Ecuador - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Ecuador, it was the country's position on the globe, straddling the Equator, accounts for its Spanish name. The Government system in this country is the presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 24 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, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora Chinchipe
National symbols
Andean condor; national colors: yellow, blue, red.
The flag
The National flag of Ecuador has three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; the yellow color represents sunshine, grain, and mineral wealth, blue the sky, sea, and rivers, and red the blood of patriots spilled in the struggle for freedom and justice.
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note: similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms
The National Anthem
| Title | "Salve, Oh Patria!" (We Salute You, Our Homeland) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Juan Leon MERA/Antonio NEUMANE |
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note: adopted 1948; Juan Leon MERA wrote the lyrics in 1865; only the chorus and second verse are sung
More about the government of Ecuador
| Date of Independence | 24 May 1822 (from Spain) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) |
| Legal system | civil law based on the Chilean civil code with modifications; traditional law in indigenous communities |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Constitution | |
| History | Many previous; latest approved 20 October 2008 |
| Amendments | Proposed by the president of the republic through a referendum, by public petition of at least 1% of registered voters, or by agreement of at least one-third membership of the National Assembly; passage requires two separate readings a year apart and approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, and approval by absolute majority in a referendum; amendments such as changes to the structure of the state, constraints on personal rights and guarantees, or constitutional amendment procedures are not allowed; amended 2011, 2015, 2018, 2024 |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | yes |
| Citizenship by descent only | yes |
| Dual citizenship recognized | no |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 3 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Daniel NOBOA Azin (since 23 November 2023) |
| Head of government | President Daniel NOBOA Azin (since 23 November 2023) |
| Cabinet | Cabinet appointed by the president |
| Elections/appointments | president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 August 2023 with a runoff on 15 October 2023 (next to be held on 28 February 2025); note – on 18 May 2023, Ecuador’s National Electoral Council announced that the legislative and presidential elections—originally scheduled for February 2025—would be held on 20 August 2023 with a runoff on 15 October 2023 after former president Guillermo LASSO dissolved the National Assembly by decree on 17 May 2023; though eligible for a second term, LASSO announced that he would not run in the 2023 election; President Daniel NOBOA Azin will serve out the remainder of the current presidential term (2021–2025) |
| Election results | 2023: Daniel NOBOA Azin elected president; percent of vote in the second round - Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar (MRC) 33.6%, Daniel NOBOA Azin (ADN) 23.5%, Christian Gustavo ZURITA Ron (Construye) 16.4%, Jan Tomislav TOPIĆ Feraud (Por Un País Sin Miedo) 14.7%, Otto Ramón SONNENHOLZNER Sper (Avanza) 7.1% other 4.7%; percent of vote in the second round - Daniel NOBOA Azin 51.8%, Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar 48.2% 2021: Guillermo LASSO Mendoza elected president; percent of vote in the first round - Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 32.7%, Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 19.7%, Yaku PEREZ Guartambel (MUPP) 19.4%, Xavier HERVAS Mora (ID) 15.7%, other 12.5%; percent of vote in the second round - Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 52.5%, Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 47.5% |
| Legislative branch | |
| Description | Unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (137 seats; 116 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 15 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by open-list proportional representation vote, and 6 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies for Ecuadorians living abroad by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - all Assembly members have alternates from the same party who cast votes when a primary member is absent, resigns, or is removed from office |
| Elections | Last held on 20 August 2023 (next to be held on 28 February 2025) |
| Election results | Percent of vote by party - RC5 38%, Construye 20.4%, ADN 10.2%, PSC 10.2%, Actuemos 5.8%, MUPP 2.9%, other 12.4%; seats by party - RC5 52, Construye 28, ADN 14, PSC 14, Actuemos 8, MUPP 4, other 17; composition - men 78, women 59, percentage women 43.1%; note - defections by National Assembly members are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | National Court of Justice or Corte Nacional de Justicia (consists of 21 judges, including the chief justice and organized into 5 specialized chambers); Constitutional Court or Corte Constitucional (consists of the court president and 8 judges) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Candidates for the National Court of Justice evaluated and appointed justices by the Judicial Council, a 9-member independent body of law professionals; justices elected for 9-year, non-renewable terms, with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years; candidates for the Constitutional Court evaluated and appointed judges by a 6-member independent body of law professionals; judges appointed for 4-year renewable terms |
| Subordinate courts | Provincial courts (one for each province except Galapagos); fiscal, criminal, and administrative tribunals; Election Dispute Settlement Courts; cantonal courts |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Cristian ESPINOSA Cañizares (since 18 September 2024) |
| Chancery | 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 234-7200 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 333-2893 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] Contact – Washington (cancilleria.gob.ec) |
| Consulate(s) general | Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis (MN), New Haven (CT), New York, Newark (NJ), Phoenix, San Juan (PR) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Michael J. FITZPATRICK (since 3 July 2019) |
| Embassy | E12-170 Avenida Avigiras y Avenida Eloy Alfaro, Quito |
| Mailing address | 3420 Quito Place, Washington DC 20521-3420 |
| Telephone | [593] (2) 398-5000 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://ec.usembassy.gov/ |
| Consulate(s) general | Guayaquil |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Historic Quito (c); Galápagos Islands (n); Historic Cuenca (c); Qhapaq Ñan/Andean Road System (c); Sangay National Park (n) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Ecuador
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Ecuador
Want to know more about Ecuador? Check all different factbooks for Ecuador below.
