National holiday: Independence Day, 10 August (1809) (independence of Quito)
Constitution: 10 August 1998
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate
persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998); Vice
President Gustavo NOBOA (since 10 August 1998); note—the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998);
Vice President Gustavo NOBOA (since 10 August 1998); note—the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 31 May 1998;
runoff election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: Jamil MAHUAD elected president; percent of vote—51%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (121 seats; 79 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to serve four-year terms; 42 members are popularly elected by province—two per province—for four-year terms) elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—DP 32, PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3, MPD 2, CFP 1; note—defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), new justices are
elected by the full Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
BRAVO]
director]
EHLERS]
Gonzalez]
International organization participation: CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-11,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco