Ecuador

Latin America & Caribbean·Upper middle income

Population: 18M; 70th of 217
GDP: $125B; 64th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $6,875; 122nd of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 77.4; 80th of 217
Human development: 0.74; 94th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Ecuador

Jamaica

Paraguay

Suriname

Guatemala

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

highly informal South American economy; USD currency user; major banana exporter; hard hit by COVID-19; macroeconomic fragility from oil dependency; successful debt restructuring; China funding budget deficits; social unrest hampering economic activity

Area: 283,561 km²
Resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Borders: Colombia; Peru

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian88.5%▼ 7.0pt
Unaffiliated8.4%▲ 4.1pt
Other3%▲ 2.9pt

Religious diversity: 2.43 / 10 · moderate · 115th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

ECU

JAM

PRY

SUR

GDP

current US$

$125B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$232M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

50.6%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

9.5%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

26.5%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

18M–––

Population density

people per km²

71.8–––

Urban population

% of total

64.8%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

1.8–––

Net migration

people

-19.7K–––

Population under 15

% of total

24.5%–––

Population 65+

% of total

8.3%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

7.5%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.9%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

12.7K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

1,819.6–––

Electricity generation

TWh

33–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0.1%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.494–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.399–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

9.23–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

3.7–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

2.55–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

4.37–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

30.7%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.11–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

6%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

10.4%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

24.7%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

62.6%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

57.5%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

3.9–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

2.43–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

8.4%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

2.09–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.2–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

2.29–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

3–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

8.21–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.82–––

Would fight for country

% yes

81.6%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

1.94–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

2.3%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#64/214

$125B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#122/214

$6,8752024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#114/203

$15,919latest

GDP growth

annual %

#205/214

-2%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#115/207

$6,4302024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#136/213

5%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#133/201

$232M2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#115/205

50.6%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#77/206

9.5%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#74/208

26.5%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#53/187

3.5%latest

Gini index

0–100

#147/168

44.6latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#96/168

4.7%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#70/217

18Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#134/216

71.8latest

Urban population

% of total

#104/215

64.8%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#80/217

77.4latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#118/217

1.8latest

Net migration

people

#171/217

-19.7K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#103/217

24.5%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#109/217

8.3%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#89/196

11.1latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#88/196

13.1latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#74/192

7.5%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#78/195

2.3latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#81/160

94%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#115/199

3.9%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#66/194

59.9%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#89/139

67.1%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#126/210

72.7%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#140/214

1012023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#97/208

16.12023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#126/215

490.92024

Access to electricity

% of population

#143/215

98.7%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#102/198

12.7K2024

Electricity per capita

kWh

#116/202

1,819.62024

Electricity generation

TWh

#70/202

332024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#42/202

71.7%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#54/202

28.3%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#148/204

462024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#92/204

2.52024

Share of global CO₂

#57/204

0.1%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#96/193

52023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#58/172

0.6572022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#63/172

0.52022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#103/178

362022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#131/193

-0.632022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#110/193

-0.3092022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#136/193

-0.622022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#113/193

-0.2392022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#51/172

0.8652022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#35/104

0.4942018

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#35/105

0.3992018

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#32/113

9.232018

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#50/112

3.72018

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#77/114

2.552018

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#75/114

4.372018

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#92/114

2.32018

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#72/111

2.342018

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#58/113

30.7%2018

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#77/109

2.112018

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#88/112

6%2018

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#83/112

10.4%2018

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#105/114

24.7%2018

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#14/114

62.6%2018

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#58/110

57.5%2018

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#82/109

3.92018

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#115/193

2.432020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#69/193

8.4%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#105/114

5.9%2018

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#75/112

2.092018

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#60/113

2.22018

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#82/110

2.292018

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#14/111

32018

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#65/104

8.212018

National pride

mean, 1–4

#11/114

3.822018

Would fight for country

% yes

#27/113

81.6%2018

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#108/114

1.942018

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#94/189

0.742021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#85/170

0.3622021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#61/164

6.142025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#31/113

7.572018

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#20/114

7.792018

Global Peace Index

1–5

#94/158

2.12023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#49/161

2.3%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.