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Ecuador

Waiting for the first voice

تا مرد سخن نگفته باشد / عیب و هنرش نهفته باشد

Until a man has spoken, his faults and his gifts both stay hidden.

Saadi, Gulistan, chapter I, story 3

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Did you know

Ecuador is named after the Equator, which splits the country in two. (source)

Elders in numbers

of people are 65 or older
8.6%
people aged 65 or older
1.6M
will be 65 or older in 2050
17.2%
is how long people live after 60, on average
23.6 years
of people 65+ live alone
17.8%
women 18.4%, men 17.1%
of people 65+ live in collective quarters: care homes, hospitals, hostels and the like
0.2%

Sources: World Bank, 2025; World Bank projection for 2050; WHO, 2023; UN, 2022; UN, 2010 census

Compare with the world

Languages

23 languages, 21 of them endangered

  • ZáparoCritically endangered
  • AchuarDefinitely endangered
  • Cha'palaaDefinitely endangered
  • Salasaca Highland QuichuaDefinitely endangered
  • SecoyaDefinitely endangered
  • SionaDefinitely endangered
  • TsachilaDefinitely endangered
  • WaoraniDefinitely endangered
  • Awa PitVulnerable
  • Calderón Highland QuichuaVulnerable
  • Cañar Highland QuichuaVulnerable
  • Chimborazo Highland QuichuaVulnerable
Show all 23
  • CofánVulnerable
  • EperaraVulnerable
  • Imbabura Highland QuichuaVulnerable
  • Loja Highland QuichuaVulnerable
  • Media LenguaVulnerable
  • Napo Lowland QuechuaVulnerable
  • Northern Pastaza QuichuaVulnerable
  • ShuarVulnerable
  • Tena Lowland QuichuaVulnerable
  • Ecuadorian Sign Language
  • Spanish

Languages and their status: Glottolog v5.3, CC BY 4.0. Names: Wikidata.

UNESCO intangible heritage

List and years: ich.unesco.org

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