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Ecuador Page |
Welcome to ElectionInfo.com's pages on Ecuador
Official Name: Republic of Ecuador
Capital: Quito
Area: 283,560 square kilometres (109,483 square miles)
Major cities (Population)
Guayaquil 1,508,444 (1990)
Quito 1,244,000 (1995)
Cuenca 194,981 (1990)
Machala 144,197 (1990)
Ambato 124,166 (1990)
Population: 11,460,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate: 2.2 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Type of government: Republic
Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Constitution: 10 August 1979
Voting Rights: Universal at age 18; compulsory for literate citizens ages 18 to 65, optional for other eligible voters
Government
The president, who is directly elected for a non-renewable four-year term, is executive head of government. The unicameral National Congress has 72 members, 65 of whom are elected on a provincial basis every two years and 12 of whom are elected every four years on a national basis. There are 21 provinces, including the Galapagos Islands, which are administered by an appointed governor. The judiciary is independent. The voting age is 18. Literate people aged 18 to 65 are required by law to vote; voting is optional for illiterate people.
Recent History
In 1941 Peru invaded Ecuador in the southern Amazon region, and the war that ensued ended with the signing of a treaty that gave Peru half of Ecuador’s territory, nearly all of it Amazon tropical forest. Ecuador still claims the territory, and the issue has led to outbreaks of violence between the two nations. International maps show the territory as part of Peru; maps sold in Ecuador reflect pre-1941 boundaries. Negotiations to resolve the dispute and restore friendly relations between the two countries have been unsuccessful, although a truce was signed in February 1995.
After nationwide protests Congress deposed President Abdala Bucaram in February 1997, declaring him mentally incompetent to rule. Bucaram, who had been elected in 1996, had become unpopular by implementing economic austerity measures while his administration was plagued with a reputation for corruption. Congress elected Fabian Alarcon as interim president, bypassing Vice President Rosalia Arteaga. Alarcon, the former president of Congress, pledged in April to hold a referendum to make his government legitimate.
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