Manta, also known as San Pablo de Manta, is a city in
Ecuador
Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, 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. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
, cantonal head of the Manta Canton, as well as the largest and most populated city in the
Manabí Province. It is the seventh most populous in the country. Manta has existed since
Pre-Columbian
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...
times. It was a trading post for the Manta, also known as
Manteños.
According to the 2022 census, the city had a population of 258,697. In the 21st century, its main economic activity is
tuna fishing. Other economic activities include
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
and a
chemical industry, with products ranging from cleaning supplies to oils and margarine.
Located on the Pacific coast, Manta has the largest seaport in Ecuador. The port was used by
Charles Marie de La Condamine upon his arrival in Ecuador in 1735 when leading the French mission to measure the location of the equator. From Manta, Condamine started his trip inland towards
Quito
Quito (; ), officially San Francisco de Quito, is the capital city, capital and second-largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its metropolitan area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha Province, P ...
.
Manta has an international airport,
Eloy Alfaro International Airport, with passenger airline service, and an important military base (known as
Manta Air Base or Eloy Alfaro Air Base). Between 1999-2009 Manta Air Base was used by U.S. air forces to support anti-narcotics military operations and surveillance flights against Colombian drug trafficking cartels. The lease was not renewed by the Ecuadorian government.
Manta is recognized for its international film festival, featuring groups from different places in the world. The Ecuadorian actor
Carlos Valencia was invited to
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
for his performance in ''Ratas Ratones y Rateros'' (1999), directed by
Sebastián Cordero. The latter was born in the capital city of Quito.
Sport
Sporting events take place in November, and from January through April.
Football is the main sport of the city, as it is in the nation. The city has two professional teams:
Delfín S.C. and
Manta F.C. Other teams have included Green Cross F.C., America, Juventud Italiana, and River Plate.
Other sports in Manta include
surfing
Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
(Manta was the host for the 2004 Bodyboarding World Cup),
scuba diving,
water skiing, and
kitesurfing. Nearby
Salinas was the site of the ISA World Junior Surfing Games Ecuador in 2009. Manta hosted the sixth South American
Windsurfing
Windsurfing is a wind-propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the Californian aerospace and surf culture. Windsurfing gain ...
Championship.
Manta has
underwater diving
Underwater diving, as a human activity, is the practice of descending below the water's surface to interact with the environment. It is also often referred to as diving (disambiguation), diving, an ambiguous term with several possible meani ...
and
sport fishing.
Tennis is also played in Manta. A number of ATP Challenger Series have been played in the city.
Entertainment and culture
Manta hosts an International Theater Festival in September. A MAAC cine, one of four in Ecuador, shows independent and non-Hollywood productions.
The Central Bank Museum includes an important collection of
Pre-Columbian
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...
craft.
Economy
Manta has one of the larger economies in Ecuador. The main industries are fishing and tuna canning and processing. Processed tuna is exported to Europe and the U.S. International tuna corporations including
Bumble Bee, Van Camps, British Columbia Packers, and Conservas Isabel, as well as leading national tuna processor Marbelize, have sizable factories in Manta.
Other important products include vegetable oil. Large Ecuadorian corporations, including La Fabril and Ales, have their main factories in Manta.
According to a recent survey by ''Vistazo'' magazine, many of the largest companies by revenue in Ecuador are located in the Manta metropolitan area. It is third after Quito and Guayaquil, which both are home to larger companies.
Tourism is increasingly important for Manta's economy. Various cruise ships have made Manta a port of call while traveling the southern Pacific Ocean. In addition, the original and official
"Panama" hats are produced in Manabí. Internationally known, they are made in the nearby town of
Montecristi. Montecristi hats are popular souvenirs for many visitors to Manta.
Tourism
Manta receives numerous visits from foreign as well as local tourists. The most visited beaches include "El Murciélago", "Santa Marianita", "San Lorenzo" and "Barbasquillo". Surfers often travel to San Lorenzo to find powerful waves, which are regularly head high.
Kitesurfing has recently become very popular in Santa Marianita (Playa Bonita) because of the excellent wind conditions and long beach.
Nearby is the small town of Montecristi, founded in the early 17th century. It has colonial architecture but is best known for its
wickerwork weaving. It is also the original birthplace of Panama hats; despite their name, they were historically produced in Ecuador.
Gallery
Image:Malecon Escenico Manta.jpg, The Malecon Escenico; a boardwalk with stores and seafood restaurants
Image:BarbasquilloManta.jpg, Manta as seen from the Barbasquillo Beach
Image:AtardecerMurcielago.jpg, Sunset in the Murcielago Beach
Image:SanLorenzoManta.jpg, San Lorenzo Beach
File:Playa de Manta.jpg, Manta Beach
File:Trafico en Manta.jpg, Rush hour traffic
Education
Manta possesses a number of universities and high schools. The largest and most traditional university is Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro; others include Universidad del Pacifico (Pacific University) and Manta Institute of Technology. The most traditional high schools include Colegio San Jose, Colegio Senoritas Manta, and Colegio Stella Maris.
Foreign-oriented upper class high schools include Jefferson High School (American), Julio Pierregrosse High School (Spanish), and Leonardo da Vinci High School (Italian). These are the most prestigious high schools in the city, keeping international academic standards. The Spanish language school, Academia Surpacifico, has more than 14 years of experience teaching Spanish to foreigners.
Climate
Despite the city's location on the equator, the
Humboldt Current gives Manta an
arid climate (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''BWh''). The city is cloudy and hot most of the year, and rainfall is erratic and largely confined to the months between January and April. At these times, it occurs mainly during
El Niño events, when the Humboldt Current weakens.
Sister cities
Manta has one
sister city, as designated by
Sister Cities International:
*
Vladivostok,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
Manta and Vladivostok become sister cities
References
External links
*
Municipality of Manta Official Site
{{Authority control
Populated places in Manabí Province
Populated coastal places in Ecuador
Surfing locations in Ecuador