Background Note: Ecuador
Background Note: Ecuador
February 2009
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
PROFILE
OFFICIAL
NAME:
Republic of Ecuador
Geography
Area: 276,840 sq. km; about the size of Colorado.
Cities: Capital--Quito (pop. 2 million). Other
major cities--Guayaquil (2.28 million).
Terrain:
Jungle east of the Andes, a rich agricultural coastal plain
west of the Andes, high-elevation valleys through the
mountainous center of the country and an archipelago of
volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Climate: Varied,
mild year-round in the mountain valleys; hot and humid in
coastal and Amazonian jungle lowlands.
People
Nationality: Noun and
adjective--Ecuadorian(s).
Population (Jan. 2009):
13,923,375.
Annual population growth rate (July 2007
est.): 1.55%.
Ethnic groups: Indigenous 6.8%, mestizo
(mixed Indian and Spanish) 77.4%, Caucasian and others
10.8%, African 4.9%.
Religion: Predominantly Roman
Catholic (95%), but religious freedom recognized.
Languages: Spanish (official), indigenous languages,
especially Quichua, the Ecuadorian dialect of Quechua.
Quichua and Shuar are official languages of intercultural
communication.
Education: Years compulsory--ages
6-14, but enforcement varies. Attendance (through 6th
grade)--76% urban, 33% rural. Literacy--92%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--22.1/1,000.
Life expectancy--76.62 yrs.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: May 24, 1822 (from
Spain).
Constitution: October 20, 2008.
Branches:
Executive--President and 28 cabinet ministers.
Legislative--unicameral Congress.
Judicial--Supreme Court, Constitutional Court,
Supreme Electoral Tribunal, Provincial Courts, and ordinary
civil and criminal judges.
Administrative subdivisions:
24 provinces.
Major political parties: Over a dozen
political parties; President Correa's Proud and Sovereign
Fatherland (PAIS) movement is predominant.
Suffrage:
Obligatory for literate citizens 18-65 yrs. of age; optional
for other eligible voters.
Economy
GDP: (2008
preliminary) $52.6 billion; (2007 preliminary) $45.8
billion; (2006) $41.8 billion.
Real annual growth rate:
(2008 preliminary) 2.3%; (2007) 2.5%; (2006) 3.9%.
Per
capita GDP: (2008) $3,670; (2007) $3,366; (2006) $3,115.
Natural resources: Petroleum, fish, shrimp, timber,
gold.
Agriculture, including seafood (6% of GDP in
2008): Products--bananas, seafood, flowers, coffee,
cacao, sugar, tropical fruits, palm oil, palm hearts, rice,
corn, and livestock.
Oil and mining (26% of GDP in
2008); industry (9% of GDP in 2008): Types--petroleum
extraction, food processing, wood products, textiles,
chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
Other major contributors
to GDP: Commercial trade (wholesale and retail)--12%
(2008); transportation/warehousing-- 7% (2008);
construction--10% (2008).
Trade:
Exports--$17.6 billion (Jan.-Nov. 2008); $14.3
billion (2007). Types--petroleum, bananas, shrimp,
coffee, cut flowers cacao, hemp, wood, fish. Major
markets (Jan.-Nov. 2008)--U.S. 46%, Latin America 27%,
Andean Community 17%, European Union (EU) 11%, and Asia 3%.
Imports--$17.2 billion (Jan.-Nov. 2008); $13.9
billion (2007). Types--industrial materials, fuels
and lubricants, nondurable consumer goods, industrial
capital goods. Major suppliers (Jan.-Nov.
2008)--Latin America 42%, Andean Community 27%, U.S. 19%,
Asia 23%, and EU 8%.
Currency: U.S. dollar.
PEOPLE
Ecuador's population is ethnically
mixed. A large majority of the population is mestizo (mixed
Indian-Caucasian), followed by smaller percentages of
indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian, and European descendent
criollos. Although Ecuadorians were heavily
concentrated in the mountainous central highland region a
few decades ago, today's population is divided about equally
between that area and the coastal lowlands. Migration toward
cities--particularly larger cities--in all regions has
increased the urban population to over 60%. The tropical
forest region (or Amazon region) to the east of the
mountains remains sparsely populated and contains only about
3% of the population. Due to an economic crisis in the late
1990s, more than 600,000 Ecuadorians emigrated to the U.S.
and Europe from 2000 to 2001. According to the 2000 U.S.
census there were 323,000 persons who claimed Ecuadorian
ancestry. Including undocumented migrants, it is
unofficially estimated that there are approximately one to
two million Ecuadorians currently residing in the U.S.
HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
The Inca Empire and Spanish Conquest
Advanced
indigenous cultures flourished in Ecuador long before the
area was conquered by the Inca Empire in the 15th century.
In 1534, the Spanish arrived and defeated the Inca armies,
and Spanish colonists became the new elite. The indigenous
population was decimated by disease in the first decades of
Spanish rule--a time when the natives also were forced into
the "encomienda" labor system for Spanish landlords. In
1563, Quito became the seat of a royal "audiencia"
(administrative district) of Spain.
Independence and
Historical Developments
After independence forces
defeated the royalist army in 1822, Ecuador joined Simon
Bolivar's Republic of Gran Colombia, only to become a
separate republic in 1830. The 19th century was marked by
instability, with a rapid succession of rulers. The
conservative Gabriel Garcia Moreno unified the country in
the 1860s with the support of the Catholic Church. In the
late 1800s, world demand for cocoa tied the economy to
commodity exports and led to migrations from the highlands
to the agricultural frontier on the coast.
A coastal-based liberal revolution in 1895 under Eloy Alfaro reduced the power of the clergy and opened the way for capitalist development. The end of the cocoa boom produced renewed political instability and a military coup in 1925. The 1930s and 1940s were marked by populist politicians, such as five-time President Jose Velasco Ibarra. In January 1942, Ecuador signed the Rio Protocol to end a brief war with Peru the year before. Ecuador agreed to a border that conceded to Peru much territory Ecuador had previously claimed in the Amazon region. After World War II, a recovery in the market for agricultural commodities and the growth of the banana industry helped restore prosperity and political peace. From 1948-60, three presidents--beginning with Galo Plaza--were freely elected and completed their terms. Political turbulence returned in the 1960s, followed by a period of military dictatorship between 1972 and 1979. The 1980s and beginning of the 1990s saw a return to democracy, but instability returned by the middle of the decade.
Political Instability (1997-2006)
Abdala
Bucaram, from the Guayaquil-based Ecuadorian Roldosista
Party (PRE), won the presidency in 1996 on a platform that
promised populist economic and social policies, and
challenged what Bucaram termed as the power of the nation's
oligarchy. During his short term of office, Bucaram's
administration was severely criticized for corruption.
Bucaram was deposed by the Congress in February 1997 on
grounds of alleged mental incompetence. In his place,
Congress named Fabian Alarcon interim president. Alarcon's
presidency was endorsed by a May 1997 popular referendum.
Quito Mayor Jamil Mahuad of the Popular Democracy party was elected president by a narrow margin In July 1998. Mahuad concluded an historic peace agreement with Peru on October 26, 1998, but increasing economic, fiscal, and financial difficulties drove his popularity steadily lower. On January 21, 2000, during demonstrations in Quito by indigenous groups, the military and police refused to enforce public order. Demonstrators entered the National Assembly building and declared a three-person "junta" in charge of the country. Field-grade military officers declared their support for the concept. During a night of confusion and negotiations, President Mahuad fled the presidential palace. Vice President Gustavo Noboa took charge and Mahuad went on national television to endorse Noboa as his successor. Congress met in emergency session in Guayaquil the same day, January 22, and ratified Noboa as President of the Republic.
Completing Mahuad's term, Noboa restored some stability to Ecuador. He implemented the dollarization of the economy that Mahuad had announced and obtained congressional authorization for the construction of Ecuador's second major oil pipeline, this one financed by a private consortium. Noboa turned over the government on January 15, 2003, to his successor, Lucio Gutierrez, a former army colonel who first came to public attention as a member of the short-lived "junta" of January 21, 2000. Gutierrez' campaign featured an anti-corruption and leftist, populist platform. After taking office, however, Gutierrez adopted relatively conservative fiscal policies and defensive tactics, including replacing the Supreme Court and declaring a state of emergency in the capital to combat mounting opposition. The situation came to a head on April 20, 2005, when political opponents and popular uprisings in Quito prompted Congress to strip Gutierrez of the presidency for allegedly "abandoning his post." When the military withdrew its support, Gutierrez went into temporary exile. Congress declared Vice President Alfredo Palacio the new president. A semblance of stability returned, but the Palacio administration failed to achieve congressional support for major reforms.
The Correa Administration
(2007-present)
In presidential elections in October
2006, third-time candidate Alvaro Noboa won the first round.
However, Rafael Correa, Palacio's former finance minister,
running on an anti-establishment reform platform, bested
Noboa in the second round presidential runoff in November
2006. Election observers characterized the elections as
generally free, fair, and transparent. Noboa's National
Institutional Renovation and Action Party won the largest
bloc in Congress in 2006 elections, followed by Gutierrez's
Patriotic Society Party; Correa's Proud and Sovereign
Fatherland (PAIS) movement did not field any congressional
candidates. Traditional parties saw their congressional
representation cut in half.
The new Congress took office January 5, 2007 and Correa was sworn in as President on January 15, 2007. In March 2007, 57 members of Congress were dismissed on the grounds that they violated campaign laws. Following that, the Congress was largely deadlocked and later effectively replaced by a constituent assembly that was voted into power on September 30, 2007. The assembly, which was inaugurated on November 29, 2007, drafted a new constitution that voters approved on September 28, 2008. The government is currently in a transitional phase between the institutions of the old and new constitutions. Under the new constitution, elections for the president, vice president, members of the National Assembly, and provincial and local offices are scheduled for April and July 2009.
Government
The 2008 constitution provides for
4-year terms of office for the president, vice president,
and members of the National Assembly. Presidents may be
consecutively re-elected for an additional term. The
executive branch currently includes 28 ministries,
(including coordinating ministries with inter-governmental
responsibility). Provincial leaders (called prefects) and
councilors, like mayors, city councilors, and rural parish
boards, are directly elected. A newly elected National
Assembly will replace the interim Legislative Commission
after the April 2009 elections. Justices of the National
Court of Justice will be selected by a Judicial Council
through a merit-based process to a nine-year term with no
immediate reappointment. A special committee, composed of
members selected by all branches of government, will appoint
the members of the Constitutional Court to serve a nine-year
term, with no reappointment.
Principal Government
Officials
President--Rafael CORREA
Vice
President--Lenin MORENO
Minister of Foreign
Affairs--Fander FALCONI
Minister of Defense--Javier
PONCE
Ambassador to the United States--Luis GALLEGOS
Chiriboga
Ambassador to the Organization of American
States--Efren A. COCIO
Ambassador to the United
Nations--Maria Fernanda ESPINOSA
Ecuador maintains an embassy in the United States at 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 (tel. 202-234-7200). Consulates are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Jersey City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Haven, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Political Conditions
Ecuador's political
parties have historically been small, loose organizations
that depend more on populist, often charismatic, leaders to
retain support than on programs or ideology. Frequent
internal splits have produced great factionalism. No party
has won the presidency for two consecutive terms since the
return to civilian government in 1979.
Beginning with the 1996 election, the indigenous population abandoned its traditional policy of shunning the official political system and participated actively. The indigenous population established itself as a force in Ecuadorian politics, and participated in the Gutierrez administration before joining the opposition.
The 2007-2008 constituent assembly approved a constitutional text on July 29, 2008, which was subsequently approved by voters on September 28, 2008. This new constitution is Ecuador's 20th since independence.
As of the end of 2008, President Correa's PAIS movement was the predominant political force. President Correa has criticized the traditional political parties. As a result of this criticism and their weak showings in the 2007-2008 elections, opposition parties are weakened and seeking ways to revive themselves.
ECONOMY
The Ecuadorian
economy is based on petroleum production, manufacturing
primarily for the domestic market, and agricultural
production for domestic consumption and export. Principal
exports are petroleum, bananas, shrimp, flowers, and other
primary agricultural products. In 2007, crude and refined
petroleum products accounted for 58% of total export
earnings. Ecuador is the world's largest exporter of bananas
and plantains (about $1.3 billion) and a major exporter of
shrimp ($613 million). Exports of nontraditional products
such as flowers ($469 million), canned fish ($671 million)
and automobiles ($383 million) have grown in recent years
(all trade data from 2007).
Ecuador adopted the dollar as its national currency in 2000, following a major banking crisis and recession in 1999. Dollarization led to stability, which helped Ecuador achieve solid economic performance through 2006. Growth averaged 4.6% per year, supported by high oil prices, strong domestic consumer demand, increased non-traditional exports, and growing remittances ($3 billion a year) from Ecuadorians living abroad. Per capita income increased from $1,296 in 2000 to an estimated $3,670 in 2008, while the poverty rate fell from 51% in 2000 to 38% in 2006. In 2007, economic growth slowed, constrained by declining petroleum production and reduced private sector investment, but appeared to recover somewhat in 2008 due to increased government spending and strong domestic demand.
President Correa’s economic policies include higher social spending, increased government control over strategic sectors, and a greater share of natural resource revenues for the state. After two years in office, the overall direction of economic policy is unclear, creating uncertainty for the business community. One example of uncertain direction is debt policy, where the government initially suggested it might default, then honored the debt for almost two years, and then defaulted on some debt issuances but not others. Other examples are still undefined policies for the petroleum and mining sector. An additional source of uncertainty is the new economic provisions in the 2008 constitution, which have not been further defined pending the issuance of implementing laws and regulations. In addition, the government is taking a number of new measures to adjust to falling petroleum revenues, and the full scope and effectiveness of those measures were unknown as of early 2009.
By the end of 2008, it was clear that the global financial crisis and economic downturn led to falling remittances and oil prices for Ecuador. In January 2009, the government invoked the World Trade Organization (WTO) balance of payments safeguard provision to increase tariffs and impose quotas on consumer goods that exceed its WTO bindings. These provisions will be evaluated in the WTO. The government also announced that is cutting or restricting public sector spending, although it did not provide many specifics on how it would do so.
Ecuador is rich in natural resources, with significant oil and mineral reserves, although its mineral sector is largely undeveloped. Oil production is by both government and private companies. The state oil company, which is viewed as inefficient, operates mature oil fields that were developed by private companies in the 1970s. It has assumed the operation of an oil field that was seized from a U.S. oil company when that company’s contract was cancelled in 2006 for alleged contract violations, an action that is being challenged in international arbitration. Starting in 2006, the government, through laws and decrees, has changed the terms of private sector oil contracts and has attempted to renegotiate new contracts with those companies, although as of early 2009 it had not renegotiated any new long-term contracts. The contractual uncertainty has led to a drop in private sector investment in the oil sector. In 2008 (through November), overall oil production had fallen slightly since 2007 and significantly since 2006. State oil company production rose slightly, but private production fell.
The World Economic Forum's Competitiveness Index rated Ecuador 104th out of 134 countries for 2008.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Ecuador always has placed
great emphasis on multilateral approaches to international
problems. Ecuador is a member of the United Nations (and
most of its specialized agencies), the Organization of
American States (OAS), and many regional groups, including
the Rio Group, the Latin American Energy Organization, the
Union of South American Nations, and the Community of Andean
Nations.
Under the Correa administration, Ecuador has increased its efforts to strengthen and diversify its political and economic ties with countries within Latin American, Europe, and Asia. In Latin America, President Correa has traveled to Peru, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, and Cuba, for example, where his government has signed agreements to promote economic cooperation. Similarly, outside the region, Correa has visited Spain, Italy, and France, as well as China, Iran, and Russia, among other countries.
In October 1998, Ecuador and Peru reached a peace agreement to settle their border differences, which had festered since the signing of the 1942 Rio Protocol. This long-running border dispute occasionally erupted into armed hostility along the undemarcated sections, with the last conflict occurring in 1995. The U.S. Government, as one of the four guarantor nations (the others are Argentina, Brazil and Chile), played an important role in bringing the conflict to an end. The peace agreement brokered by the four guarantors in February 1995 led to the cessation of hostilities and a Military Observers Mission to Ecuador-Peru (MOMEP) which monitored the zone. In addition to helping broker the peace accord, the U.S. has been active in demining the former area of conflict and supporting welfare and economic projects in the border area.
The ongoing conflict in Colombia and security along the 450-mile-long northern border are important issues in Ecuador's foreign relations with Colombia. The instability of border areas and frequent encroachments of Colombian guerillas into Ecuadorian territory has led the Ecuadorian army to deploy more troops to the region. Although Ecuadorian officials have stated that Colombian guerrilla activity will not be tolerated on the Ecuadorian side of the border, guerrilla bands have been known to intimidate the local population, demanding extortion payments and practicing vigilante justice. The Correa administration is pursuing a policy known as Plan Ecuador to develop the northern border region and protect citizens from the drug threat. A Colombian military incursion into Ecuador in March 2008 caused the Government of Ecuador to break diplomatic relations, which as of the end of 2008 had not been re-established.
U.S.-ECUADORIAN RELATIONS
The United States
and Ecuador have mutual interests in combating
narcotrafficking and cooperating in fostering Ecuador's
economic development and reducing poverty. Ties have been
strengthened by the presence of an estimated one million to
two million Ecuadorians living in the United States, by
150,000 U.S. citizens visiting Ecuador annually, and by
approximately 20,000 U.S. citizens residing in Ecuador. More
than 100 U.S. companies are doing business in Ecuador.
The United States assists Ecuador's economic development directly through the Agency for International Development (USAID) and through multilateral organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank. In addition, the U.S. Peace Corps and the State Department's Narcotic Affairs Section operate sizable programs in Ecuador. Total U.S. assistance to Ecuador amounted to over $40 million in 2008.
The United States is Ecuador's principal trading partner. In 2007, Ecuador exported about $6.2 billion in products to the U.S. For over 10 years Ecuador has benefited from duty-free entry for many of its exports under the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA) and received additional trade benefits under the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) in 2002. The U.S. Congress approved a number of extensions of those benefits, now set to expire on December 31, 2009. In May 2004 Ecuador entered into negotiations for an Andean free trade agreement with the U.S., Colombia, and Peru, but negotiations between the U.S. and Ecuador have not resumed since the Government of Ecuador announced controversial reforms to hydrocarbons legislation in April 2006.
Although there are problems with money laundering, border controls, and illegal immigration, Ecuador shares U.S. concern over narcotrafficking and the activities of illegal armed groups. The government has maintained Ecuador virtually free of coca production since the mid-1980s, and is working to combat money laundering and the transshipment of drugs and chemicals essential to the processing of cocaine (with U.S. support). It also gives priority to combating child labor and trafficking in persons.
Ecuador and the U.S. agreed in 1999 to a 10-year arrangement whereby U.S. military surveillance aircraft could use the airbase at Manta, Ecuador as a Forward Operating Location to detect drug trafficking flights through the region. The Ecuadorian Government informed the United States in July 2008 that it will not renew the lease for the Forward Operating Location when it expires in November 2009.
Ecuador claims a 320-kilometer-wide (200-mi.) territorial sea. The United States, in contrast, claims a 12-mile boundary and jurisdiction for the management of coastal fisheries up to 320 kilometers (200 mi.) from its coast, but excludes highly migratory species. Although successive Ecuadorian governments have declared a willingness to explore possible solutions to this issue, the U.S. and Ecuador have yet to resolve fundamental differences concerning the recognition of territorial waters.
Principal U.S. Embassy
Officials
Ambassador--Heather Hodges
Deputy Chief of
Mission--Andrew Chritton
Political Section Chief--Nan
Fife
Economic Counselor--David Edwards
Consul
General--Elizabeth Jordan
Commercial Attaché--Eric
Olsen
Management Counselor--Michael St. Clair
Public
Affairs Officer--Michael Greenwald
Regional Security
Officer--Fernando Matus
USAID Director--Alexandria
Panehal
Narcotics Affairs Section Director--John Haynes
Guayaquil Consulate
Consul General--Douglas
Griffiths
Chief, Consular Section--Phillip Linderman
U.S. Embassy
Avigiras E12-170 y Eloy
Alfaro
Quito, Ecuador
(tel. (593)(2) 398-5000)
The mailing address is DPO AA 34039
U.S. Consulate
9 de Octubre and Garcia Moreno
Guayaquil, Ecuador
(tel. (593)(4) 232-3570)
Consular Agent for the
Galapagos
Puerto Ayora
(tel. (593) (5) 526-330 or
(593) (5) 526-296)
Other Contact Information
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard:
(202)-647-4000 (http://www.state.gov)
U.S. Department
of Commerce, Trade Information Center, International Trade
Administration
1401 Constitution Avenue
Washington,
DC 20230
(tel: 800-USA-TRADE, Internet: http://trade.gov)
Ecuadorian-American
Chamber of Commerce--Quito
Edificio Multicentro, 4 Piso
La Nina y Avenida 6 de Diciembre
Quito, Ecuador
Tel: (593) (2) 250-7450
Fax: (593) (2) 250-4571
E-mail: info@ecamcham.com
Website: www.ecamcham.com/default_en.htm
(Branches: Ambato, Cuenca and Manta)
Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce--Guayaquil
Av. Francisco de Orellanda y Alberto Borges
Edificio
Centrum, Piso 6, Oficina 5
Tel: 593-(4)-269-3470 or
593-4-269-3471
Fax: 593-(4)-269-3465
Email: infocenter@amchamecuador.org
(Branch: Manchala)
TRAVEL AND BUSINESS
INFORMATION
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other relatively short-term conditions overseas that pose
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Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department
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because the situation is dangerous or unstable.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov. For additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.
The Department of State encourages all U.S. citizens traveling or residing abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security conditions.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4-USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778); TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793. Passport information is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. You may speak with a representative Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) and a web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. The CDC publication "Health Information for International Travel" can be found at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentYellowBook.aspx.
Further Electronic Information
Department
of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://www.state.gov, the Department of
State web site provides timely, global access to official
U.S. foreign policy information, including Background Notes and daily press briefings along with the
directory of key officers of Foreign Service posts
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Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free export counseling, help with the export process, and more.
STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from the Federal government. The site includes current and historical trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank.
ENDS