Orellana Province

Orellana
Province
Province of Orellana
Flag
Location of Orellana Province in Ecuador.
Cantons of Orellana Province
Country	Ecuador
Established	July 28, 1998
Founded by	Alejandro Labaca
Named for	Francisco de Orellana
Capital	Puerto Francisco de Orellana
Cantons	List of Cantons
Area
• Total	21,692.10 km2 (8,375.37 sq mi)
Population (2010 census)
• Total	136,396
• Density	6.3/km2 (16/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (ECT)
Vehicle registration	D
Website	www.orellana.gob.ec

Orellana (Spanish pronunciation: [oɾeˈʝana]) is an inland province of Ecuador. The capital is Puerto Francisco de Orellana (also known as Coca). It was created on July 30, 1998, from part of Napo Province.

The name of the province derives from the explorer Francisco de Orellana who it is told to have sailed from somewhere near the town to the Atlantic Ocean. He did this trip several times looking for the gold city of El Dorado and in search of a rumored Nutmeg forest which at the time was a very expensive spice. During his voyages he met a ferocious tribe of Indians who attacked his ships and many among them were women. This led to the naming of the river as the Amazon river. The province is divided in four cantons.

Cantons

The province is divided into four cantons. The following table lists each with its population at the 2001 census, its area in square kilometres (km²), and the name of the canton seat or capital.^[1]

Demographics

Ethnic groups as of the Ecuadorian census of 2010:^[2]

• Mestizo 57.5%
• Indigenous 31.8%
• Afro-Ecuadorian 4.9%
• White 4.4%
• Montubio 1.2%
• Other 0.2%

Economy

Jungle composes most of the province's territory, forcing it to rely primarily on exports of crude oil, and timber. Its second most important source of income is tourism, offering jungle exploration, indigenous encounters, and rivers. Mining is the third reliable source of income.

Places of interest

• Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

See also

• Cantons of Ecuador

References

Coordinates: 0°56′S 75°40′W / 0.933°S 75.667°W / -0.933; -75.667