Capital:
name: Quito
geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
Administrative divisions:
22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,
Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos,
Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo,
Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
Independence:
24 May 1822 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)
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 Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);
Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; former President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from office
by congress effective 20 April 2005
head of government: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);
Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve
consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 2006 with a runoff
election scheduled for 26 November 2006 (next to be held October
2010)
election results: results of the 15 October 2006 election; percent
of vote - Alvaro NOBOA 26.8%; Rafael CORREA 22.8%; Gilmar GUTIERREZ
17.4%; Leon ROLDOS Aguilera 14.8%; Cynthia VITERI 9.6%; note - a
runoff election will be held 26 November 2006 between NOBOA and
CORREA
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats;
members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PSC 25, ID 16, PRE 15, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD
5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; 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 or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, new
justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004,
however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a
simple-majority resolution)