Population: 12 336 572 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 36% (male 2 253 920; female 2 175 402)
15-64 years: 60% (male 3 636 637; female 3 725 766)
65 years and over: 4% (male 254 432; female 290 415) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.86% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 23.16 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.17 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.56 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 32.07 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.8 years
male: 69.19 years
female: 74.54 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish) 55% Amerindian 25% Spanish 10% black 10%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: Spanish (official) Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.1%
male: 92%
female: 88.2% (1995 est.)