Ecuador
Quito
Quito is the capital of Ecuador and at an elevation of 2,850 m above sea level, it is the second highest official capital city in the world, and the closest to the equator. It is located in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains.
Quito is the political and cultural center of Ecuador as the country’s major governmental, administrative, and cultural institutions are located within the city. The majority of transnational companies with a presence in Ecuador are headquartered there.
El Oro is a province in Ecuador. The capital is Machala. El Oro was named for its historically important gold production.
The Province of El Oro is made up of 14 cantons, from which their respective urban and rural parishes are derived.
According to the latest territorial ordinance, the province of El Oro will belong to a region also included by the provinces of Loja and Zamora Chinchipe, although it is not officially formed, called the South Region.
Baños de Agua Santa
Baños de Agua Santa, commonly referred to as Baños, is a city in eastern Tungurahua Province of Ecuador. Baños is the second most populous city in Tungurahua, after the capital Ambato, and is a major tourist center. Baños is known as the “Gateway to the Amazon,” as it is the last city still located in the mountain region before reaching the jungle and other towns that are located in the Amazon River basin.
Manta
Manta has been exploding with new growth for the past few years and shows little sign of slowing down. It is Ecuador’s 4th largest city, with a population of around 300,000 people. There is a beautiful new shopping mall in Manta that has opened within the last two years that includes a terrific grocery/everything store called MegaMaxi.
Cuenca
Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca, commonly referred as Cuenca (Quechua: Tumipampa) is the capital and largest city of the Azuay Province of Ecuador. Cuenca is located in the highlands of Ecuador at about 2,560 metres (8,400 feet) above sea level, with an urban population of approx. 329,928 and 661,685 inhabitants in the larger metropolitan area. The center of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its many historical buildings.
Montañita
Montañita is a small coastal town in Ecuador located in the parish of Manglaralto in the province of Santa Elena about 180 kilometers northwest of Guayaquil. Translated as “little hill”, it became famous very slowly, decades ago, as a place only for surfing, with only a few rustic fishermen houses and one or two surfers tent on summer time.