seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys
interspersed
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 43%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject
to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic
droughts
Environment - current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the
sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern
two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
@Dominican Republic:People
Population: 8,442,533 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 1,486,902; female 1,422,977)
15-64 years: 61% (male 2,609,934; female 2,518,330)
65 years and over: 5% (male 192,254; female 212,136) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.64% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 25.15 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.2 years
male: 71.12 years
female: 75.38 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.1%
male: 82%
female: 82.2% (1995 est.)
@Dominican Republic:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republica Dominicana
local short form: none
Data code: DR
Government type: representative democracy
Capital: Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions: 29 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona,
Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat,
Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria
Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata,
Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez,
San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago
Rodriguez, Valverde
Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: 28 November 1966
Legal system: based on French civil codes
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons
regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August
1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August
1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year term; election last held 16 May 1996,
runoff election held 30 June 1996 (next to be held 16 May 2000)
election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna elected president; percent of
vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (PLD) 51.25%, Jose Francisco PENA Gomez
(PRD) 48.75%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or
Camara de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May
2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA
May 2002)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema, judges are elected by
a Council made up of legislative and executive members with the
president presiding
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy Party or APD
;
Anti-Imperialist Patriotic Union or UPA ;
Democratic Quisqueyan Party or PQD ; Democratic
Union or UD ; Dominican Communist Party or
PCD ; Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Jose Tomas
PEREZ]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD ;
Dominican Worker's Party or PTD ; Independent
Revolutionary Party or PRI ; Liberal Party of the Dominican
Republic or PLRD ; National Progressive Force or
FNP ; National Veterans and Civilian Party or PNVC
; Popular Christian Party or PPC [Rogelio
DELGADO Bogaert]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin
BALAGUER Ricardo]
note: in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to
form the Dominican Leftist Front or FID; however, they still retain
individual party structures
Political pressure groups and leaders: Collective of Popular
Organizations or COP
International organization participation: ACP, Caricom (observer),
ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto Bienvenido SALADIN Selin
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 332-6280
FAX: (202) 265-8057
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami,
New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce
(Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles MANATT
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
telephone: (809) 221-2171
FAX: (809) 686-7437
Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges
divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist
side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a
small coat of arms is at the center of the cross
@Dominican Republic:Economy
Economy - overview: In December 1996, incoming President FERNANDEZ
presented a bold reform package for this Caribbean economy - including
the devaluation of the peso, income tax cuts, a 50% increase in sales
taxes, reduced import tariffs, and increased gasoline prices - in an
attempt to create a market-oriented economy that can compete
internationally. Even though most reforms are stalled in the
legislature - including the intellectual property rights bill, social
security reform, and a new electricity law first submitted in 1993 -
the economy has grown vigorously under FERNANDEZ's administration.
Construction, tourism and telecommunications are leading the advance.
The government is working to increase electric generating capacity, a
key to continued economic growth; the state electricity company was
finally privatized following numerous delays. The continuation of this
vigorous growth in 2000 will depend on the policies adopted by the new
administration.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $43.7 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8.3% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,400 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.6%
industry: 30.8%
services: 55.6% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 39.6% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.1% (1999)
Labor force: 2.3 million to 2.6 million
Labor force - by occupation: services and government 58.7%, industry
24.3%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 13.8% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.3 billion
expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $867
million (1999 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining,
textiles, cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1995 est.)
Electricity - production: 8.476 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 72.04%
hydro: 27.62%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.34% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 7.883 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco,
rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products,
beef, eggs
Exports: $5.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee,
cocoa, tobacco, meats
Exports - partners: US 61.6%, Belgium 11.1%, Asia 5.9%, Canada 2.9%
(1998 est.)
Imports: $8.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics,
chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners: US 56%, Venezuela 23%, Mexico 9%, Japan 4% (1999
est.)
Debt - external: $3.7 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $239.6 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 16.161 (January
2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997), 13.775 (1996),
13.597 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Dominican Republic:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 569,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 33,000 (1995)
Telephone system:
domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave
radio relay network
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 1.44 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 25 (1997)
Televisions: 770,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Dominican Republic:Transportation
Railways:
total: 757 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominican Republic Government
Railway); 240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges
(0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (1995)
Highways:
total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km
unpaved: 6,376 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km
Ports and harbors: Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de
Macoris, Santo Domingo
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 28 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 9 (1999 est.)
@Dominican Republic:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,239,309 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,405,845 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 86,569 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $180 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY98)
@Dominican Republic:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined
for the US and Europe
______________________________________________________________________
ECUADOR
@Ecuador:Introduction
Background: The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries
that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others
being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war
with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.
@Ecuador:Geography
Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the
Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
water: 6,720 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries:
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,237 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and
Galapagos Islands
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher
elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 56%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,560 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
@Ecuador:People
Population: 12,920,092 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.23% (male 2,379,541; female 2,301,543)
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 3,794,515; female 3,880,367)
65 years and over: 4.37% (male 262,701; female 301,425) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.04% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 26.51 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.52 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 35.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.06 years
male: 68.26 years
female: 73.99 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.18 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish) 65%, Amerindian
25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%
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.)
@Ecuador:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador
Data code: EC
Government type: republic
Capital: Quito
Administrative divisions: 22 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El
Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi,
Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,
Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 August (1809) (independence of
Quito)
Constitution: 10 August 1998
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons
ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gustavo NOBOA (since 22 January 2000)
following coup which deposed President MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro
PINTO (since 28 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Gustavo NOBOA (since 22 January 2000)
following coup which deposed President MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro
PINTO (since 28 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election last held 31
May 1998; runoff election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: results of the last election prior to the coup were:
Jamil MAHUAD elected president; percent of vote - 51%
note: a military-indigenous coup toppled democratically elected
President Jamil MAHAUD on 21 January 2000; the military quickly handed
power over to Vice President Gustavo NOBOA on 22 January; Congress
then elected a new vice president from a slate of candidates submitted
by NOBOA; the new administration is scheduled to complete the
remainder of MAHAUD's term, due to expire in January 2003
Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
(121 seats; 79 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to
serve four-year terms; 42 members are popularly elected by province -
two per province - for four-year terms)
elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DP
32, PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3, MPD 2, CFP 1; note -
defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting
in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various
parties
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema, new justices are
elected by the full Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP
; Democratic Left or ID ;
Ecuadorian Conservative Party or PCE ; Pachakutik-New
Country or P-NP ; Popular Democracy or
DP ; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Jaime HURTADO
Gonzalez]; Radical Alfarista Front or FRA ;
Roldosist Party or PRE ; Social
Christian Party or PSC
note: political blocs include: far left - MPD; populist - CFP and
P-NP; populist left - PRE; center left - ID, DP, and FRA; center right
- PSC and PCE
Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Indigenous
Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE
International organization participation: CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: (202) 234-7200
FAX: (202) 667-3482
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gwen CLARE
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address: APO AA 34039
telephone: (2) 562-890
FAX: (2) 502-052
consulate(s) general: Guayaquil
Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double
width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center
of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia which is shorter and does
not bear a coat of arms
@Ecuador:Economy
Economy - overview: Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich
agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products such
as oil, bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can
have a substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade
Organization in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of its
accession commitments. In recent years, growth has been uneven due to
ill-conceived fiscal stabilization measures. The aftermath of El Nino
and depressed oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into a
free-fall in 1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking sector
collapse, which helped precipitate an unprecedented default on
external loans later that year. Continued economic instability drove a
70% depreciation of the currency throughout 1999, which eventually
forced a desperate government to dollarize the currency regime in
2000. The move stabilized the currency, but did not stave off the
ouster of the government. The new president, Gustavo NOBOA has yet to
complete negotiations for a long sought IMF accord. He will find it
difficult to push through the reforms necessary to make dollarization
work in the long-run.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $54.5 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -8% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,300 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 36%
services: 50% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 37.6% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 59.9% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 4.2 million
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services
45% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12% with widespread underemployment (November 1998
est.)
Budget:
revenues: planned $5.1 billion (not including revenue from potential
privatizations)
expenditures: $5.1 billion including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)
Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper
products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber
Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production: 9.657 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 27.96%
hydro: 72.04%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 8.981 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc
(tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork,
dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Exports: $4.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut
flowers, fish
Exports - partners: US 39%, Colombia 7%, Italy 6%, Peru 5%, Chile 3%
(1998)
Imports: $2.8 billion (c.i.f., 1999)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, raw materials, fuels;
consumer goods
Imports - partners: US 39%, Colombia 11%, Japan 9%, Venezuela 5%,
Mexico 3% (1998)
Debt - external: $15.3 billion (1999)
Economic aid - recipient: $695.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: sucres (S/) per US$1 - 24,860.7 (January 2000),
11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997), 3,189.5 (1996),
2,564.5 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Ecuador:Communications