thquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified : none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

@Ecuador:People

Population: 12,105,124 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37% (male 2,252,260; female 2,174,004)
15-64 years: 59% (male 3,529,606; female 3,619,002)
65 years and over : 4% (male 248,105; female 282,147) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.93% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 24.04 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.28 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 33.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.44 years
male: 68.83 years
female: 74.17 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.87 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish) 55%, Amerindian
25%, Spanish 10%, black 10%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially
Quechua)

Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.1%
male: 92%
female: 88.2% (1995 est.)

@Ecuador:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador
local short form : Ecuador

Data code: EC

Government type: republic

National 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,