Overview
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.
Geography
- Location
- Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
- Total Area
- 283,561 sq km
- Climate
- tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
- Terrain
- coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
- Natural Resources
- petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
- Coastline
- 2,237 km
- Land Borders
- 2,237 km
People & Society
- Population
- 18,479,841 (2025 est.)
- 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.)
- Ethnic 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.)
- Life Expectancy
- 74.9 years (2024 est.)
- Literacy Rate
- 96.3% (2022 est.)
- Urbanization
- 64.8% of total population (2023)
Government
- Government Type
- presidential republic
- Capital
- Quito
- Independence
- 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
- Constitution
- many previous; latest approved 20 October 2008
- Legal System
- civil law based on the Chilean civil code with modifications; traditional law in ethnic communities
- Executive Branch
- President Daniel NOBOA Azin (since 23 November 2023)
Economy
- Economic Overview
- highly informal South American economy; USD currency user; major banana exporter; hard hit by COVID-19; macroeconomic fragility from oil dependency; successful debt restructuring; China funding budget deficits; social unrest hampering economic activity
- GDP (Official Rate)
- $124.676 billion (2024 est.)
- Major Industries
- petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals
Infrastructure & Communications
- Railways
- 965 km (2022)