General Data

Population: 13.8 million (2007e)
Capital: Quito: 1.6 million
Pop. Growth Rate: 1.55% (2007e)
Total Area: 283,561 km2
Currency: The US dollar is the only official currency of Ecuador since January 9, 2000
Language: Spanish (official)
Literacy: 91.6% (92.7% M/ 90.5% F)
Life Expectancy: 74M/80F
UN Human Development Index: (2006): 83 among 177 countries
National Day: 10 August (1809)

Political Data

Type of Government: Republic of Ecuador; unicameral legislative with 100 seats; members elected provincially for 4-year terms; President elected every 4 years.
Head of State and Government:
President: Rafael Correa Delgado (took office on January 15, 2007)
Minister of Foreign Relations, Trade & Integration: María Fernanda Espinosa
Minister of Defence: Lorena Escudero Durán
Minister of Economy & Finances: Ricardo Patiño

Main Political Parties: Congressional seats - 100
Alianza PAIS Movement, PRIAN (National Institutional Renewal Party), PSP (Patriotic Society Party), PSC (Social Christian Party), ID, PRE (Roldosist Party), MUPP-NP (Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement - New Country), RED (Ethical and Democratic Network), UDC (Christian Democratic Union)
Composition of Congress is currently fluctuating.

Next Elections: (Constituent Assembly) September 30, 2007; (Mayors and prefects) October 2008; (Congressional) October 2010; (Presidential) October 2010

Memberships: Andean Community, ALADI, ECLAC, G-77, IADB, IMF, LAIA, OAS, Rio Group, UN, WTO

Economic Data (2006)

GDP (current $): C$45.87 bn
Real GDP Growth Rate: 4.2%
GDP per Capita: C$3,388
Inflation Rate: 3.3%
Unemployment Rate: 10.7%
Total External Debt: C$21.7 bn (e.)
Military Expenditures: 2.8% of GDP

Major Canadian Imports from Ecuador: fruits and nuts ($60.7M), live trees and plants ($28.1M), fish and seafood ($11.9M), preserved food ($7.4M), sugars ($4.0M)

Major Canadian Exports to Ecuador: cereals ($66.2M), paper and paperboard ($26.9M), machinery ($15.5M), vegetables ($7.2M), iron and steel ($7.1M)

Canadian Foreign Direct Investment1: $254M (2005)*
Ecuador Investment in Canada: negligible (2005)*
Visitors from Canada: 24,330 (2005)
Visitors to Canada: 2,962 (2005)
Immigration to Canada: 523 (2005)¹
Resident in Canada: 12,417²
Canadian Aid: C$11.47M (2004-05)³

*Trade, Investment and Economic Statistics, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Representation in Canada

Ambassador Fernando Ribadeneira Fernandez Salvador
Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador
50 O'Connor Street, Ste 316
Ottawa, ON
K1P 6L2
Telephone: (613) 563-8206
Fax: (613) 235-5776
E-mail: mecuacan@sprint.ca

General Consul Veronica Bustamante
Consulate General of Ecuador in Montreal
2055 Peel Street, Ste 501
Montreal, QC
H3A 1V4
Telephone: (514) 874-4071
Fax: (514) 874-9078
E-mail: consecuador-montreal@rapidweb.ca
Website: http://www.consecuador-quebec.org/

Honorary Consul Etienne Walter
Consulate of Ecuador in Vancouver
7388 Lynnwood Drive
Richmond, BC
V7C 5H8
Telephone: (604) 274-7707
Fax: (604) 274-7706
E-mail: ecuador@telus.net

Consul General Pablo Escobar Ullauri
Consulate General of Ecuador in Toronto
151 Bloor Street West, Ste 470
Toronto, ON
M5S 1S4
Telephone: (416) 968-2077
Fax: (416) 968-3348
E-mail: ctoronto@idirect.com
Website: http://webhome.idirect.com/~ctoronto/

Notes
GDP - Gross Domestic Product at current prices.
e - estimate;
Sources: International Monetary Fund, Economist Intelligence Unit, World Bank, United Nations, Statistics Canada, Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook
1According to country of last permanent residence
2Statistics Canada 2006 Census (Respondents identifying their ethnic origin as Ecuadorian)
3CIDA disbursements include government-to-government, partnership and multilateral