interventions in the 1960s, while foreign companies developed oil resources in the Ecuadorian Amazon. In ], construction of the Andean pipeline was completed. The pipeline brought oil from the east side of the Andes to the coast, making Ecuador South America's second largest oil exporter. The pipeline in southern Ecuador did nothing, however, to resolve tensions between Ecuador and Peru. | |||
| The ] failed to precisely resolve the border along a small river in the remote Cordellera del Cóndor region in southern Ecuador. This caused a long-simmering dispute between Ecuador and Peru, which ultimately led to fighting between the two countries; first a border skirmish in January-February 1981 known as the ], and ultimately full-scale warfare in January 1995 where the Educadorian military shot down Peruvian aircraft and helicopters and Peruvian infantry marched into southern Ecuador. Each country blamed the other for the onset of hostilities, known as the ]. ], the Ecuadorian president, famously declared that he would not give up a single centimeter of Ecuador. Popular sentiment in Ecuador became strongly ] against Peru: graffiti could be seen on the walls of Quito referring to Peru as the "''Cain de Latinoamérica''," a reference to the murder of ] by his brother ] in the ].<ref>Roos, Wilma and van Renterghem, Omer ''Ecuador'', New York, 2000, p.5.</ref> Ecuador and Peru reached a tentative peace agreement in October 1998, which ended hostilities. | |||
| ===Military governments (1972–1979)=== | |||
| In ] a "revolutionary and nationalist" military ] overthrew the government of Velasco Ibarra. The ] was led by General ] and executed by navy commander Jorge Queirolo G. The new president exiled José María Velasco to ], remaining in power until 1976 when he was removed by another military government. It was a military junta led by Admiral ], who was declared chairman of the Supreme Council. The Supreme Council had two other members as well, General Guillermo Durán Arcentales and General Luis Leoro Franco. After the country stabilized, socially and economically, this Supreme Council proceeded to hold democratic elections and stepped down to hand presidential duties over to the new democratically elected president. | |||
| ===Return to democracy=== | |||
| Elections were held on ], ], under a new constitution. ] was elected president, garnering over one million votes, the most in Ecuadorian history. He took office on ] as the first constitutionally elected president after nearly a decade of civilian and military dictatorships. In ] he founded the ''Partido Pueblo, Cambio y Democracia'' (People, Change and Democracy Party) after withdrawing from the ''Concentracion de Fuerzas Populares'' (Popular Forces Concentration) and governed until ], ], when he died along with his wife and the minister of defense, ], when his Air Force plane crashed in heavy rain near the Peruvian border. Many Ecuadorians believe that he was assassinated,{{Fact|february 2009|date=February 2009}} given the multiple death threats levelled against him because of his reformist agenda and the sometimes contradictory accounts of the incident. | |||
| Roldos was immediately succeeded by Vice President Osvaldo Hurtado who was followed in 1984 by ] from the Social Christian Party. ] of the Democratic Left (Izquierda Democrática or ID) party won the presidency in 1988, running in the runoff election against ] (brother in law of ] and founder of the Ecuadorian Roldosist Party). His government was committed to improving ] protection and carried out some reforms, notably an opening of Ecuador to foreign trade. The Borja government concluded an accord leading to the disbanding of the small terrorist group, "]" ("Alfaro Lives, Dammit!") named after ]. However, continuing economic problems undermined the popularity of the ID, and opposition parties gained control of Congress in ]. | |||
| The emergence of the indigenous population (approximately 25%) as an active constituency has added to the democratic volatility of the country in recent years. The population has been motivated by government failures to deliver on promises of land reform, lower unemployment and provision of social services, and historical exploitation by the land-holding elite. | |||
| Their movement, along with the continuing destabilizing efforts by both the elite and leftist movements, has led to a deterioration of the executive office. The populace and the other branches of government give the president very little political capital, as illustrated by the most recent removal of President ] from office by Congress in April 2005. | |||
| Vice President ] took his place and remained in office until the presidential ], in which ] defeated ] in a ].<ref> '']''</ref> | |||
| ==Politics== | |||
| ] | |||
| {{Main article|Politics of Ecuador}} | |||
| Ecuador is governed by a democratically elected President, for a four year term. Its current president ], exercises his power from the presidential ] in Quito. | |||
| The executive branch includes 25 ministries. Provincial governors and councilors (mayors, aldermen, and parish boards) are directly elected. The ] meets throughout the year except for recesses in July and December. There are 69 seven-member congressional committees. Justices of the Supreme Court are appointed by the Congress for indefinite terms. | |||
| Ecuador has often placed great emphasis on multilateral approaches to international issues. Ecuador is a member of the ] (and most of its specialized agencies) and a member of many regional groups, including the ], the ], the ], the ], and the ]. | |||
| {{clear}} | |||
| ==Administrative divisions== | |||
| {{main|Provinces of Ecuador|Cantons of Ecuador}} | |||
| Ecuador is divided into cattle]s (''provincias''), each with its own administrative capital: | |||
| {{col-begin}} | |||
| {{col-break}} | |||
| {| style="background:transparent;" | |||
| !width="10px"|'''Map Key'''!!width="115px"| {{spaces|1}}'''Province''' !!!width="175px"| '''Capital'''</tr> | |||
| |1|| ]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff |]</tr> | |||
| |2|| bgcolor=beige|]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || |] </tr> | |||
| |3|| ]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff |] </tr> | |||
| |4|| bgcolor=beige|]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || |] </tr> | |||
| |5|| ]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff |] </tr> | |||
| |6|| bgcolor=beige|]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || |] </tr> | |||
| |7|| ]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff |] </tr> | |||
| |8|| bgcolor=beige|]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || |]</tr> | |||
| |9|| ]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff |]</tr> | |||
| |10|| bgcolor=beige|]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || |] </tr> | |||
| |11|| ]{{spaces|1}} ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff |]</tr> | |||
| |12|| bgcolor=beige the president of ecuador looks like George Lopez ''']''' || |]</tr> | |||
| |} | |||
| {{col-break}} | |||
| {| style="background:transparent;" | |||
| !width="10px"|'''Map Key'''!!width="145px"| '''Province''' !!!width="175px"| '''Capital'''</tr> | |||
| |13|| ] ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff |] </tr> | |||
| |14|| bgcolor=beige|] ''']''' || |] </tr> | |||
| |15|| ] ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff|] </tr> | |||
| |16|| bgcolor=beige|] ''']''' || |]</tr> | |||
| |17|| ] ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff|]</tr> | |||
| |18|| bgcolor=beige|] ''']''' || |] </tr> | |||
| |19|| ] ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff|] </tr> | |||
| |20|| bgcolor=beige|] ''']''' || |] </tr> | |||
| |21|| ] ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff|] </tr> | |||
| |22|| bgcolor=beige|] ''']''' || |] </tr> | |||
| |23|| ] ''']''' || bgcolor=#ccccff|]</tr> | |||
| |24|| bgcolor=beige|] ''']''' || |]</tr> | |||
| |} | |||
| {{col-break}} | |||
| ] | |||
| {{col-end}} | |||
| The provinces are divided into ], and further subdivided into ]es (''parroquias''). | |||
| ==Geography== | |||
| {{main|Geography of Ecuador}} | |||
| Ecuador has three main geographic regions, plus an insular region in the Pacific Ocean: | |||
| * ''La Costa,'' or the coast, comprises the low-lying land in the western part of the country, including the Pacific coastline. | |||
| * ''La Sierra'' ("the highlands") is the high-altitude belt running north-south along the center of the country, its mountainous ] dominated by the ] mountain range. | |||
| * ''La Amazonía'', also known as ''El Oriente'' ("the east"), comprises the ] areas in the eastern part of the country, accounting for just under half of the country's total surface area, though populated by less than 5% of the population. | |||
| * The ''Región Insular'' is the region comprising the ], some 1,000 kilometers (620 mi) west of the mainland in the Pacific Ocean. | |||
| Ecuador's capital is Quito, which is in the province of ] in the Sierra region. Its largest city is Guayaquil, in the ]. ], which is just south of Quito, features one of the world's highest active volcanoes. The top of ] (6,310-m above sea level) is considered to be the most distant point from the center of the earth, given the ]al shape of the planet (wider at the equator). | |||
| ===Climate=== | |||
| Although the country is not particularly large, there is great variety in the climate, largely determined by altitude. The Pacific coastal area has a ], with a severe rainy season. The climate in the Andean highlands is ] and relatively dry; and the Amazon basin on the eastern side of the mountains shares the climate of other rain forest zones. | |||
| Because of its location at the equator, Ecuador experiences little variation in daylight hours during the course of a year. | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ===Biodiversity=== | |||
| Ecuador is one of 18 ] in the world according to Conservation International.<ref name="Conservation International Site"/> With 1,600 bird species (15% of the world's known bird species) in the continental area, and 38 more ] in the Galápagos. In addition to 25,000 species of plants, the country has 106 endemic ], 138 endemic ], and 6,000 species of butterfly. The Galápagos Islands are well known as a region of distinct ], famous as the place of birth of ] ], and a ] World Heritage Site.<ref></ref> Despite being on the UNESCO list, the Galapagos are endangered by a range of negative environmental effects, threatening the existence of this exotic ].<ref></ref> Additionally, oil exploitation of the Amazon rain forest has led to the release of billions of gallons of untreated wastes, gas, and crude oil into the environment, contaminating ecosystems and causing detrimental health effects to indigenous peoples.<ref>San Sebastian, M. and Hurtig, A.K. "Oil Exploitation in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador: A Public Health Emergency." Pan American Journal of Public Health 15(3), 2004.</ref> | |||
| {{clear}} | |||
| ==Economy== | |||
| {{main|Economy of Ecuador}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ]. ]] | |||
| Ecuador's natural resources include ], ], ], ] and ]. In addition, it has rich agriculture: ]s, ]s, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref> </ref> The country´s greatest national export is crude oil.<ref>http://countries.bridgat.com/Top_Products_Exported_by_Ecuador.html</ref> Fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Industry is largely oriented to servicing the domestic market, with some exports to the Andean Common market. Deteriorating economic performance in 1997-98 culminated in a severe economic and financial crisis in 1999. The crisis was precipitated by a number of external shocks, including the '']'' weather phenomenon in 1997, a sharp drop in global oil prices in 1997-98, and international emerging market instability in 1997-98. These factors highlighted the Government of Ecuador's unsustainable economic policy mix of large fiscal deficits and expansionary money policy and resulted in a 7.3% contraction of GDP, annual year-on-year inflation of 52.2%, and a 65% devaluation of the national currency, the ], in 1999, which helped precipitate a default on external loans later that year. | |||
| On January 9, 2000, the administration of President ] announced its intention to adopt the ] as the official currency of Ecuador to address the ongoing economic crisis. The formal adoption of the dollar, as opposed to merely pegging the sucre to the dollar as ] had done, theoretically meant that the return from ] would accrue to the U.S. government. Subsequent protests related to the economic and financial crises led to the removal of Mahuad from office and the elevation of Vice President ] to the presidency. | |||
| However, the Noboa government confirmed its commitment to dollarize as the centerpiece of its economic recovery strategy. The government also entered into negotiations with the ] (IMF), culminating in the negotiation of a 12-month standby arrangement with the IMF. Additional policy initiatives include efforts to reduce the government's fiscal deficit and to implement structural reforms to strengthen the banking system and regain access to private capital markets. | |||
| Higher oil prices in the beginning of the century, made the Ecuadorian economy experience a recovery, which has reduced poverty sustantially since then. | |||
| On December 12, 2008, President Correa announced that his government would not make an interest payment due on the country's 2012 and 2030 global bonds, triggering a default on the country's ] $3.2 billion of global bonds. Correa, who holds a graduate degree in ], argued against complying with the debt payment, calling it "illegitimate."<ref>http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=a9zPhOkWSVz4&refer=news Retrieved 24-12-2008</ref> | |||
| On April 16, 2009, Finance Minister, ], traveled to Europe with Ecuadors' proposal to buy back global bonds 2012 and 2030 at 30% of their value. The goal is to retire most or all of the bonds, cutting the foreign debt by one third. | |||
| On June 11, 2009, Ecuador announced that it had successfully bought 91% of the bonds at a cost of 30-35 cents to the dollar. The Finance Minister said that the remaining bond holders will have another opportunity to sell their bonds at the same price of 35%. This successful move will reduce the total foreign debt by $2 billion dollars, plus $7 billion on saved interest until 2030. | |||
| ==Demographics== | |||
| ] volcano seen from a highway.]] | |||
| {{main|Demographics of Ecuador}} | |||
| Ecuador's population is ethnically diverse. The largest ethnic group (as of 2007) is the '']s'', who are the mixed descendants of Spanish colonists and indigenous Indians and who constitute less than 55% of the population. ] account for around 24% of the current population. Whites, mainly '']'', the unmixed descendants of early Spanish colonists, as well as immigrants from other European countries, account for about 16% of the population. The small ] minority, including ]s and '']s'', largely based in Esmeraldas and Imbabura provinces, make up 5% of the population. | |||
| === Immigration and emigration === | |||
| There are sizeable expatriate Ecuadorian communities in ], the ] (]), and ], as well across ], the ] (]), ], ], ], ] and ]. | |||
| Many people from other South American countries, especially ] and ] have moved to Ecuador in search of higher wages. There has been increased immigration from the ], Asia (especially ] and ]), North America and Europe. | |||
| There is a large community of ]-Ecuadorians, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, mostly of ], ], or ] origin, prominent in commerce and industry, and concentrated in the country's second city, the Pacific port of Guayaquil. Ecuador contains tiny communities of ], ], ] and ]-Ecuadorians. The Ecuadorian ], who number less than 500, are mostly of German or Italian descent. There are 112,000 ] speakers in Ecuador, mainly descendants of immigrants who arrived in the late 19th century. In recent years Ecuador has seen an influx of Colombians seeking refuge from the ]. There are over 600,000 Colombians that are living in Ecuador, most of them are illegal. | |||
| A small east ] community estimated at 2,500 mainly consists of those of ] and ] descent, whose ancestors arrived as miners, farm hands and fishermen in the late 19th century. | |||
| ===Religion=== | |||
| {{main|Religion in Ecuador}} | |||
| ] in old downtown Quito]] | |||
| Approximately 95% of Ecuadorians are ], and 4% are ]. In the rural parts of Ecuador, indigenous beliefs and Catholicism are sometimes syncretized. Most festivals and annual parades are based on religious celebrations, many incorporating a mixture of rites and icons. | |||
| The ] community of Ecuador, with domicile in Quito, has about 500 members. However, this number is decreasing because young people are emigrating to study in ] or elsewhere abroad and not returning.<ref></ref> There are some small percentages of ], indigenous religions, ]s, ]s and ]. Ecuador also has a rapidly growing number of members of ].<ref></ref> | |||
| === Population density === | |||
| ].]] | |||
| The majority of Ecuadorians live in the central provinces inland in the Andes mountains, or along the Pacific coast. The tropical forest region to the east of the mountains (El Oriente) remains sparsely populated and contains only about three percent of the population. | |||
| '''City Populations''' 2003<ref></ref> | |||
| * ] 2,090,000 | |||
| * ] 1,482,000 | |||
| * ] 304,000 | |||
| * ] 217,000 | |||
| * ] 212,000 | |||
| * ] 195,000 | |||
| * ] 193,000 | |||
| * ] 184,000 | |||
| * ] 169,000 | |||
| * ] 140,000 | |||
| ===Nations=== | |||
| {{main|Indigenous peoples in Ecuador}} | |||
| Ecuador is a plurinational state. In addition to whites, blacks, and mestizos, many Ecuadorians belong to indigenous nations, principally: | |||
| {{col-start}} | |||
| {{col-break}} | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
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| ==Culture== | |||
| {{main|Culture of Ecuador}} | |||
| Ecuador's mainstream culture is defined by its ] majority and, like their ancestry, is a mixture of ]an and Amerindian influences infused with ] elements inherited from ] ancestors. Ecuador's indigenous communities are integrated into the mainstream culture to varying degrees,<ref>http://www.south-images.com/photos-andes-ecuador.htm ''Photos Indigenous people of Ecuador</ref> but some may also practice their own autochthonous cultures, particularly the more remote indigenous communities of the ]. ] is spoken as the first language by more than 90% of the population and as first and second language by more than 98%. One part of Ecuador's population can speak Amerindian languages, but just as a second language. Two percent of the population speaks only Amerindian languages because they have never attended school. | |||
| ] | |||
| The ] is of Ecuadorian origin, and is known there as "''Sombrero de paja toquilla''", or a '']''. It is made principally in ] in the Province of ]. Its manufacture (particularly that of the ''Montecristi superfino'') is considered a great craft. | |||
| Notable people born in Ecuador include painters ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]; ] composer, violinist and conductor; animator ]; poet and statesman ], scholar ], world traveler ], and tennis player ]. | |||
| ===Food=== | |||
| ], made of shrimp, lemon and tomato sauce.]] | |||
| The food in Ecuador is diverse, varying with altitude and associated agricultural conditions. ], ], beef, and ''cuy'' (]) are popular in the mountain regions and are served with a variety of grains (especially ] and ] or ]). A popular street food in mountain regions is '']'', consisting of potatoes served with roasted pig. ], a fish soup including several types of bean, is often eaten during ] and ]. During the week before the commemoration of the deceased or "''día de los muertos''", the fruit beverage "''Colada Morada''" is typical, accompanied by "''Guaguas de Pan''", which is stuffed bread shaped like children. | |||
| The food is somewhat different in the southern mountain area, featuring typical Loja food such as "''repe''", a soup prepared with green bananas; "''cecina''", roasted pork; and "''miel con quesillo''" or "''cuajada''" as dessert. | |||
| A wide variety of fresh fruit is available, particularly at lower altitudes, including ], ], '']'', several types of ]s, ], ], and ]. | |||
| Seafood is very popular at the coast, where ]s, ] and ] are key parts of the diet. ]- and ]-based dishes are the basis of most coastal meals, which are usually served in two courses. The first course is ''caldo'' ], which may be ''aguado'' (a thin soup, usually with meat) or ''caldo de leche'', a cream vegetable soup. The second course might include rice, a little meat or fish with a ''menestra'' (lentil stew), and salad or vegetables. '']'' (fried green plantains with cheese) are popular side dishes with coastal meals. | |||
| Some of the typical dishes in the coastal region are: ''], ], ], ], ]'' and '']s''; in the mountain region: ''hornado, ], humitas, ], ], ]'', and '']''. | |||
| In the rainforest, a dietary staple is the yuca, elsewhere called ]. The starchy root is peeled and boiled, fried, or used in a variety of other dishes. Many fruits are available in this region, including bananas, tree grapes, and peach palms. It's also used as a bread and has spread throughout the nation, most notably, to Quito where a company sells the native pan de yuca in a new sense; different types sold with frozen youghurt. | |||
| '']'', a ]-based spirit, is probably the most popular national alcohol. Drinkable yogurt, available in many fruit flavors, is popular and is often consumed with ''pan de yuca'', a light bread filled with cheese and eaten warm. | |||
| ===Literature=== | |||
| There are many contemporary Ecuadorian writers, including the novelist ]; the poet ]; the essayist ]; the poet ]; the novelist Enrique Gil Gilbert; the novelist ] (author of the novel ''Huasipungo'', translated to many languages); the short story author Pablo Palacio; the novelist Alicia Yanez Cossio; the prominent author and essayist, ], and U.S.-based, half Ecuadorian poet ]. | |||
| ===Art=== | |||
| ]'s, ''El Campo de Los Toros'', Pastel and Ink on paper, 1960.|200px]] | |||
| ].]] | |||
| The best known art tendencies from Ecuador belonged to the ''Escuela Quiteña'', which developed from the 16th to 18th centuries, examples of which are on display in various old churches in Quito. | |||
| ] include: ], ] and ] from the Indiginist Movement; and ], ], ] and ] from the Informalist Movement. | |||
| The indigenous people of Tigua, Ecuador are also world renowned for their ]. | |||
| ===Film=== | |||
| ].]] | |||
| The Ecuador Film Company was founded in Guayaquil, in 1924. During the early twenties to early thirties, Ecuador enjoyed its Cinema Golden Age Era. However, the production of motion pictures declined with the coming of sound. | |||
| ''Beyond the Gates of Splendor'' (2002), directed by Jim Hanon, is a documentary about five missionaries killed by the ] Indians in the 1950s. He recycles | |||
| ''Entre Marx y una Mujer Desnuda'' (''Between Marx and a Nude Woman'', 1995), by Ecuadorian ], provides a window into the life of young Ecuadorian leftists living in a country plagued by the remnants of feudal systems and coup d'etats. It is based on a novel by ] | |||
| In addition to film, there are numerous books and novels based on Ecuador, including the science fiction novel by Rod Glenn, , and the science fiction novel ''Galápagos'' by ]. | |||
| ===Sports=== | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| The most popular ] in Ecuador, as in most South American countries, is ]. Its best known professional teams include '']'' and '']'', from ], '']'', '']'' and '']'' (the Ecuadorian Armed Forces team) from Quito, '']'' from ], and '']'', from Cuenca. | |||
| The matches of the ] are the most watched sports events in the country. In June 2007, ] adopted a resolution prohibiting international football games at or higher than 2,500 meters above sea level. ], and his presidential counterparts in ], ] and ], issued a joint letter of protest against this ruling.<ref></ref> | |||
| Ecuador qualified for the final rounds of both the ] and ] ]s. Ecuador finished ahead of {{nft|Poland}} and {{nft|Costa Rica}} to come in second to {{nft|Germany}} in Group A in the 2006 World Cup. ], often referred to as ''índor'', is particularly popular for mass participation. | |||
| There is considerable interest in ] in the middle and upper classes in Ecuadorian society, and several Ecuadorian professional players have attained international fame, including ], ] and ]. ] has a high profile, while Ecuador's specialties include ], a three-person variation of ]. ] is practised at a professional level in Quito, during the annual festivities that commemorate the Spanish founding of the city, and also features in festivals in many smaller towns. ] is found to some extent in Ecuador, with teams in Guayaquil,<ref></ref> Quito,<ref></ref> and Cuenca. | |||
| Ecuador obtained ] in Atlanta's ], through ], in the 20 km ]. Jefferson Perez won a second Olympic medal in Beigin´s 2008 Olympic Games, winning a silver medal. Since 2005, Ecuador has held the ], which is an international foot race. | |||
| There is flourishing activity in non-traditional sports such as inline hockey, ], mountain biking, motorbiking, surfing, and ]. Martin Davalos, from Pichincha, Quito, is a well-known accomplished AMA motocross and supercross dirtbike rider and racer. Some coastal resorts, particularly ] and ], have been developed as ] centres. Ecuador also hosted the 2007 Youth World Championship for ], held in Ibarra, becoming the first country outside Europe or Asia to host the event.<ref></ref> | |||
| == Education == | |||
| The public education system is free at the point of delivery, and attendance is mandatory from ages five to 14. Provision of public schools falls far below the levels needed, and class sizes are often very large, and families of limited means often find it necessary to pay for education. In rural areas, only 10% of the children go on to high school. The Ministry of Education states that the mean number of years completed is 6.7. | |||
| Ecuador has 61 universities, many of which offer graduate degrees, although only 87% of the faculty in public universities possess Master's degrees, and less than 1% posses doctorates (PhD). About 300 higher institutes offer two to three years of post-secondary vocational or technical training. | |||
| ==Science and technology== | |||
| The public policies on science and technology in Ecuador are regulated by Senacyt (]). Senacyt works alongside universities and private sector to promote applied research. | |||
| The major focus of research has been in agriculture and environmental impact on raw material extraction. | |||
| ==Tourism== | |||
| Ecuador has a diverse attractions for the traveler, including Amazon jungles, diverse flora and fauna, the Amazon Basin, Andean Volcanoes, tropical forests, and beaches.<ref name="LP"> from . Retrieved August 2009.</ref> The Galápagos Islands are a common tourist destination.<ref name="LP"/> | |||
| ==Transportation== | |||
| ===Road=== | |||
| Ecuador has a network of ] maintained by the ''Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Comunicaciones'' (Ministry of Public Works and Communication). The ] connects the northern and southern portions of the country as well as connecting Ecuador with Colombia to the north and Peru to the south. The quality of roads, even on truck routes, is highly variable. There is an extensive network of intercity buses that use these mountain roads and highways. The most modern Ecuadorian Highway connects Guayaquil with Salinas. | |||
| ===Rail=== | |||
| {{Main|Empresa de Ferrocarriles Ecuatorianos}} | |||
| The Interandean Railroad connects Quito with Cotopaxi and Ambato with Alausí. (The portion of the line between Cotopaxi and Ambato is no longer operational). | |||
| ==Military== | |||
| ]The ] (Fuerzas Armadas del Ecuador), consisting of the ], ] and ], have responsibility for the preservation of the integrity and national sovereignty of the national territory. Frequent border conflicts with its neighbours, guerilla insurgency from Colombia as well as internal problems involving crime, makes the ] an essential part of the country's existence. In 2009 the new administration at the Defence Ministry launched a deep restructuring within the forces, increasing spending budget to $1,691,776,803 USD, an increase of 25%.(FY08) ] ranked 54th | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist|2}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{sisterlinks}} | |||
| * has analysis of corruption and anti-corruption in Ecuador. | |||
| * {{es icon}} | |||
| * | |||
| *{{CIA World Factbook link|ec|Ecuador}} | |||
| * at ''UCB Libraries GovPubs'' | |||
| *{{dmoz|Regional/South_America/Ecuador}} | |||
| * {{wikiatlas|Ecuador}} | |||
| * {{wikitravel}} | |||
| * | |||
| {{-}} | |||
| {{Template group | |||
| |title=Geographic locale | |||
| |list= | |||
| {{Countries of South America}} | |||
| }} | |||
| {{Template group | |||
| |title=International membership | |||
| |list= | |||
| {{Latin Union}} | |||
| {{Union of South American Nations (Unasur\Unasul)}} | |||
| {{Andean Community of Nations}} | |||
| {{Mercosur\Mercosul (Southern Common Market)}} | |||
| {{Organization of American States}} | |||
| {{OPEC}} | |||
| }} | |||
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Revision as of 19:30, 4 September 2009
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