sertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements

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

People Ecuador

Population: 13,447,494 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.4% (male 2,415,764; female 2,337,095)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 4,007,495; female 4,090,957) 65 years and over:
4.4% (male 276,482; female 319,701) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.96% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 25.47 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 33.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.57 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 20,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 232 (2001)

Nationality: noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%,
Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

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.)

Government Ecuador

Country name: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: 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