Ecuador Flag and Meaning
Flag of Ecuador
Ecuador Flag Meaning
The Ecuadorian state and national flag has a picture of the country’s coat of arms in the middle, but the flag used by the citizens lacks this picture. The yellow color stands for all the riches of nature and the sun, the blue is a representation of the sea and the sky and the red in the flag is a symbol of the blood sacrificed in their struggle for an independent Ecuador.
Ecuador’s adopted Greater Colombia’s old flag as its national flag in 1860, but in 1900 the image of the coat of arms was inserted. The flag used by the citizens thus looks exactly the same as the Colombian flag. The flag of Venezuela has the same origin as the flag of Ecuador.
Ecuador Overview
| Population | 12.6 million |
| Currency | US $ |
| Area | 283.560 km² |
| Capital city | Quito |
| Population density | 44.4 residents/km² |
| HDI location | 77 |
The country can be divided into 3 natural regions: the coast, the highlands and the Amazon. Over half the population lives in the coastal area, where economic life is dominated by the production of export crops bananas, cocoa, rice and coffee. The highlands lie between the two ridges that form part of the Andean chain and are characterized by subsistence agriculture. The country also consists of the Galápagos Islands. In the Amazon area, oil is extracted, which provides foreign currency to the country, which in turn will destroy its nature. In the coastal area 95% of the original forests have been felled and the soil erosion has increased in recent years.
The People: The Ecuadorians are descended predominantly from the Quechua people who, prior to the Spanish invasion, were led by the kingdom of Quito. The population is also characterized by the mix with the Spaniards and African slaves. There are 9 indigenous peoples: Huaorani, Shuar, Achar, Siona-Secoya, Cofan, Quechua, Tsachila and Chachi. The Quechua people in the highlands count 1½ million people.
Religion: Predominantly Catholic
Language: Spanish (official) although 40% of the population speak quechua.
Political parties: Partido Social Cristiano (Social Christian Party) led by Jaime Nebot; the Conservative Partido Unidad Republicana (Republican Unity Party); Partido Roldosista Ecuatoriano (Ecuadors Roldos Parti); the Social Democratic Izquierda Democrática (Democratic Left Party) affiliated with the Socialist International; Partido Conservador (Conservative); Democracia Popular (People’s Democracy); Unión Demócrata Cristiana (Christian Democratic Union); Movimiento Popular Democrático (People’s Democratic Movement); Partido Socialista Ecuatoriano (Ecuador’s Socialist Party); Concentración de Fuerzas Populares; Partido Liberal Radical (Liberal Radical Party); Frente Amplio de la Izquierda (The Broad Left Front); Frente Radical Alfarista (Alfaro’s Radical Front); Frente Patriótico Nacional (National Patriotic Front); Acción Popular Revolucionaria Ecuatoriana (Ecuador’s Revolutionary Popular Action); Partido de Liberación Nacional (National Liberation Party).
Social organizations: Main country organizations: Central Ecuatoriana de Organizaciones Clasistas (CEDOC, Ecuador’s Professional Class Association); Central de Trabajadores Ecuatorianos (CTE, Ecuador’s Professional Workers’ Union). These two organizations coordinate their activities in the Frente Unido de Trabajadores (FUT, United Workers’ Front). Since the early 1990’s, the Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de Ecuador (CONAIE, the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador) has gained considerable influence; Federación Nacional de Organizaciones Campesino-Indígenas (FENOC-I, National Association of Peasants and Indigenous Peoples) and Federación Nacional de Pequeños Agricultores (FNPA, National Association of Peasants)
Official name: República del Ecuador
Administrative division: 22 provinces
Capital: Quito, 1,451,000 residents (2003)
Other important cities: Guayaquil, 2,627,900 residents; Cuenca, 271,400 residents; Machala 211,300, residents (2000)
Government: Lenín Moreno has been president since May 2017. Parliament has a chamber – the National Congress – which has 137 seats.
National Day: May 24 (Independence Day, 1822), August 10 (First Call for Independence, 1809)
Armed forces: 57,100 conscripts and professionals. 100,000 Reservists (1996).
Paramilitary forces: 200 in the Coast Guard and 6 Coast Patrol (1993).
