Esmeraldas, Ecuador
{{About|the Ecuadorian city|the province|Esmeraldas Province|the canton|Esmeraldas Canton|for the river|Esmeraldas River}}
{{Other uses|Esmeraldas (disambiguation){{!}}Esmeraldas}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Esmeraldas
|settlement_type = City
|total_type = City
|image_skyline = Collage Esmeraldas.png
|image_caption = From top, left to right: View of the north of the city, Flopec building, Las Palmas beach, fishing port, Esmeraldas refinery and road to Atacames.
|imagesize = 250px
|image_flag = Bandera Provincia Esmeraldas.svg
|image_shield =
|nickname =
|pushpin_map = Ecuador
|pushpin_mapsize =
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_type1 = Province
|subdivision_type2 = Canton
|subdivision_name = {{flagicon|ECU}} Ecuador
|subdivision_name1 = Esmeraldas
|subdivision_name2 = Esmeraldas
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Vicko Villacís
|established_title = Founded
|established_date = September 21, 1526
|area_total_km2 = 28.03
|population_footnotes = [https://www.citypopulation.de/en/ecuador/towns/esmeraldas/080150__esmeraldas/ Citypopulation.de] Population and area of Esmeraldas
|population_as_of = 2022 census
|population_metro =
|population_total = 155487
|population_density_km2 = auto
|population_demonym = Esmeraldeño - a
|elevation_m = 15
|area_code = (+593) 6
|timezone = ECT
|utc_offset = -5
|blank_name = Climate
|blank_info = Aw
|website = [https://www.esmeraldas.gob.ec/ Official website] {{in lang|es}}
|coordinates = {{coord|0|58|00|N|79|39|10|W|region:EC-E|display=it}}
|
}}
Esmeraldas ({{IPA|es|esmeˈɾaldas}}) is a coastal city in northwestern Ecuador. It is the seat of the Esmeraldas Canton and capital of the Esmeraldas Province. It has an international sea port and a small airport (IATA location identifier: ESM). Esmeraldas is the major seaport of northwestern Ecuador, and it lies on the Pacific coast at the mouth of the Esmeraldas River. The city is the principal trading hub for the region's agricultural and lumber resources, and is the terminus of the 313-mile (504-km) Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline from the oil fields in northeastern Ecuador.
Esmeraldas is well known around Latin America given the large number of locals that have historically played in the Ecuador national football team.{{cite web|url=http://www.elcomercio.com/deportes/esmeraldenos-integran-Seleccion-ecuatoriana_0_889711188.html|title=Siete esmeraldeños integran la Selección ecuatoriana|website=El Comercio|access-date=19 April 2018|archive-date=9 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509192757/http://elcomercio.com/deportes/esmeraldenos-integran-Seleccion-ecuatoriana_0_889711188.html|url-status=dead}} The main activities of the city are commerce, industry and agriculture. It has beaches with landscapes and a warm climate, which make it one of the most visited tourist destinations in the area.
On 19 December 2016, a 5.8 Richter scale earthquake shook the city of Esmeraldas.{{Cite web |title=Sismos de hasta 5.8 grados de magnitud sacuden costa de Ecuador |url=https://www.prensalibre.com/internacional/sismos-de-hasta-58-grados-de-magnitud-sacuden-costa-de-ecuador/ |access-date=2022-10-03 |language=es-GT}}
Economy
The port of Esmeraldas is economically important for the northern part of Ecuador, and the port of Balao is an important oil processing facility. Here wood and wood chips are mainly exported; bananas and other agricultural products are also exported.
=Agriculture and livestock=
The soil allows the production of rice, maize, African Palm, albacá/albahaca and a variety of tropical fruits. Among the main forest species are: chanul, raft, laurel, sande, guayacán, and tangaré. Cattle and pig rearing are also important. The fishing industry is also an important economic indicator of the region, and includes species like corvina, snapper, lisa and tuna.
=Industry=
Image:Industria petrolera ecuatoriana.jpg
Industry in Esmeraldas consists of manufacturing, timber, chemicals and oil. Concerns exist about forest management and deforestation in the Chaco rainforest.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100705053712/http://www.etfrn.org/etfrn/eucomm/6fp/documents/ecuador.pdf Laura Rival, "Industrial and Non-Governmental Community-Based Forest Management in Esmeraldas, Ecuador"] Archived from [www.etfrn.org/etfrn/eucomm/6fp/documents/ecuador.pdf the original] 2012-02-26.
The trans-Andean pipeline was completed in August 1972, connecting the Oriente reserves to refining facilities in Esmeraldas,[https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221256/http://www.geocities.ws/currie_alder/oad2.pdf Bruce Currie-Alder, "Under the Shadow of a Star: Sustainability and oil development in the Ecuadorian Amazon"] Archived from [http://www.geocities.ws/currie_alder/oad2.pdf the original] 2012-02-26. and the oil industry is the largest employer.[https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053548/http://www.movingtoecuador.net/esmeraldas-information.html "Living in Esmeraldes, Ecuador"] Archived from [http://www.movingtoecuador.net/esmeraldas-information.html the original] 2012-02-26. In 1987, the refinery was expanded for the first time to {{convert|90000|oilbbl/d|m3/d}}. The second expansion, to {{convert|110000|oilbbl|m3}}, occurred in 1995. The plant is currently running at 80 percent capacity with hopes to return to full capacity by 2014.https://www.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130201-713047.html {{Dead link|date=February 2022}} The petrol produced there is used for mixtures because of its high aromaticity.
Climate
Like most of the Ecuador coast, Esmeraldas has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh) with a wet season from January to April, a dry season from May to December, and consistently very warm to hot and cloudy weather due to fog from the Humboldt Current.
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|collapsed = Y
|location = Esmeraldas (Tachina), elevation {{convert|8|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1971–2000)
|Jan high C = 28.8
|Feb high C = 29.0
|Mar high C = 29.3
|Apr high C = 29.3
|May high C = 29.1
|Jun high C = 28.7
|Jul high C = 28.4
|Aug high C = 28.5
|Sep high C = 28.5
|Oct high C = 28.6
|Nov high C = 28.7
|Dec high C = 28.5
| year high C =
|Jan low C = 22.3
|Feb low C = 22.4
|Mar low C = 22.6
|Apr low C = 22.5
|May low C = 22.7
|Jun low C = 22.4
|Jul low C = 22.0
|Aug low C = 21.8
|Sep low C = 21.7
|Oct low C = 21.9
|Nov low C = 22.0
|Dec low C = 22.2
| year low C =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 89.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 89.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 143.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 74.0
|May precipitation mm = 53.0
|Jun precipitation mm = 34.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 21.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 14.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 15.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 10.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 11.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 22.0
|year precipitation mm =
| Jan humidity = 82
| Feb humidity = 85
| Mar humidity = 84
| Apr humidity = 83
| May humidity = 83
| Jun humidity = 83
| Jul humidity = 82
| Aug humidity = 80
| Sep humidity = 81
| Oct humidity = 80
| Nov humidity = 79
| Dec humidity = 80
| year humidity =
|Jan sun =
|Feb sun =
|Mar sun =
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|May sun =
|Jun sun =
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| source 1 = FAO{{cite web
| url = https://www.fao.org/land-water/databases-and-software/climwat-for-cropwat/en/
| title = CLIMWAT climatic database
| publisher= Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations
| access-date = 20 June 2024}}
}}
Tourism
Tourist attractions include beaches, virgin forests, the culture of the indigenous Cayapas people, marimba and Afro-Ecuadorian music and the La Tolita archaeological zone. Other attractions include Atacames, famous for the "crazy coconut" (coco-loco, traditional drink made with coconut water) and its handicrafts in black and red coral. Same, an area of large palms and serene blue waters; Muisne, with pristine beaches of warm sand inhabited by red crabs in a tropical atmosphere; Quinindé, with vast African palm trees and guadúa houses; and Tonsupa, famous for its sunsets. {{Citation needed|date=March 2013}}
The U.S. State Department advises not to travel to the northern border region of Ecuador, including the northern part of Esmeraldas, due to crime.{{Cite web |url=https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Ecuador.html |title=Ecuador International Travel Information |access-date=2021-07-12 }}
Infrastructure
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
The main road runs along the coast by joining La Tola, Lagarto, Montalvo, Rocafuerte, Río Verde, Camarones, Tachina y San Mateo. Other routes are: Esmeraldas - Atacames - Súa - La Unión - Muisne - Esmeraldas - Quinindé (Rosa Zarate) that lead to Santo Domingo and Quito. The Quito - San Lorenzo rail network is still in use.
The Carlos Concha Torres International Airport has offered both national and international services to Cali, Colombia.
Notable people
- Francisco de Arobe (born 1543), mulatto chief
- Pervis Estupiñán (born 1998), footballer for Brighton & Hove Albion
- Darwin Rivas (born 1990), footballer
- Enner Valencia (born 1989), footballer who currently plays for Fenerbahçe and captains the Ecuador national team.{{cite news |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/players/player=373400/profile-detail.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621032614/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/players/player=373400/profile-detail.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 June 2014 |title=Enner Valencia at FIFA.com |access-date=21 June 2014 |work=FIFA.com}}
- Gustavo Vallecilla (born 1999), footballer for Columbus Crew, on loan from Colorado Rapids.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://ecuadorrealestate.org/esmeraldas-atacames-mompiche-ecuador-map/ Map of Esmeraldas ]
{{Canton seats in Esmeraldas}}
{{Province capitals in Ecuador}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places in Esmeraldas Province
Category:Populated coastal places in Ecuador
Category:Port cities in Ecuador
Category:Provincial capitals in Ecuador