Part 215

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 August (1809) (independence of Quito)

Constitution: 10 August 1979

Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN Cordovez (since 10 August 1992); Vice President Eduardo PENA Trivino (since 18 October 1995); president and vice president were elected for four-year terms by universal suffrage; runoff election held 5 July 1992; results - Sixto DURAN-BALLEN elected as president (next election was held 19 May 1996; no presidential candidate received more than 50% of the vote; a runoff election between BUCARAM and NEBOT will be held on 7 July 1996); note - former Vice President DAHIK resigned 11 October 1995 and left the country to escape arrest on corruption charges; National Congress chose PENA as his successor in accordance with the constitution cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional): elections last held 19 May 1996; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (82 total) PSC 27, PRE 21, DP 10, Pachakutik Movement 7, ID 5, PLRE 3, MPD 2, APRE 2, CFP 1, independent and other 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected by the Chamber of Representatives

Political parties and leaders: Center-Right parties: Republican Unity Party (PUR); Social Christian Party (PSC), Jaime NEBOT Saadi, president; Ecuadorian Conservative Party (PCE), President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN (two parties merged in 1995) Center-Left parties: Democratic Left (ID), Andres VALLEJO Arcos, Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos, leaders; Popular Democracy (DP), Rodrigo PAZ, leader; Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party (PLRE), Medardo MORA, leader; Radical Alfarista Front (FRA), Jaime ASPIAZU Seminario, director Populist parties: Roldosist Party (PRE), Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director; Concentration of Popular Forces (CFP), Rodolfo BAQUERIZO Nazur, leader; Popular Revolutionary Action (APRE), Frank VARGAS Passos, leader Far-Left parties: Popular Democratic Movement (MPD), Juan Jose CASTELLO, leader; Ecuadorian Socialist Party (PSE), Leon ROLDOS, leader; Broad Leftist Front (FADI), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, chairman; Ecuadorian National Liberation (LN), Alfredo CASTILLO, director Communists: Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-North Korea), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, Secretary General; Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist)

International organization participation: AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edgar TERAN Teran chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 234-7200 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Newark

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter F. ROMERO embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: (2) 562-890 FAX: (2) 502-052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia that is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

Economy -------

Economic overview: Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Growth has been uneven in recent years because of fluctuations in prices for Ecuador's primary exports - oil and bananas - as well as because of government policies designed to curb inflation. President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN launched a series of macroeconomic reforms when he came into office in August 1992, which included raising domestic fuel prices and utility rates, eliminating most subsidies, and bringing the government budget into balance. These measures helped to reduce inflation from 55% in 1992 to 25% in 1995. DURAN-BALLEN has a much more favorable attitude toward foreign investment than his predecessor and has supported several laws designed to encourage foreign investment. Ecuador has implemented free or complementary trade agreements with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, as well as joined the World Trade Organization. Growth slowed to 2.3% in 1995 due in part to high domestic interest rates and shortages of electric power.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $44.6 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 2.3% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $4,100 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 39% services: 48% (1992 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (1995)

Labor force: 2.8 million by occupation: agriculture 35%, manufacturing 21%, commerce 16%, services and other activities 28% (1982)

Unemployment rate: 7.1% (1994)

Budget: revenues: $3.3 billion expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: 6.4% (1993)

Electricity: capacity: 2,230,000 kW production: 6.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 612 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Illicit drugs: significant transit country for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru; minor illicit producer of coca; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; important money-laundering hub

Exports: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: petroleum 39%, bananas 17%, shrimp 16%, cocoa 3%, coffee 6% partners: US 42%, Latin America 29%, Caribbean, EU countries 17%