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PEOPLE

Language
Spanish is the official language although 40 percent of the population speaks Quechua and other indigenous languages.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	13.6 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	13.3 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	13.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	13.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	12.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	12.8 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	12.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	12.5 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	12.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
18.0 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Some 65 percent of Ecuadorans are mestizos (mixed descent) and 25 percent are indigenous. There are also Afro-American and white minorities.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Predominantly Christian; 95 percent are Roman Catholics.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	63.8 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	63.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	62.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	62.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	61.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	61.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	60.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	60.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1929 1967
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
97 (2007)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15

2005	32.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	32.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	33.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	33.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	33.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	33.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

USEFUL INFORMATION

Time zone
GMT -5

Climate description
Variable with altitude from tropical in coastal lowlands to areas of permanent snow in the Andes; the rainy season is warm and humid from December-May; dry season from June-November

Currency
U.S. dollar (since 2000)

Telephone dialling code
(+) 593

Driving (left/right)
Right

STANDARD OF LIVING

Average life expectancy

2005	74.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	74.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	74.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	70.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	70.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	70.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	71.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	71.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	71.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	68.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	68.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	67.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	77.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	77.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	77.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	73.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	73.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	73.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	20 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	21 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	22 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	23 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	24 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	25 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	24 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	25 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	22 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	24 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	25 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	26 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	27 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	29 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	75 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	69 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	69 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	69 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	69 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	69 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	110 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	130 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	89	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	83	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	82	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	100	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	97	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	93	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	9 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	9 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	12 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	12 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	12 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	15 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2000	5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	15 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	6 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	5 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	95 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	94 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	86 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	85 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	84 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	89 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	72 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	86 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average

2004	91.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	91.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	91.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	91.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	91.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	92.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	92.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	92.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	93.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	93.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	89.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	89.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	89.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	90.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	90.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	142 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	137 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	135 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	129 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	123 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	120 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	112 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	107 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	100 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	860 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	745 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	643 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	478 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	274 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	188 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	124 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	69 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	39 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	97 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	86 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	61 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	73 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	48 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	44 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	43 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	27 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	15 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	151 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	150 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	138 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	107 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	112 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	113 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	89 (joint)	Transparency International
2001	79 (joint)	Transparency International
2000	74 (joint)	Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

ECONOMY & AID

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day

1990-2005	17.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	15.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	17.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1990-2002	17.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2001	20.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	3110 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	2910 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	2700 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	2350 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	1930 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	1560 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	1390 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	1340 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	44.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	41.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	37.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	32.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	28.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	24.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	21.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	15.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	3.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	6.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	8.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	3.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	4.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	5.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	2.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	4.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	7.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	7.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	5.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	11.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	12.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	26.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	-7.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
0.9 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
41.6 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

HEALTH

Physicians

2000-2004	148 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	148 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	145 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	138 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	0.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	0.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	0.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	0.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	0.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
Risk from P.vivax and P.falciparum throughout the year below 1500m. Some risk in Cotopaxi, Loja and Los Rios. Higher risk in El Oro, Esmeraldas and Manabi. No risk in Guayaquil or Quito. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	101 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	104 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	107 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	111 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	114 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	117 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	121 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	124 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

CONFLICT & MIGRATION

Number of refugees originating here

2008	1066	UNHCR
2007	1332	UNHCR
2006	887	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	770	UNHCR
2004	727	UNHCR
2003	730	UNHCR
2002	822	UNHCR
2001	653	UNHCR
2000	671	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	19098	UNHCR
2007	14903	UNHCR
2006	11789	UNHCR
2005	10063	UNHCR
2004	8450	UNHCR
2003	6381	UNHCR
2002	3240	UNHCR
2001	1715	UNHCR
2000	1602	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

	No data available

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2007	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2006	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2004	7	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	2.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	2.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	2.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	No data available percent
2002-2004	No data available percent
2000-2002	1.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	1.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	1.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	2.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	2.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	1.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	2.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	1.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003