7,404
(2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $180 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined
for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from
the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Ecuador

Introduction

Ecuador

Background: The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries
that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others
being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war
with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.

Geography Ecuador

Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the
Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 283,560 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands water:
6,720 sq km land: 276,840 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km,
Peru 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,237 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: claims continental shelf between
mainland and Galapagos Islands territorial sea: 200 NM

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)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 5% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
floods; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes
in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, De