Page "Military of Ecuador" Paragraph 1

The Ecuadorian Armed Forces ( Fuerzas Armadas del Ecuador ) are part of the public forces and have the stated mission of the preservation of the integrity and national sovereignty of the national territory.

It also involves participation in the social and economic development of the country and the provision of assistance in the maintenance of internal order.

Tasks include fighting organised crime, anti-narcotic operations and illegal immigration.

One social development programme applies the provision of teachers for rural schools through an accord with the Ministry of Education.

Environmental protection is also a priority, several programmes were implemented: " National Forestation and Ornamentation ", " Lonely Tree ", " Green Surveillance ", " Fire Plan ", " Ecuador Forest " and " Arenillas Military Reserve ".

The Ecuadorian territory is divided into five " Joint Task Force Zones " or Fuerzas de Tarea Conjunta, four on mainland Ecuador, the fifth being the Naval-zone ( including the Galapagos Islands ).

Overseas territories include also the " Pedro Vicente Maldonado " Naval Biological Research Station in the Antarctic.