Guaranda () is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

in central

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: ' ...

. It is the capital of Bolívar province located in the

Andes mountains The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

. The city is connected by road with other hubs, including Riobamba,

Babahoyo Babahoyo (), founded May 27, 1948, by legislative decree, is the capital of the Los Ríos province of Ecuador. Its population is cited around 153,000. It is bordered by two rivers, the San Pablo and the Caracol, which join to form the Babahoyo ...

and Ambato. Guaranda is a market town located in a ''valle'' – a deep valley in the high Andes, serving a vast hinterland of agricultural settlements ("comunidades") peopled by Quechua Indians. Its climate is subtropical, with a long (May – October) dry season ("estio"). Its population is mainly

mestizo (; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturally European even though thei ...

, but includes many people of different ethnicities. Supposedly, the city was first colonized by Jewish Conversos fleeing from Lima's Inquisition. This nucleus has been intermarrying for almost five centuries, forming a compact population linked by family connections. Since the 1990s, the indigenous majority has seized political power and most of the local elected officers are of Quechua origin. The city has 55,374 inhabitants (2011 census) and is growing. It suffers severe problems of electricity and water supply. Water is drawn from high surface sources, mostly from the Chimborazo glacier, and is of good drinking quality. The city is known for its week-long Carnaval and for its "Pajaro Azul" alcoholic drink.

History

The city was founded by Spanish explorers in 1571, but wasn't officially recognized until November 11, 1811. The city celebrates its independence day on November 10, commemorating the day the city definitively declared its independence from the Spanish. Guaranda weathered

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fr ...

s in 1674 and 1775, sustaining significant damage, but rebuilding both times. After the 1775 earthquake, it took almost four years to rebuild the city. The city was declared an official Ecuadorian cultural center on October 23, 1997, reflecting the historic

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...

of the urban center.

Geography

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Guaranda is built upon seven

hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit. Terminology The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally considered to be not a ...

s. It lies at an altitude of about . From the city, Chimborazo is in view most days. The downtown area is situated around Parque Libertador Simon Bolivar, named for the heroic liberator, Simon Bolivar. In the park, a statue of Bolivar designed by famous Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín can be found.

Political Division

Guaranda including urban and rural area has around 65000 inhabitants because politically it joins 11 parishes

Urban Parishes

* Angel Polibio Chávez * Gabriel Ignacio Veintimilla * Guanujo

Rural Parishes

* Facundo Vela * Julio Moreno * Salinas * San Lorenzo * San Luís de Pambil * San Simón * Santa Fé * Simiatug

Sister cities

Haeju Haeju () is a city located in South Hwanghae Province near Haeju Bay in North Korea. It is the administrative centre of South Hwanghae Province. As of 2008, the population of the city is estimated to be 273,300. At the beginning of the 20th century ...

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...

References

External links

City of Guaranda (Spanish)
* {{Authority control Populated places in Bolívar Province (Ecuador) Provincial capitals in Ecuador