World Enivironmental Issues Brief

  • LARGE AREAS SUBJECT TO OVERPOPULATION
  • INDUSTRIAL DISASTERS
  • POLLUTION (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances)
  • LOSS OF VEGETATION (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification)
  • LOSS OF WILDLIFE
  • SOIL DEGRADATION
  • SOIL DEPLETION
  • EROSION
  • GLOBAL WARMING

Pinkham.com - 8

Global Issues Snapshots

Error message

Notice: A non well formed numeric value encountered in number_field_formatter_view() (line 283 of /var/www/html/8/modules/field/modules/number/number.module).

Ecuador

— Current Environmental Issues —
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

— Health Indicators —
HIV / AIDS prevalancy rate: 0.3
Fertility Rate: 2.6
Infant Mortality Rate: 22.1
Life Expectancy at Birth: Male: 73.7
Life Expectancy at Birth: Female: 80.0
Life Expectancy at Birth: Total Population: 76.6

— Population —
Population Total: 13,755,680
Population Growth Rate: 1.6

— Economic Indicators —
GDP Real Growth Rate: 3.6
Military Expendatures Percent of GDP: 2.9
Unemployment Rate: 10.6
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4
GDP Per Capita PPP: 4,500
Population Below Poverty Line: 41
    (Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations.)

— Education and Communications —
Global Issues Snapshots
Global Issues Snapshots
Bordering country: Colombia
Bordering country: Peru

— Background —
What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito 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 in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of 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 marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Protests in Quito have contributed to the mid-term ouster of Ecuadors last three democratically elected Presidents.