republic
Capital:
Quito
Administrative divisions:
21 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar,
Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas,
Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Pastaza, Pichincha,
Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
Independence:
24 May 1822 (from Spain; Battle of Pichincha)
Constitution:
10 August 1979
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 10 August (1809, independence of Quito)
Executive branch:
president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos (since 10 August 1988); Vice President Luis
PARODI Valverde (since 10 August 1988)
Suffrage:
universal at age 18; compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional
for other eligible voters
Elections:
National Congress:
last held 17 June 1990 (next to be held 17 May 1992); results - percent of
vote by party NA; seats - (72 total) PSC 16, ID 14, PRE 13, PSE 8, DP 7, CFP
3, PC 3, PLR 3, FADI 2, FRA 2, MPD 1
President:
runoff election held 5 July 1992; results - Sixto DURAN elected as president
and Alberto DAHIK elected as vice president
Communists:
Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-Moscow), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, secretary
general, 5,000 members; Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE,
Maoist), 3,000 members; Socialist Party of Ecuador (PSE, pro-Cuba), 5,000
members (est.); National Liberation Party (PLN, Communist), less than 5,000
members (est.)
Member of:
AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Jaime MONCAYO; Chancery at 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC
20009; telephone (202) 234-7200; there are Ecuadorian Consulates General in
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San
Francisco, and a Consulate in San Diego

:Ecuador Government

US:
Ambassador vacant; Embassy at Avenida 1