| The Republic of Ecuador is a country in northwestern South
America, bounded by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean on the
west. The country also includes the Galápagos Islands (Colón
Archipelago) in the Pacific, about 965 km (about 600 mi) west of the mainland. Ecuador straddles the equator (Ecuador is
the Spanish word for "equator") and has an area of 272,045 sq km (105,037 sq mi). Quito
is the country’s capital.
History
Main article: History of Ecuador
The Republic of Ecuador 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.
In 1941 a territorial conflict started between Ecuador and Peru, the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War, which
led to the "Protocolo de Rio de Janeiro" signed in January 29, 1942. Still several
wars between the two countries carried on until October 26, 1999 when presidents Jamil Mahuad (Ecuador) and Alberto Fujimori (Peru) signed the
"Acta de Brasilia". Peru gave 1 square-kilometer (called "Tiwintza") to
Ecuador inside its territory where 14 soldiers are buried; also both countries signed commerce and navigation agreements in which
Ecuador have unrestricted navigation rights on the Amazon River.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Ecuador
On November 24, 2002, Lucio Gutiérrez won the presidential elections. He became president on
January 15, 2003.
Provinces
see Provinces of Ecuador
Geography
Main article: Geography of Ecuador
The capital is Quito and the largest city is Guayaquil.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Ecuador
Gustavo
Noboa, who assumed the presidency in January 2000, has managed to pass substantial economic reforms and mend relations with
international financial institutions. Ecuador completed its first standby agreement since 1986 when the IMF Board approved a 10 December 2001 disbursement of $96 million, the final installment of a $300 million
standby credit agreement. In February 2003, newly installed president Lucio Gutierrez faced a budget gap and massive foreign debt. He has pledged to use oil revenues to
pay off debt and is seeking additional IMF support.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Ecuador
The demographic composition of Ecuador's current population is ethnically and racially diverse. Today the majority of
Ecuadorians are mestizos (of mixed Spanish and Amerindian ancestry), who constitute
just over 65 per cent of the population. Second in numbers are the Amerindians
of the various Andean and Amazonian
nationalities, which combined constitute the country's largest minority, accounting for approximately 25%. Whites are mainly
Creoles, unmixed descendants of Spanish colonist, and account for
7% of the Ecuadorian population. A small minority of Afro-Ecuadorians, including Mulattos and Zambos, constitute the remainder.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Ecuador
The culture of Ecuador mirrors the demographics of the country itself, and is a
rich amalgam of various influences. Much like the ancestry of the mestizo majority, the national culture is also a mixture of
both European and Amerindian
influences, infused with various other elements inherited through the descendants of the country’s African slave past.
In addition to the national culture, many of the existing indigenous communities also practise their own autochthonous
cultures.
External links
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