Ecuador (country)

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History

See also: History of Ecuador

Ecuador was named thus in Europe, following a scientific expedition directed by Louis Godin, Charles Marie of Condamine and Pierre Bouguer at the 18th century.

After dominatebeing dominated initially by the INCA S then by the Spanish , Ecuador took its independence the May 24th 1822, within Large Colombia, then in 1830 separately.

The history of the country is disturbed since by periods of instability Politique with regular setting-up of Dictature S Militaire S: 55 leaders followed one another since 1900. In addition many Guerre S opposed the country to the Peru during more than one century. In 1990, the natives expressed peacefully for the recognition of their rights, blocking the country while sitting down by ground. The president Borja had to grant to the confederation Shuars the property of 11  000 km ² of territory in Amazonia, even if at the same time of the skirmishes were launched against the Indian chiefs. Finally in 2000, following the dollarisation of the economy, the population expressed, followed soon by the army, at the point to reverse the president Jamil Mahuad.

Policy

See also: Political of Ecuador

The general elections of October 15th and of November 26th, 2006 gave gaining Rafael Correa, economist of left with 56  % of the voices to the second round, against Álvaro Noboa, billionaire of right-hand side.

In accordance with its electoral promise, Correa announces during its nomination the behavior of a referendum on March 18th, 2007 with an aim of authorizing the creation of a constituent National Assembly charged to write a new constitution. This last was finally held on April 15th, 2007. The Ecuadorian voters are on this occasion pronounced in favor of the election of a constituent Assembly.

In April 2007, 50 Ecuadorian deputies of right-hand side were dismissed to have repudiated by a vote the president of the electoral authority showing it not to have observed the conditions planned for the convocation of the referendum of April 15th, while making in particular possible a dissolution of the Parliament by the constituent one .

Tuesday, April 24, 2007, an Ecuadorian prosecutor showed " sédition" 24 of the 50 relieved Ecuadorian deputies of right-hand side and required their arrests. About fifteen of them required the Political asylum of Colombia .

September 30th, 2007, Alianza Pais (Alliance country) which supports the project of president Correa, received 70% of the votes at the time of the election of the constituent Assembly. Alliance country adds up eighty of a hundred and thirty deputies in charge of the drafting of the new constitution.

Subdivisions

See also: Subdivisions of Ecuador

Ecuador is divided of 22 provinces. These provinces have a governor and a provincial council elected by the people. They are autonomous compared to the central government at the economic and social level, like for the use of the natural resources.

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List of the main cities of Ecuador

Geography

See also: Geography of Ecuador

Located in South America, Ecuador includes/understands 4 extremely distinct areas:

• the Costa (coast) is a hot and wet coastal region. It forms a 800 km long plain, being spread out slopes of the Andes cordillera until the Pacific Ocean.
• the Sierra is an area of the Andes cordillera presenting two parallel chains several volcanos of more than 5.000 the most Mr. is the Chimborazo (6 310 m), but most majestic is the Cotopaxi (5 897 m). The average altitude of the Andean high plateau is approximately 2.500 Mr. the area extends on 600 km since the plain from Pasto to the solid mass from Loja. Precipitations are weak and the average temperatures.
• the Oriente (Amazonia) is a not very accessible area, little populated, furrowed various affluents of the river the Amazon (of which the Napo). This area with the extremely hot and wet climate knows only one season. This area represents half of the total surface area of the country.
• the Îles Galápagos are a Archipel considered as inheritance of humanity for the diversity of its species. The origin of the islands is volcanic.

Land borders

• 1.420 km with the Peru
• 590 km with the Colombia

Important volcanos

• Chimborazo (6 310 m)

• Cotopaxi (5 897 m) the third higher active volcano of the world
• Cayambe (5 785 m) located on the equatorial line
• Tungurahua (5 023 m)
• Guagua Pichincha (4 784 m) the volcano which overhangs Quito

Natural disasters

Population

Economy

See also: Economy of Ecuador

The exporting economy of Ecuador rests mainly on three elements: culture of the Banana (4th world producer), the Oil and the Tourism. One can also note the rise of the export of the cut flowers and, and the their know-how palm oil of the famous Panama hat. Food self-sufficiency is reached on many basic commodities (in particular oils and edible fats, whose Ecuadorians make a great consumption per capita, are produced in great quantity by the culture of the Palmier to oil and the Soja). In spite of this, the country undergoes an economic serious attack, its foreign debt represents 14 billion dollars in the Années 2000 and it needs the assistance of the the IMF to stabilize its economy.

All this is due to two plagues which devastated this country: corruption with the more high level of the State and the Dollarisation of the economy by Jamil Mahuad in 2000. The president Lucio Gutiérrez had been elected on a program including/understanding of the actions to reabsorb this debt, to start again the economy in order to prevent that Ecuador does not become a news Argentine, always with the constraining assistance of the the IMF.

Demography

See also: Demography of Ecuador

The Ecuadorian population is divided into four ethnicities. The Métis are by far those which have the most demographic weight among all the Ecuadorian ethnos groups, and constitute more 65  % of the current population. The Amerindian S are the second ethnos group with a demographic representation in the neighborhoods of 25  %. The European and creole S, the direct descendants of the Spanish colonizers, represent only 7  % of the population. The minority having the weakest representation are the afro-Ecuadorians (the Mulatos and the Zambos) who are only 3  %. Other ethnicities are also represented in Ecuador. Of Chinese come in the country with taking part in the construction of the two railways connecting Quito to Guayaquil on the one hand and Quito to San Lorenzo via Ibarra on the other hand. Today much of their descendants Chinese restaurants called Chifas or grocers opened. In Guayaquil many tradesmen of Korean origin or Lebanon ease is. Three wire of this Lebanese community reached important political offices besides: Abdala Bucaram Ortiz known as " el Loco" former mayor of Guayaquil and president of the Republic in 1996, Jamil Mahuad, former mayor of Quito and president of the Republic of 1998 to 2000, Alberto Dahik Garzozzi, former vice-president of Sixto Duran Ballen of 1992 to 1995.

Ecuador counts also small communities Japanese, German, Swiss German, French and Italian. The Ecuadorian population is currently of a little more than 13 million inhabitants. It is in addition very young since the Middle Age is 22,5 years whereas the life expectancy is 71 years.

Culture

See also: Culture of Ecuador

Ecuador is a country very evangelic Catholique and , where one speaks Spanish and about the Amerindian languages (like the Quechua or the Shuar). A certain contrast appears between the culture of the area of the Costa and that of the Sierra .

The Ecuadorian hour symbolizes the lack of punctuality of the Ecuadorians of which return them can derive itself from 1,2 or 3 hours and against which the country with launched a campaign in October 2003.

See too

Related articles

• National anthem of Ecuador
• Towns of Ecuador
• Volcanos of Ecuador

External bonds

• Official site of the Ecuadorian presidency

Reference