Ecuador

From Gothpoodle

• Population: 28 million
• Aspects: Very Stable, Free, Fourth Wave

Ecuador’s unique position in hemispheric politics is due to a long-standing relationship with the United States. In the 2020s, the American corporation Columbia Aerospace built the world’s largest spaceport outside Quito. Using several innovative technologies, Columbia Aerospace soon dominated the ground-to-orbit market and ushered in a new era of space development. Part of the process involved massive investment in Ecuador’s economic infrastructure, which was turned to good use by a series of effective local governments. By 2050 Ecuador had surpassed all the other Andean states in stability and economic productivity.

This new prosperity roused some envy, of course. For much of the 21st century, Ecuador has had to defend itself against possible attack from Colombia or Peru. Ecuador has carefully maintained a close alliance with the United States, and has cultivated a small but very professional and well-equipped military of its own.

Today Ecuador is a moderately prosperous Fourth Wave nation. The population is unusually rich in variant human types, and bioshells and cybershells are quite common. The nation’s leaders are aware that their long relationship with the United States may be about to change as the Kenyan beanstalk approaches completion. The government has been carefully playing up the possible threat from its nanosocialist neighbors, hoping to keep the United States involved in South America even after Atahualpa Spaceport is no longer such a critical element of American foreign policy.

See also Quito.