Data at glance of Ecuador - average on period

History

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. When Quito withdrew to become an independent republic in 1830, the traditional name was changed to the "Republic of the Equator." 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. Although Ecuador has had nearly 50 years of civilian governance, the period has been marked by political instability.

Environment

Area: 283,561 km2

Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Ethnic characteristics

Groups: Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 77.5%, Montubio 7.7%, Indigenous 7.7%, White 2.2%, Afroecuadorian 2%, Mulatto 1.4%, Black 1.3%, other 0.1% (2022 est.)

Languages: Spanish (Castilian; official) 98.6%, indigenous 3.9% (Quechua 3.2%, other indigenous 0.7%), foreign 2.8%, other 0.6% (includes Ecuadorian sign language) (2022 est.)major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.note 1: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the censusnote 2: Quechua and Shuar are official languages of intercultural relations; other indigenous languages are in official use by indigenous peoples in the areas they inhabit

Religions: Roman Catholic 68.2%, Protestant 19% (Evangelical 18.3%, Adventist 0.6%, other Protestant 0.2%), Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other 2.3%, none 8.2% don't know/no response 1% (2023 est.)

Government

Capital: Quito

Government type: presidential republic

Executive branch

Chief of state: President Daniel NOBOA Azin (since 23 November 2023)

Head of government: President Daniel NOBOA Azin (since 23 November 2023)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelection/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)most recent election date: 9 February 2025, with a runoff on 13 April 2025election results: 2025: Daniel NOBOA Azin reelected president; percent of vote in the first round - Daniel NOBOA Azin (ADN) 44.2%, Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar (MRC) 44%, Leonidas IZA (MUPP) 5.3%, other 6.5%; percent of vote in the second round - Daniel NOBOA Azin 55.6%, Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar 44.4%2023: Daniel NOBOA Azin elected president; percent of vote in the first round - Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar (MRC) 33.6%, Daniel NOBOA Azin (ADN) 23.5%, Christian Gustavo ZURITA Ron (Construye) 16.4%, Jan Tomislav TOPIĆ Feraud (Por Un País Sin Miedo) 14.7%, Otto Ramón SONNENHOLZNER Sper (Avanza) 7.1%, other 4.7%; percent of vote in the second round - Daniel NOBOA Azin 51.8%, Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar 48.2%2021: Guillermo LASSO Mendoza elected president; percent of vote in the first round - Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 32.7%, Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 19.7%, Yaku PEREZ Guartambel (MUPP) 19.4%, Xavier HERVAS Mora (ID) 15.7%, other 12.5%; percent of vote in the second round - Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 52.5%, Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 47.5%expected date of next election: 28 February 2029note 1: the president is both chief of state and head of governmentnote 2: though eligible for a second term, former president Guillermo LASSO announced that he would not run in the 2023 election; President Daniel NOBOA Azin is serving out the remainder of the presidential term (2021–2025)

Legislative branch

Description: legislature name: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)legislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 151 (all directly elected)electoral system: proportional representationscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 4 yearsmost recent election date: 2/9/2025parties elected and seats per party: Citizen Revolution Movement (RC) - Renewal Movement (RETO) (67); National Democratic Action (ADN) (66); Pachakutik (9); Other (9)percentage of women in chamber: 45%expected date of next election: February 2029note 1: all Assembly members have alternates from the same party who cast votes when a primary member is absent, resigns, or is removed from officenote 2: on 18 May 2023, Ecuador’s National Electoral Council announced that the legislative and presidential elections - originally scheduled for February 2025 - would be held on 20 August 2023 after President Guillermo LASSO dissolved the National Assembly by decree on 17 May 2023; a return to a regular election cycle will occur in February 2025