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Mindo, Ecuador
Mindo (also known as the Mindo Valley) is a mountainous watershed in the western slopes of the Andes, where two of the most biologically diverse ecoregions in the world meet: the Chocoan lowlands and the Tropical Andes. In this transitional area — which covers an area of and ranges from above sea level — three rivers (Mindo, Saloya and Cinto) and hundreds of streams irrigate the landscape, which is a patchwork of cloud forests, secondary forests, agricultural land, and human settlements. Politically, Mindo is a collection of rural parishes (Gualea, Nanegal, Nanegalito, Pacto) that make up the Noroccidental Administrative Zone of Quito Canton, and parts of Los Bancos Canton within Pichincha Province in the northern sierra region of Ecuador. Tourism The Mindo Valley is among the most heavily visited tourist locations in Ecuador. Mindo was recently named the Ruta de Cacao by The Ecuadorian Ministerio de Turismo. Nearly 200,000 tourists visit the area annually to enjoy acti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Ekuatur Nunka''), is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Ecuador also includes the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific, about west of the mainland. The country's capital and largest city is Quito. The territories of modern-day Ecuador were once home to a variety of Indigenous groups that were gradually incorporated into the Inca Empire during the 15th century. The territory was colonized by Spain during the 16th century, achieving independence in 1820 as part of Gran Colombia, from which it emerged as its own sovereign state in 1830. The legacy of both empires is reflected in Ecuador's ethnically diverse population, with most of its mill ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cinto River
Belting is the use of belts made of strong materials (usually leather) as a whip-like instrument for corporal punishment (see that article for generalities). Although also used in educational institutions as a disciplinary measure, it has most often been applied domestically by parents. This practice has now been abolished by most schools, at least in the Western world, as it is seen by many as an abusive and excessive punishment. The instigator might use their own belt (always at hand) or the one worn by the person to be punished. In other cases, especially in an institutional context, a separate belt is kept (e.g. in the head’s office) solely for disciplinary use, and possibly displayed, again as a warning. The difference with a strapping, although in practice both terms are also used unprecisely as synonyms, is that a strap is harder, made from heavier and/or thicker leather, and may be specially made for discipline and have a handle (notably a prison strap), unlike a 'r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parishes Of Ecuador
The Parishes of Ecuador ( es, Parroquias) are the third-level administrative units of Ecuador. The Cantons of Ecuador are divided into parishes which are similar to municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ... or communes in many countries. There are over 1,500 parishes in Ecuador. References Asociación de Gobiernos Parroquiales Rurales del Azuay {{Ecuador-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herping
Herping is the act of searching for amphibians or reptiles. The term, often used by professional and amateur herpetologists, comes from the word "herp", which comes from the same Greek root as herpetology, ''herpet-'', meaning "creeping". The term herp is a shorthand used to refer to the two classes of ectothermic tetrapods (''i.e.'', amphibians and reptiles). Herping consists of many activities; anyone can find reptiles or amphibians while herping. The activity or technique depends on the terrain and target species. These include, but are not limited to, searching under natural cover objects (such as rocks and logs) and artificial cover objects (such as trash or construction debris), sometimes called 'flipping', as in 'flipping rocks' or 'flipping boards'; locating calling amphibians by ear, commonly done in pairs in order to triangulate on the location of the frog or toad; muddling or noodling for turtles by feeling around in mud or around objects submerged in water; dip-net ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Birdwatching
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by listening for bird sounds, or by watching public webcams. Most birdwatchers pursue this activity for recreational or social reasons, unlike ornithologists, who engage in the study of birds using formal scientific methods. Birding, birdwatching, and twitching The first recorded use of the term ''birdwatcher'' was in 1901 by Edmund Selous; ''bird'' was introduced as a verb in 1918. The term ''birding'' was also used for the practice of ''fowling'' or hunting with firearms as in Shakespeare's '' The Merry Wives of Windsor'' (1602): "She laments sir... her husband goes this morning a-birding." The terms ''birding'' and ''birdwatching'' are today used by some interchangeably, although some participants prefer ''birding'', partly because it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Canyoning
Canyoning (canyoneering in the United States, kloofing in South Africa) is a type of mountaineering that involves travelling in canyons using a variety of techniques that may include other outdoor activities such as walking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, abseiling (rappelling), and swimming. Although non-technical descents such as hiking down a canyon (''canyon hiking'') are often referred to as ''canyoneering'', the terms ''canyoning'' and ''canyoneering'' are more often associated with technical descents — those that require abseils (rappels) and ropework, technical climbing or down-climbing, technical jumps, and/or technical swims. Canyoning is frequently done in remote and rugged settings and often requires navigational, route-finding, and other wilderness travel skills. Canyons that are ideal for canyoning are often cut into the bedrock stone, forming narrow gorges with numerous drops, beautifully sculpted walls, and sometimes spectacular waterfalls. Most canyo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tubing (recreation)
Tubing, also known as inner tubing, bumper tubing, towed tubing, or kite tubing, is a recreational activity where an individual rides on top of an inner tube, either on water, snow, or through the air. The tubes themselves are also known as "donuts" or "biscuits" due to their shape. Variations Water Tubing on water generally consists of two forms: towed and free-floating, also known as river tubing. There is also water skiing. According to ''Time Magazine'', tubing was purportedly invented on the Black River in Missouri by Jan & Harriet Wright of Poplar Bluff, MO sometime in the middle of the 20th century, but examples of the practice were published as early as 1916, when the popularization of the automobile meant a large supply of rubber inner tubes was available to the general public. Towed tubing usually takes place on a large body of water such as a lake or river. One or more tube riders (often called "tubers") tether their tubes to a powered watercraft such as a motor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rafting
Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a part of the experience. This activity as an adventure sport has become popular since the 1950s, if not earlier, evolving from individuals paddling to rafts with double-bladed paddles or oars to multi-person rafts propelled by single-bladed paddles and steered by a person at the stern, or by the use of oars. Rafting on certain sections of rivers is considered an extreme sport and can be fatal, while other sections are not so extreme or difficult. Rafting is also a competitive sport practiced around the world which culminates in a world rafting championship event between the participating nations. The International Rafting Federation, often referred to as the IRF, is the worldwide body which oversees all aspects of the sport. Equipme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Los Bancos Canton
San Miguel de los Bancos, or simply Los Bancos, is a canton in the province of Pichincha, Ecuador. The long name of the town refers to dedication of the area to the archangel Michael. Local tradition attributes the "Los Bancos" part of the name to the use of tree trunks as benches at the junction of the through road from Quito to Esmeraldas with the road into the Rio Blanco valley. Geography The canton is in the Guayllabamba river basin, which, in turn, is part of the river basin of the Esmeraldas river, which flows into the Pacific Ocean. The climate of the canton is subtropical because of its mid-high elevation, as opposed to the climate of higher elevation in the province between the Western and Central Cordilleras, which enclose the highlands of the Ecuadorian Andes. Political divisions The canton is divided into two parishes: the urban parish San Miguel de los Bancos and the rural parish Mindo. Economy As with other cantons in the province of Pichincha, Los Bancos' econ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quito Canton
Quito, officially the Metropolitan District of Quito ( es, Distrito Metropolitano de Quito), is a canton in the province of Pichincha, Ecuador. Governance The canton is governed by the same mayor and city council that govern the city of Quito. Population figures According to the 2001 census, the total population of Quito (not the city itself) is 1,839,853, with 892,570 men and 947,283 women. According to the 2007 estimates, it is 1,840,000. Of this, the population of the urban parishes (the city of Quito itself) was 1,399,378, and the population of the rural parishes (outside of the city of Quito but still within the canton) was 440,475. The total population density of the canton is 439.8 inhabitants per km² (1139.1/mi²). The total number of households in the canton is 555,928, with 419,845 in the urban area (the city) and 136,083 in the rural area. Of the 1,407,526 inhabitants of the canton over the age of 12, 639,068 are married, 541,758 are single, 33,116 are divorced, 3 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Secondary Forest
A secondary forest (or second-growth forest) is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a timber harvest or clearing for agriculture, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident. It is distinguished from an old-growth forest (primary or primeval forest), which has not recently undergone such disruption, and complex early seral forest, as well as third-growth forests that result from harvest in second growth forests. Secondary forest regrowing after timber harvest differs from forest regrowing after natural disturbances such as fire, insect infestation, or windthrow because the dead trees remain to provide nutrients, structure, and water retention after natural disturbances. However, often after natural disturbance the timber is harvested and removed from the system, in which case the system more closely resembles secondary forest rather than seral forest. Description Depending on the forest, the development of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
