ng form: Republica del Ecuador

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Quito

Administrative divisions:
22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,
Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos,
Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo,
Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence:
24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution:
10 August 1998

Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages
18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003);
Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (no immediate
reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election
held 24 November 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January
2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election -
Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ
54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats;
members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held NA October
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD
5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of
National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in
the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema; note - per the Constitution, new
justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; In December 2004,
however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a
simple-majority resol