Ecuador

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labour and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Pre-Spanish era
- The colonial period
- Early national history, 1830–c. 1925
  - Liberal-Conservative hostilities
  - Rivalry between Flores and Rocafuerte (1830–45)
  - Breakdown of national government (1845–60)
  - The regime of García Moreno (1860–75)
  - Shift to liberalism (1875–97)
  - Problems of the early 20th century
- Modern history
  - Economic development and loss of territory in the 1940s
  - Domination of Velasco Ibarra after World War II
  - Ecuador from the late 20th century

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images

Physical features of Ecuador

Mitad del Mundo

Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador

Galapagos Islands: Sierra Negra

For Students

Ecuador summary

Discover

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Ecuador: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Ecuador will seek foreign military aid to combat drug cartels as violence surges • Feb. 20, 2025, 8:12 AM ET (ABC News (U.S.))

Narco gang clashes in Ecuador kill 14 as police warn of possible "reprisals" • Feb. 18, 2025, 1:05 AM ET (CBS)

‘Biologists were not part of the crime food chain’: why Ecuador’s scientists are facing violence, threats and kidnapping • Feb. 17, 2025, 4:21 AM ET (The Guardian)

In Ecuador's highlands, an Indigenous community faces choice between 2 candidates they don't trust • Feb. 12, 2025, 3:34 PM ET (AP)

Ecuador's presidential runoff will test the influence of former President Correa • Feb. 10, 2025, 4:44 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Ecuador • República del Ecuador
Head Of State And Government	President: Daniel Noboa
Capital	Quito
Population	(2025 est.) 17,573,000
Form Of Government	unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (National Assembly [137])¹
Official Language	Spanish²
Official Religion	none
Official Name	República del Ecuador (Republic of Ecuador)
Total Area (Sq Km)	256,850
Total Area (Sq Mi)	99,170
Monetary Unit	dollar (U.S.$)
Population Rank	(2025) 72
Population Projection 2030	19,453,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 177.2
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 68.4
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 65% • Rural: (2024) 35%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 75.1 years • Female: (2022) 81.1 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2021) 95% • Female: (2021) 94%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 118,390
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 6,510
¹Permanent legislature reinstated with April 2009 elections.²Quechua and Shuar are also official intercultural languages.

Photos

Physical features of Ecuador

Mitad del Mundo

Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador

Galapagos Islands: Sierra Negra

Blue-footed booby

National anthem of Ecuador

See All Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

Protocol of Rio de Janeiro League of Nations OPEC Andean Community Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America UNASUR Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization Latin American Integration Association list of countries in Latin America Montevideo Convention United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

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Ecuadorian military leader

Benalcázar, Sebastián de

Sebastián de Benalcázar

Spanish conqueror

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Edward Whymper

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Latin America

history of Latin America

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South America

continent

Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands

islands, Ecuador

Quito, Ecuador: Church of San Agustín

Quito

national capital, Ecuador

Guayaquil, Ecuador

Guayaquil

Ecuador

Ambato

Ambato

Ecuador

Pichincha volcano overlooking Quito, Ecuador

Pichincha

province, Ecuador

Cuenca

Cuenca

Ecuador

Colegio Nacional Maldonado

Riobamba

Ecuador

San Cristóbal Island

San Cristóbal Island

island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Loja

Ecuador

Tulcán

Ecuador

Ibarra

Ecuador

Buccaneer Cove, San Salvador Island, Galápagos Islands

San Salvador Island

island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

giant land tortoises on Isabela Island

Isabela Island

island, Ecuador

Quiz

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Geography Fun Facts

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