Part 67
Ecuador is substantially dependent on its petroleum resources, which have accounted for more than half of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of public sector revenues in recent years. In 1999/2000, Ecuador suffered a severe economic crisis, with GDP contracting by more than 6%. Poverty increased significantly, the banking system collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. In March 2000, the Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided for the adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and positive growth returned in the years that followed, helped by high oil prices, remittances, and increased non-traditional exports. From 2002-06 the economy grew 5.5%, the highest five-year average in 25 years. After moderate growth in 2007, the economy reached a growth rate of 7.2% in 2008, in large part due to high global petroleum prices. President Rafael CORREA, who took office in January 2007, defaulted on Ecuador's sovereign debt in December 2008, refusing to make payment on $3.2 billion in international bonds, representing over 80% of Ecuador's private external debt. Economic policies under the CORREA administration - including an announcement in late 2009 terminating 13 bilateral investment treaties - have generated economic uncertainty and discouraged private investment. The Ecuadorian economy slowed to 0.4% growth in 2009 due to the global financial crisis, and the sharp decline in world oil prices and remittance flows, but picked up to a 2.4% growth rate in 2010.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$114.7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $112 billion (2009 est.)
$111.6 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$61.49 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 0.4% (2009 est.)
7.2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,800 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 $7,700 (2009 est.)
$7,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.8%
industry: 32.9%
services: 60.3% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
4.59 million (urban) (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 8.3%
industry: 21.2%
services: 70.4% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
7.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 8.5% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
35.1% (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 43.3%
note: data for urban households only (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 31 50.5 (2006)
note: data are for urban households
Investment (gross fixed):
23.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Public debt:
23.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 19.7% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 8.4% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
9.19% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 50 9.14% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 102 9.14% (31 December 2008)
Stock of narrow money:
$6.198 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 83 $5.201 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$18.62 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $15.47 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$14.92 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $12.31 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.248 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 83 $4.562 billion (31 December 2008)
$4.266 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Industries:
petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - production:
16.42 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Electricity - consumption:
15.81 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Electricity - exports:
20.68 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.12 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
485,700 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
Oil - consumption:
181,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Oil - exports:
327,600 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Oil - imports:
54,190 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Oil - proved reserves:
6.542 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22
Natural gas - production:
260 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Natural gas - consumption:
260 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Natural gas - proved reserves:
7.985 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Current account balance:
-$692 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 -$337.4 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$17.37 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $14.35 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, hemp, wood, fish
Exports - partners:
US 33.5%, Peru 6.8%, Chile 6.5%, Columbia 4.9%, Colombia 4.58%, Russia 4.11% (2009)
Imports:
$17.65 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $14.27 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
industrial materials, fuels and lubricants, nondurable consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 25.4%, Columbia 10.6%, Venezuela 6.5%, Brazil 4.5%, Brazil 4.35% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.59 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $3.792 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$14.71 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $13.48 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$12.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $11.95 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$8.019 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
1 (2010), 1 (2009)
note: the US dollar is legal tender
Communications ::Ecuador
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.004 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 56
Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.635 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 52
Telephone system:
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: fixed-line services provided by multiple telecommunications operators; fixed-line teledensity stands at about 14 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular use has surged and subscribership reached about 95 per 100 persons in 2009
international: country code - 593; landing points for the PAN-AM and South America-1 submarine cables that provide links to the west coast of South America, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and extending onward to Aruba and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
private broadcast media dominate; all stations are privately-owned except for 1 government-controlled station; multiple television networks, a number of national TV channels, and a large number of local channels; more than 400 radio stations; broadcast media required by law to give the government free air time to broadcast programs produced by the state (2007)
Internet country code:
.ec
Internet hosts:
67,975 (2010) country comparison to the world: 82
Internet users:
3.352 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 64
Transportation ::Ecuador
Airports:
428 (2010) country comparison to the world: 18
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 105
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 25
under 914 m: 55 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 323
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 284 (2010)
Heliports:
2 (2010)
Pipelines:
extra heavy crude 435 km; gas 5 km; oil 1,374 km; refined products 1,301 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 965 km country comparison to the world: 91 narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 43,670 km country comparison to the world: 86 paved: 6,472 km
unpaved: 37,198 km (2006)
Waterways:
1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2010) country comparison to the world: 54
Merchant marine:
total: 41 country comparison to the world: 76 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 9, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 1
registered in other countries: 7 (Bolivia 1, Panama 6) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar
Military ::Ecuador
Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for selective conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,662,176
females age 16-49: 3,781,102 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,770,465
females age 16-49: 3,217,235 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 150,296
female: 145,184 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 138
Transnational Issues ::Ecuador
Disputes - international:
organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border, which thousands of Colombians also cross to escape the violence in their home country
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 11,526 (Colombia); note - UNHCR estimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum in Ecuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear of deportation (2007)
Illicit drugs:
significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru, with much of the US-bound cocaine passing through Ecuadorian Pacific waters; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents (2008)
page last updated on January 19, 2011
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@Egypt (Africa)
Introduction ::Egypt
Background:
The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty with the overthrow of the British-backed monarchy in 1952. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to meet the demands of Egypt's growing population through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.
Geography ::Egypt
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula
Geographic coordinates:
27 00 N, 30 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,001,450 sq km country comparison to the world: 30 land: 995,450 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,665 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km
Coastline:
2,450 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters
Terrain:
vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, rare earth elements, zinc
Land use:
arable land: 2.92%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 96.58% (2005)
Irrigated land:
34,220 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
86.8 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 68.3 cu km/yr (8%/6%/86%)
per capita: 923 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms; sandstorms
Environment - current issues:
agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees
People ::Egypt
Population:
80,471,869 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 13,308,407/female 12,711,900)
15-64 years: 62.7% (male 25,138,546/female 24,342,230)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,546,774/female 1,818,778) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 24 years
male: 23.8 years
female: 24.3 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.997% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Birth rate:
25.02 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Death rate:
4.85 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Net migration rate:
-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 130
Urbanization:
urban population: 43% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.2 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 82 male: 27.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 24.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.4 years country comparison to the world: 122 male: 69.82 years
female: 75.1 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.01 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: Rift Valley fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Egyptian(s)
adjective: Egyptian
Ethnic groups:
Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census)
Religions:
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.4%
male: 83%
female: 59.4% (2005 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 113
Government ::Egypt
Country name:
conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
conventional short form: Egypt
local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
local short form: Misr
former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Cairo
geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends first Friday in August
Administrative divisions:
29 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah (El Beheira), Al Fayyum (El Faiyum), Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah (El Monofia), Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Uqsur, Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf (Beni Suef), Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Helwan, Janub Sina' (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh (Western Desert), Qina (Qena), Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Sittah Uktubar, Suhaj (Sohag)
Independence:
28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the revolution that began 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn 18 June 1956); note - it was in ca. 3200 B.C. that the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)
Constitution:
11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980, 25 May 2005, and 26 March 2007
Legal system:
based on Islamic and civil law (particularly Napoleonic codes); judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (no term limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular referendum; last referendum held on 26 September 1999; first election under terms of the constitutional amendment held on 7 September 2005 (next scheduled for 2011)
election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%
Legislative branch:
bicameral system consists of the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (Shura Council) that traditionally functions only in a consultative role (264 seats; 176 members elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half of the elected members) and the People's Assembly or Majlis al-Sha'b (518 seats; 508 members elected by popular vote, 64 seats reserved for women, 10 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: Advisory Council - last held in June 2007 (next to be held in 2013); People's Assembly - last held in November-December 2010 in one round of voting and one run-off election (next to be held in 2015)
election results: Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 80, Al-Geel 1, Nasserist 1, NWP 1, Tagammu 1, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 3; People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 419, NWP 6, Tagammu 5, Democratic Peace Party 1, Social Justice Party 1, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 71, seats undecided 4, seats appointed by president 10
Judicial branch:
Supreme Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders:
Al-Geel; Democratic Peace Party; Nasserist Party [Ahmed HASSAN]; National Democratic Party or NDP (governing party) [Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Sayed EL-BEDAWY]; Social Justice Party [Mohamed Abdel Al HASAN]; Tomorrow Party [Ayman NOURI]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government; only parties with representation in elected bodies are listed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Muslim Brotherhood (technically illegal)
note: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties and political activity, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Egypt's most potentially significant political opposition; President MUBARAK has alternated between tolerating limited political activity by the Brotherhood and blocking its influence (its members compete as independents in elections but do not currently hold any seats in the legislature); civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; only trade unions and professional associations affiliated with the government are officially sanctioned; Internet social networking groups and bloggers
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CICA, COMESA, D-8, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: