Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito -- the traditional name for the area -- became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty -- New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito -- gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia.
- Capital
- Quito
- Government
- presidential republic
- Population
- 18,479,841
- Area
- 283,561 sq km
- Location
- Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
- Climate
- tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
- Natural resources
- petroleum; fish; timber; hydropower
- Languages
- Spanish (Castilian; official) 98.6%; indigenous 3.9% (Quechua 3.2%; other indigenous 0.7%)…
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 68.2%; Protestant 19% (Evangelical 18.3%; Adventist 0.6%; other Protestant 0.2%)…
- Independence
- 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
- Administrative divisions
- 24 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Cañar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas…
- Export partners
- USA 22%; China 21%; Panama 12%; Japan 3%…
- Import partners
- USA 27%; China 20%; Colombia 7%; Brazil 4%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain