Ecuador
ek-wa-dor', a republic of South America. The name is Spanish, meaning the equator, under which Ecuador is situated. It lies on the Pacific coast between Colombia and Peru. The boundaries are in dispute. The present territory administered by the government of Ecuador comprises about 120,000 square miles. When Pizarro and his men invaded South America, the Indians of Ecuador and Peru were at war, thus facilitating the conquest of their country. Ecuador obtained its independence of Colombia in 1830. Like that of other South American republics, the present government is organized on the model of the United States. Free public schools have been organized; a university, thirty-seven colleges corresponding to high schools, and several hundred primary schools are maintained at public expense. The public schools are seldom held in schoolhouses. They are without proper school furniture. Quito, the capital, is situated at an elevation of 9,600 feet above the sea. It is the highest capital city in the world. For fear of earthquakes there is not a stove, stovepipe, or chimney in town. The cooking is done in pots and kettles over a charcoal fire. Guayaquil, on the gulf of that name, has an excellent harbor, and is the commercial city of the republic. A railway from the harbor to Quito is under construction. The engineering difficulties to be overcome are great. The surface is mountainous, exceedingly so. The railroad mentioned will pass in sight of the famous Mt. Chimborazo, and of Mt. Cotopaxi, the loftiest volcano known.
The chief industries of the country are mining, stock raising, dairying, lumbering, and the production of cacao, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, grain, and grapes. There are also manufactures of pottery and hats. The women of Quito are famous for making exquisite laces. The leading exports are cacao or cocoa, coffee, hides, meats, and the Peruvian bark from which quinine is extracted. Vanilla, sarsaparilla, cotton, rubber, pearls, vegetable ivory, and straw hats are also exported.
The population is given in the Statesman's Year Book as 1,205,600. Spanish is the prevailing language. The inhabitants are chiefly of the Catholic faith.
STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest from trustworthy sources:
| Land area, square miles | 116,000 |
| Population, chiefly Indians . 1,400,000 | |
| Quito | 50,841 |
| Guayaquil | 51,000 |
| Cuenca | . 30,000 |
| Riobamba | 18,000 |
| Number of provinces | 17 |
| Members of senate | 17 |
| Representatives, about | 70 |
| Salary of president | $6,000 |
| Annual expenditure | $7,500,000 |
| Soldiers | 5,000 |
| Bonded indebtedness | $5,000,000 |
| Production of quinine, pounds 360,000 | |
| Ivory nuts, pounds | 46,000,000 |
| Coffee, pounds | 5,700,000 |
| Rubber, pounds | 1,000,000 |
| Rice, pounds | 40,000,000 |
| Sugar, pounds | 16,000,000 |
| Cocoa (1908), pounds | 70,000,000 |
| Total exports | $11,000,000 |
| Navigable rivers, miles | 600 |
| Railways, miles | 200 |
| Telegraph, miles | . 2,500 |
| Panama hats (1907) | $1,200,000 |
| Gold output | . $125,000 |
| Public schools | 1,100 |
| Pupils enrolled | 69,000 |