HOmes and Homelessness in Ecuador
typical Household
In Ecuador, housing varies sharply depending on region (La Costa- the coast, La Sierra- mountains, and La Amazonia/Oriente- the amazon/"east"). On the coast (La Costa), the housing is usually basic, with the exception of Guyaquil(a major city). Additionally, homes on the coast of Ecuador do not feature the Spanish architectural style that is commonly found in the mountainous regions of the country (La Sierra). These houses, along with those in la Oriente, are generally small, square, one-story buildings. People make use of their backyards in which they garden and wash clothes. In La Oriente, which is inhabited by many indigenous people, houses are made of woven palm fronds on a wooden frame. This housing does not allow much privacy or protection from the surrounding tropical region.
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Housing in La Costa (Left)
As stated above, houses on Ecuador's coast tend to be small, simple one story buildings that usually house a family and sometimes extended family. In cities on the coast, such as the slums of Guayaquil, houses are built very close together and almost stacked if they move up a slope. They are generally built of wood or cement. Additionally, most houses are built so that they are raised to combat the severe flooding that commonly occurs during the rainy season.
Seeing as the coast of Ecuador is a tourist hub, there are also many expensive, large houses. |
Housing in La Oriente (Above)
Many Indigenous groups live in la Oriente, along with many who don't. Houses in this region are usually made of wood, woven palms, and wattle-and-daub. They are commonly small one floor, one room houses that hold many members. Families also may own land that they use for raising livestock and crops.
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Housing in La Sierra (Above)
Houses in la Sierra tend to be characterized by their Spanish architecture (such as the Spanish tiles). These houses are also usually one story with several rooms. They house families and extended families. Families living in the Sierra may also own land for farming and livestock.
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The following videos show the two ends of the housing spectrum in Ecuador
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HOmelessness Rates
Although there are no official reports of Ecuador's homelessness demographics, more than 300,000 were displaced in April, 2008 after a flood. This natural disaster left 14,000 in shelters, 40% of which were children. From 1980-2010, 2,688,831 people were affected by natural disasters in the nation. Additionally, around 86,736 people are affected by natural disasters per year. While this is only one report, one can only imagine the extensive number of those without homes in Ecuador currently. Keep in mind, the additional demographics from causes other than natural disasters. For example, Unemployment rates staggered between 4-10% from 1988-2012 according to the World Bank. The current rate is around 5.71%.
For more information of Disaster Statistics in Ecuador check out Ecuador-Disaster Statistics
For more information of Disaster Statistics in Ecuador check out Ecuador-Disaster Statistics
Causes of Homelessness include...
- Natural Disasters (flooding, earthquakes, drought, volcanic eruption)
- Unemployment/ Income is not great enough to purchase housing
- Housing not available
Current Event
Natural disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, and volcanic activity have proven to be issues for Ecuador's housing and agriculture for decades. In recent years, the rainy season has caused flooding throughout some regions, destroying homes and forcing people to relocate. A recent report of this occurred in January of 2012, when heavy rains caused over 4,700 to flee their homes. Many moved in with relatives while around 2,800 moved to disaster shelters.
For more information check out this article |
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Videos
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Works Cited
Craggs, Ryan. "Ecuador Floods Force Thousands From Homes." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 25 Mar. 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
"Ecuador." International Review of the Red Cross 8.89 (1968): 424. Culture Grams. Culture Grams World Edition 2012. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
"Ecuador, Unemployment." Quandl. World Bank Cross Country Data, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
"Ecuador Unemployment Rate 2003-2014 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast." Ecuador Unemployment Rate. Trading Economics, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
"Thousands Remain Homeless after Torrential Rains and Flooding in Ecuador." UNICEF. N.p., 26 May 2012. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
Craggs, Ryan. "Ecuador Floods Force Thousands From Homes." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 25 Mar. 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
"Ecuador." International Review of the Red Cross 8.89 (1968): 424. Culture Grams. Culture Grams World Edition 2012. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
"Ecuador, Unemployment." Quandl. World Bank Cross Country Data, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
"Ecuador Unemployment Rate 2003-2014 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast." Ecuador Unemployment Rate. Trading Economics, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
"Thousands Remain Homeless after Torrential Rains and Flooding in Ecuador." UNICEF. N.p., 26 May 2012. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.