Despite its location at the centre of the Andean region, Ecuador has so far avoided the worst effects of the drug production and armed insurgencies that afflict Colombia and Peru. Even though these problems pose a great challenge to the civilian regime, most people agree that Ecuador s democratic form of government is here to stay. Petroleum, shrimps, bananas, coffee and cocoa. Ecuador is the world s largest exporter of bananas. Agriculture employs about one-third of the population, mainly in subsistence farming.
Food crops are rice, maize, legumes, potatoes, rye and barley.
About half the total land is forested. African 10 percent. Improvements in the past five years. Government observes due process. Improving but public health programmes deficient.