Guayaquil

Guayaquil, officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the capital city of the Province of Guayas and head of the canton of the same name. It is the second most populous city in Ecuador, behind Quito, the capital of the country, with a population of 2.7 million inhabitants according to the population projections of the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC). It is the main economic, cultural and financial resource center of the Ecuadorian coast.

It is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the coastal region of Ecuador. The eastern part of Guayaquil is on the banks of the Guayas River, about 20 kilometers from its mouth in the Pacific Ocean. It is surrounded by the Estero Salado in its southwestern part and the beginning of the Chongón Colonche mountain range, a chain of mountains of medium altitude, in the northwest. The Gulf of Guayaquil is the largest water inlet of the Pacific Ocean in South America, its extreme salients are set at Cabo Blanco, in Peru, and the province of Santa Elena. covering a distance of 230 km.

The city is divided into 16 urban parishes, although within a new municipal administration, its organization consists of 74 sectors. The city of Guayaquil covers an area of 347 km², of which 316 km², equivalent to 91.9% of the total, belong to the mainland (soil); while the remaining 29 km², equivalent to 8.1%, belong to the bodies of water that include rivers and estuaries. The Guayaquil conurbation, which is the metropolitan area of Guayaquil, beyond the limits of the urban agglomeration, includes the cities of Daule, Durán, Isidro Ayora, Lomas de Sargentillo, Milagro, Nobol, Samborondón, Salitre and Yaguachi, giving it a consolidated population of 3,113,725 inhabitants.

Finitively founded in 1547 as a shipyard and commercial port at the service of the Spanish Crown, as "Santiago de Guayaquil", after several other foundation attempts, it has served as the main point in the nation's economy It has been the site of great revolutions and uprisings throughout history, being the first Ecuadorian city to definitively obtain its independence from Spain in 1820. Later it was the capital of the Free Province of Guayaquil, which was later annexed to the Great Columbia. Since 1830 it has been part of the Republic of Ecuador as an important economic and political axis.

The March revolution that expelled foreign militarism, the liberal revolution led by General Eloy Alfaro, the May revolution that changed the government and the constitution of the time, are important events in the history of the nation that have been developed in the city.

Guayaquil stands out among Ecuadorian cities for its high use of mass transit, and for its overall density and diversity of its population.

The city's port is one of the largest on the eastern Pacific coast. 70% of the country's private exports leave through its facilities, entering 83% of imports.

Toponymy

Santiago the Major.

The name of the city of Santiago de Guayaquil is subject to several theories of which historians agree that it has a pre-Hispanic origin. Since its founding process began in 1534, it has been linked to the name Santiago in memory of its patron saint, Santiago el Mayor, apostle of Jesus Christ, who is also the patron of several cities in Latin America founded in the colonial period, such as the city of Santiago in Chile, as well as the Kingdom of Spain.

One of the theories is based on a romantic legend, transmitted orally from generation to generation, which attributes the etymological origin to the union of the names of a cacique named Guayas and his wife Quil, symbols of resistance. indigenous people who — according to popular tradition — chose to fight to the death (and ultimately burn down the village) rather than submit to the vassalage imposed by the Spanish conquistadors.

The existence of a town with a name similar to Guayaquil, located near the city of Durán (Autopista Durán-Boliche km. 23), has been the cause of investigations by archaeologists and historians, who have agreed that the Even at the time of the conquest, it was ruled by the Guayaquile cacique. If the true origin were discovered, the only doubt that would persist would be whether it was said cacique who gave the name to the town and the river or vice versa. But the researcher Ángel Véliz Mendoza in his book on the Guayaquile cacique affirms that there are references to the place name at least seven times in documents prior to 1543. It is believed that the name Guayaquil is due to the last settlement of the population, on lands of the cacique Guayaquile. This area was occupied by the Chonos nation, a human group that from the archaeological point of view, is called the Milagro-Quevedo culture.

After several transfers and fires, the city was definitively founded in 1547 under the title of «Very Noble and Very Loyal City of Santiago de Guayaquil». After the city's independence in 1820, the term "Very Noble and Very Loyal" it disappeared due to its separation from the Spanish Empire. Currently, the patronal name of Santiago de Guayaquil is not used regularly, although it is the official name of the city.

History

In the pre-Columbian era, the Guayaquil region was inhabited by various indigenous people. These towns consisted of political organization, war actions, and commercial exchange with other towns located to the south in present-day Peru, and to the north in present-day Mexico, by rafting, relying on the fluvial structure of the Guayas River. The towns that settled in the vicinity of the river were the product of the migration that occurred from the Manteña culture, these being known as "Manteños del Sur" or as the Huancavilca culture. In the last period of the pre-Hispanic era, the period of Integration, the Huancavilcas covered most of the current province of Guayas and other neighboring provinces, in which they also developed other cultures. These cultures developed independently of others until the Spanish conquest.

Shortly after Francisco Pizarro began the conquest of Peru, and in order to colonize and expand Spanish rule north of the former Inca Empire, he ordered the founding of the Villa de Santiago de Quito on August 15, 1534, near the current city of Riobamba, but after a short time its transfer to a place within the Inca territory was ordered, it is because of this that two expeditions depart. One of the expeditions headed north, which would later found the city of San Francisco de Quito. Meanwhile, the other expedition headed towards the southwest and would reach the coastal region, with which they established themselves in various sectors but were expelled from them by the native resistance.

Colonial shield of the city and its government.

The founding of the city was a process in which several Spanish expeditions tried to settle a colonial town, but due to native resistance it was too difficult a task. The first settlement was made by Sebastián de Benalcázar in 1534, who arrived from Paita with several expedition members and founded a town east of the Guayas river, but the chonos destroyed the town and killed almost half of the inhabitants.

In 1536, on Pizarro's orders, Hernando de Zaera moved the town near a site called "Yahual," but because the Spanish armies needed support to the south, Zaera and his army left for Peru. Pizarro once again ordered the transfer and reconstruction of the city to Captain Francisco de Orellana and in 1537 the city settled in the Culata, the current sector of La Puntilla in Samborondón, and then Orellana left again for Lima leaving Juan Porcel in the position of mayor. In 1541, an alliance between chonos and punáes , besieged the city in confrontations that lasted a period of six months. In May 1542, Captain Diego de Urbina moved the city again and took refuge near the Huancavilcas, to the west of the Guayas River. However, in 1543 the Huancavilcas completely destroyed the city and once again the city had to be moved to the the same site that Belalcázar had built in 1534. Finally, after the civil war between Pizarro and Almagro broke out, the city was transferred to its current location on July 25, 1547 under the title of Very Noble and Very Loyal City from Santiago de Guayaquil.

In the colonial period, Santiago de Guayaquil began to grow from the Santa Ana hill and after a short time it began to become an important commercial center, with which the Audiencia maintained its commercial ties with the other parts of the entire South Pacific region, and this added to the abundance of useful wood for construction, the existence of a large number of individuals in search of work (which made labor cheaper) and the strategic location of the port, allowed Guayaquil to become in the main shipyard of the South Sea Navy and one of the largest and most important in America in the XVII century. Guayaquil was a stopover point in the Asian-Latin American trade carried out by the Philippine-based Manila Galleon which had links to Acapulco in Mexico and terminated with a node at El Callao, Peru.

Due to the commercial boom that the city maintained during its first years, Santiago de Guayaquil had to endure several pirate attacks. In 1586, the English corsair Thomas Cavendish attacked the city, as did the Dutchman Jacques L'Heremite Clerk in 1624. In 1684, William Dampierre and other pirates burned much of the city to the ground. who stopped their attacks. In 1687, the French pirates D'Hout, Picard and Groignet began their attacks, which left the city partially destroyed, looted and its main buildings burned to the ground. From these events, it was decided to relocate the city, which led to the separation of the old city and the new city in a process that lasted between 1690 and 1696. Due to the constant transfers, numerous fires occur and plagues appear that would plague the city, leaving hundreds of deaths. prevention against attacks, forts were created on the hills and the army grew while piracy gradually disappeared.

Territorial extension of the Free Province of Guayaquil subsequently integrated into the Great Colombia.

In 1763 the Corregimiento de Guayaquil became the Government of Guayaquil, and became part of the Viceroyalty of Peru to the Viceroyalty of Nueva Granada. On November 10, 1764, the fire called Fuego Grande destroyed a large part of the new city, currently being classified as one of the biggest disasters in Guayaquil. After the incident, through negotiations with the king, exemption from payment of alcabalas was requested for a limited time, and with a loan of two hundred thousand pesos, the city began to rebuild quickly. With the royal certificate of 1803, the Government of Guayaquil returns to depend on the Viceroyalty of Peru, due to the high existing mercantile flow and in order to improve military defense against privateers and strengthen the shipyard.

After failed attempts at emancipation were made in other parts of the Royal Court of Quito, but motivated by the liberating current and the arrival of General José de San Martín with the Liberating Expedition of Peru in northern Peru and control Spanish naval power in the Pacific in the Thomas Cochrane Campaign, on October 9, 1820 the city of Guayaquil declared its independence from the Spanish Empire, thus joining the emancipatory cause of the other regions of the continent. With the independence of the city, José Joaquín de Olmedo, who was in charge of the provisional government, called an assembly on November 8 of that year, which created the Free Province of Guayaquil and issued its electoral statute and constitution for the nascent state., to ensure the sovereignty of Guayaquil and its independence, the Protective Division of Quito was created, through which it was intended to make the rest of the Presidency of Quito independent, giving way to thus at the beginning of the region's war of independence.

The Guayaquileño army maintained a series of battles to ensure the independence of the city and its province, however, the royalist armies continued to reunite in the mountains. President Olmedo decided to ask for help from the other liberators of South America, with which he obtained the assistance of Simón Bolívar, who sent Antonio José de Sucre with a considerable army in favor of the emancipatory cause. And in sending San Martín of the Peruvian-Argentine division under the command of Santa Cruz. From that moment on, the liberating armies consolidated on the coast, entered the inter-Andean alley where they headed north, maintaining several battles and finally on May 24, 1822 they defeated the forces royalists in the Battle of Pichincha that consolidated the independence of the territories of the former Royal Audience of Quito.

José Joaquín de Olmedo.

After independence was achieved, Quito and Cuenca were quickly annexed to Gran Colombia, while Bolívar also attempted to annex the Free Province of Guayaquil. However, in Guayaquil the option of joining Peru or remaining independent was also strongly considered. José de San Martín also showed his desire for this city to join Peru, which is why Bolívar decides to enter the city with an army, ignores the local government under the protest of the people and waits for San Martín, as a result of this, Olmedo exiled himself in Lima. The meeting of the liberators, known as the Guayaquil Interview took place on July 26, 1822, and resulted in the agreements defining Peruvian independence, where San Martin would give free passage to Bolívar to conclude it and the annexation of Guayaquil to Gran Colombia. On July 31, 1822, the free province of Guayaquil became the Department of Guayaquil, which in turn formed part of the Southern District of Gran Colombia..

In 1830, the District of the South separated from Gran Colombia and the Republic of Ecuador was created, Guayaquil becoming part of it on May 19. The first president was elected Venezuelan Juan José Flores, who served in three terms that proved disastrous for the young nation. In 1845, a national assembly met that drew up a new constitution, giving Flores too many powers, in addition to his immediate re-election and extension of the term of government. Because of this, on March 6, 1845, the Marcist revolution broke out in Guayaquil led by José Joaquín de Olmedo, Vicente Rocafuerte, Vicente Ramón Roca, Diego Noboa, among others; that overthrew Flores and established a new line of government called the Marcista period.

After several years, Marcismo remained in power until 1859, when Francisco Robles resigned as president of Ecuador. After Robles's departure from power, several supreme chiefdoms were formed in the country. In Guayaquil, General Guillermo Franco Herrera proclaimed himself Supreme Chief of Guayas, while in Quito a provisional government had been formed under the command of Gabriel García Moreno and in Cuenca Jerónimo Carrión declared himself Supreme Chief of that region. In addition to the crisis internal politics, they also had to deal with Peru due to diplomatic and territorial problems. Franco negotiated agreements with the president of Peru, Ramón Castilla, with whom he signed the Treaty of Mapasingue, after Peruvian troops occupied the city, after the withdrawal of the Peruvian expedition; On September 24, 1860, the forces of García Moreno and Juan José Flores, who helped García Moreno in an attempt to reconcile with Ecuador, held a confrontation known as the Battle of Guayaquil against the forces of Guillermo Franco. As a consequence of the victory of García Moreno, Guayaquil was annexed again to Ecuador and later the Treaty of Mapasingue was annulled by the congresses of both nations. In addition, after these events, the period known as garcianismo in the Ecuadorian government.

Eloy Alfaro convened the first assembly in 1896 in Guayaquil, but due to the Great Fire he moved to Quito.

In front row, Archer Harman and Eloy Alfaro; second row: Alfredo Monge, Crnel. Belisario Torres, Dr. Cesar Borja Lavayen, Gral. Francisco Hipólito Moncayo, William Fox and Amalio Puga.

Garcianism left the conservatives in power, even after the assassination of García Moreno in 1875. However, in 1895, under the presidency of Luis Cordero Crespo, a scandal broke out known as the " Sale of the Flag", in which the former president and governor of Guayas, José María Plácido Caamaño, also participated. The incident caused the conservative power to destabilize and they had to face the liberal revolution that broke out in Guayaquil on June 5, 1895, led by General Eloy Alfaro, who would later declare himself Supreme Chief and Constitutional President.

The Liberals, led by Alfaro, appointed a constituent assembly to meet in Guayaquil to draw up a new magna carta. However, the night of October 5, 1896 began the so-called Great Fire, which lasted until the morning of October 6 and destroyed most of the city (leaving 30,000 of 80,000 inhabitants homeless).). Although the possibility of sabotage by the conservative political faction is believed, the truth is that the real cause of this fire could never be discovered.

Despite the difficulties that Guayaquil had due to the multiple fires and the yellow fever epidemic, during the liberal governments, the city once again had a boom with the creation of the Commercial and Agricultural Bank by cocoa growers and merchants from Guayaquil, which became the bank with the greatest economic and political power, generally supporting right-wing groups. During these periods the city became the main political and economic center of the nation. In 1912 Alfaro was assassinated in Quito by a conservative mob that also dragged his corpse through the streets of that city and cremated it along with other liberal leaders.Leónidas Plaza Gutiérrez, Alfaro's opponent, took command of the nation.

During the period known as placismo, everything was more peaceful and the liberals, based in Guayaquil, continued in power with Alfredo Baquerizo, who proceeded to clean up the city where yellow fever it had been endemic until then, as a reflection of the fact that the Guayaquil bourgeoisie was the dominant force after the enrichment brought about by the commercial boom during the First World War.

Malecón de Guayaquil in 1920.

This brief period of prosperity was followed, however, by a very strong depression in the mid-1920s, with high inflation rates and a decline in imports, when plagues destroyed most of the cocoa plantations; The consequence of the crisis was the consolidation as a new social force of urban workers, already organized in unions in Guayaquil, especially the Federation of Regional Workers of Ecuador: their strongest revolt, with armed repression, resulted in a massacre of several hundred death occurred on November 15, 1922, part of this story is collected in the novel Las cruces sobre el agua by the author Joaquín Gallegos Lara. As a consequence of this, a military coup in 1925 left the liberal Isidro Ayora in power. As a result of this, Guayaquil continued on its way as the main axis of Ecuador's commerce, although it had to endure the effects of the great world depression of the 1930s and World War II, it also suffered the ravages of the Peruvian-Ecuadorian War of 1941. in which the city is involved in a naval confrontation known as the Battle of Jambelí in the Gulf of Guayaquil.

At the height of Velasquismo, Ecuador endured the aftershocks of World War II and the signing of the Rio de Janeiro Protocol in 1942. President Velasco Ibarra had five governments and after he left power in 1972 the country was submerged in a series of dictatorships headed by various military juntas that lasted in command until the return to democracy in 1979 when Jaime Roldós Aguilera from Guayaquil won the presidential elections. Roldós died along with his wife and several members of his cabinet in a still disputed plane crash. Osvaldo Hurtado Larrea assumed the presidency on an interim basis, who was succeeded by León Febres-Cordero Ribadeneyra from Guayaquil, with whom the power that the right-wing Social Christian Party would begin. In subsequent governments, the nation would face political instability that began with Abdalá Bucaram in 1997 and ended with Lucio Gutiérrez in 2005.

Since 1992, the administration of the Social Christian Party began in the mayor's office of the city, which gave the city a ninety degree turn, growing remarkably culturally, civically and ornamentally; when the former president León Febres Cordero won the municipal elections and his term was extended in 1996 for four more years until 2000, beginning in his mayor's office the transformation of Guayaquil. After his term as mayor, he was succeeded by his friend and fellow political party, Jaime Nebot Saadi. Nebot was re-elected in 2004.

When the project to organize a Constituent Assembly with the objective of drafting a new constitution was approved, Mayor Nebot was energetic and took the leadership of the opposition to the Correa government. The mayor promoted the option " No" for the 2008 referendum, however, after winning the No option in Guayaquil, the Yes obtained a majority in the other parts of the country, and the new constitution was approved in 2008.

As of the implementation of the new constitution, a transition period began that ended once the general elections were called throughout the country in 2009. In the presidential elections Rafael Correa won re-election, while in the municipal elections Jaime Nebot was also re-elected as mayor.

Government and politics

Cynthia Viteri, mayor of Guayaquil.

The city and canton of Guayaquil, like other Ecuadorian localities, is governed by a municipality as provided in the Constitution of the Republic. The M.I. Municipality of Guayaquil, officially known as Gobierno Autónomo Decentralizado Municipal de Guayaquil, is a sectional government entity that administers the canton autonomously from the central government. The municipality is organized by the separation of powers of an executive nature represented by the mayor, and another of a legislative nature made up of the members of the cantonal council.

The city of Guayaquil is the capital of the province of Guayas, which is why it is the seat of the Governor's Office and the Prefecture of the province. The Government is headed by the Governor of Guayas and is elected by designation of the President of the Republic himself as representative of the executive branch of the state. The Prefecture, sometimes called the Provincial Government, is headed by the Provincial Prefect of Guayas and is elected by direct suffrage in a single formula together with the person who assumes the candidacy for vice prefecture. The functions of the governor are mostly representative of the President of the Republic, while the functions of the prefect are oriented to the maintenance and creation of road, tourist, educational infrastructure, among others.

The Municipality of Guayaquil is governed mainly on the basis of what is stipulated in articles 253 and 264 of the Political Constitution of the Republic and in the Organic Code of Territorial Planning, Autonomy and Decentralization (COOTAD), which establishes functional autonomy, economic and administrative of the Entity, through articles 1 and 73.

Decentralized autonomous government

Municipal Palace.

Previously the highest authority in the city was the governors and burgomasters. From the constitution of 1945, the figure of mayor was born. The executive power of the city is held by a citizen with the title of Mayor of Guayaquil, who is elected by direct suffrage in a single electoral round without formulas or binomials in municipal elections. The vice mayor is not elected in the same way, since once the Cantonal Council is installed, a person in charge for that position will be chosen from among the mayors. The mayor and the vice mayor last four years in their functions, and in the case of the mayor, the option of immediate or successive re-election. The mayor is the highest representative of the municipality and has the casting vote in the cantonal council, while the vice mayor performs the functions of the mayor in a substitute manner while the incumbent mayor cannot exercise his functions.

The mayor has his own municipal administration cabinet through multiple advisory, support and operational level directorates. Those in charge of those municipal addresses are appointed by the mayor himself.

During the history of Guayaquil there have been two women who have held the position of mayors of the city, the first was the lawyer Elsa Bucaram in 1988, Currently the mayoress of Guayaquil is the lawyer and journalist Cynthia Viteri, since May 14, 2019. The mayor with the longest time in office was the lawyer Jaime Nebot with 18 years and 9 months. Among the mayors with less time in charge of the council are; the architect Harry Soria Lamán from 1991 to 1992 (he took office after the resignation of Elsa Bucaram) and Francisco Huerta Montalvo who was elected mayor of Guayaquil in 1970, but was ousted the same year when President José María Velasco Ibarra declared himself dictator..

Territorial organization

Territorially, the city of Guayaquil is organized into 16 urban parishes, while there are 5 rural parishes with which it complements the total area of the homonymous canton. The term "parish" It is used in Ecuador to refer to territories within the municipal administrative division. Until 1992, the city of Guayaquil only maintained 14 parishes, however, the towns of Chongón and Pascuales were annexed from rural to urban due to their proximity to the cantonal capital.

The Tarqui parish is the one with the largest area and population, almost entirely occupying the upper half of the city, with a population of 835,486 inhabitants according to the last population census carried out in 2001. The second most populous is Ximena with 500,076 inhabitants, occupies most of the south of the city. The third most populated and the most representative of the urban parishes of Guayaquil is Febres Cordero, with 341,334 inhabitants.

There is also a territorial division that the municipal government uses for its administration, which consists of sectors. There is confusion between the terms parishes, sectors and neighborhoods. The city is officially divided into parishes, while the sectors are of municipal administration, and finally the neighborhoods are informal in nature and keep their names in accordance with popular tradition.

It is worth mentioning that Guayaquil throughout its history of demographic evolution, has annexed many rural territories to later be classified as urban, as is the case of Pascuales and Chongón, since both parishes were rural but its proximity to the metropolis and its suburban area, has caused these two towns to be annexed by the city of Guayaquil.

Urban parishes of the city of Guayaquil
Map	Parish
	N.o	Name	Population
	1	Ayacucho	10.706
	2	Bolívar-Sagrario	12.149
	3	Carbo-Concepción	23.462
	4	Febres Cordero	498.334
	5	García Moreno	80.255
	6	Letamendi	151.615
	7	9 October	9.680
	8	Olmedo-San Alejo	13.516
	9	Rock	9.296
	10	Rockfuerte	11.761
	11	Sucre	68.071
	12	Tarqui	1’050.826
	13	Urdaneta	30.323
	14	Ximena	680.076
	15	Chongón	111.658
	16	Easter
	Total City		2.740.087
	The dimensions of the parishes Chongón, Pascuales and Ximena are not presented in a total way, only the areas where their parish header is located, which are adjacent to the city. The Trinitarian island located south of the parish Febres Cordero is part of the parish Ximena. Population data are sourced to VI Population and Housing Census carried out by INEC in 2001. The projections indicate figures much higher than those exposed.

Public works

Portales de casa en el Barrio Las Peñas.

The "urban regeneration", which began more than fifteen years ago, is an important transformation that the city is undergoing, after the decision of the current administration of the municipality to initiate it, as soon as it began its management, a regeneration program, which will continue until the end of his term, which would initially seek to beautify the city and generate tourism, the proper use of public spaces and private investment, promote public culture and raise the self-esteem of the population.

Regeneration means better technical distribution of space for pedestrians, construction and reconstruction of sidewalks and supports, access for the disabled, elimination of the so-called "noodles" (overhead electrical wiring), installation of urban furniture, facade painting, parking space, special streetlights, ornamental gardening and intelligent traffic lights.

Cerro Santa Ana, where the city is born; its neighbor the Cerro del Carmen and the commercial and banking center; the remodeled boardwalks of the river and the Salado estuary; traditional neighborhoods such as El Centenario, Las Peñas, Orellana and Urdesa; the popular urbanizations Alborada and Sauces; suburban avenues Portete and Venezuela; the central Calle Rocafuerte; Dozens of peripheral neighborhoods in Los Guasmos, Prosperina, Mapasingue and others have benefited from this work of physical cleaning. The overpass and pedestrian through each of these places is more pleasant to observe, as the hand of the artist using granite, ceramics, reconstructed stone, mosaics, wood, and other elements, give the appearance of nature in motion, ecological designs, tropical navigation, and urban signs, being some named as: City that shines, The man of my land, My beautiful coast, Guayaquil of my loves, among others.

The squares, historic churches, and statuary in general, give the city a peculiar attraction and make it worthy of some national and international recognition.

Crime and law enforcement

Crimes in Ecuadorian territory during 2019 showed an increase in their figures, with a predominance in the city of Guayaquil, in 2019 crimes in zone 8 (Guayaquil, Durán, Samborondón) revealed an increase of 16 % compared to 2018, and vehicle thefts had an increasing rate of 41%.

The municipality of Guayaquil implemented the "More Security" plan in 2019, for which it signed an inter-institutional agreement between the National Police, ECU 911 and municipal institutions: the Metropolitan Police and the Security Corporation Citizen of Guayaquil.

Geography

Satellite image of the central part of the coastal region of Ecuador. The city of Guayaquil is located in the center of the image.

Guayaquil's geography is characterized by its coastal position in the northwestern part of South America, in the coastal region of Ecuador and its location between the Guayas River and the Salado estuary. The geography of the city, with its proximity to the ocean and its status as a port, has contributed as an important factor to make Guayaquil the city with the highest population density in the Republic of Ecuador.

The city of Guayaquil is located in the northwestern part of South America, at low elevations and far from the Andes Mountains. The low relief of the city and the canton is formed by hills that cross the city and then join a smaller mountain system called "Chongón-Colonche" west of the city. The fluvial network of the Guayas River closes to Guayaquil to the east, while it is crossed and surrounded to the west by the Estero Salado. It has easy access to the Pacific Ocean through the Gulf of Guayaquil.

Geographical coordinates

Latitude: 2° 10' S Length: 79° 54' O UTM Coordinates: N8128385.172; E19741554.450; area: -0.00; scale factor: 4690

Relief and hydrography

The city is located in the lower basin of the Guayas River, which rises in the provinces of Pichincha and Cotopaxi, and flows into the Gulf of Guayaquil in the Pacific Ocean. It receives water from the Daule and Babahoyo rivers. The Daule and its tributaries bathe the provinces of Manabí, Los Ríos and Guayas. The Babahoyo is formed by the Yaguachi river, and this by the union of the Chimbo and Chanchán rivers. It covers the provinces of Chimborazo, Los Ríos and Guayas. The Guayas river basin is the largest on the Pacific slope, with 40,000 km² and an extensive area of the Ecuadorian coast bathed by the river of the same name and its entire network of tributaries.

City of the River

The two most important tributaries, the Daule and the Babahoyo, join to the north of the city, forming a large flow that discharges into the Guayaquil Gulf , which is the main river and geographical feature of the entire country, with an annual average of 30,000 million m³ of water. Other rivers are the Tigre, Congo Juján, Pita, Chimbo, Pangor, many of which are born in the Andes mountain range.

In front of the city, a coastal mountain range rises, which in the section of the city are the Santa Ana and Carmen hills (located practically next to the river), Its highest elevation occurs in the sector where the Los Ceibos citadels are located and it is called Cerro Azul, in its western limit, later this mountain system takes the name of Chongón and then Colonche.

The city is mostly flat, with elevations such as Santa Ana hill, on its eastern slope is the Las Peñas neighborhood, Cerro del Carmen, next to Santa Ana, where the Corazón de Jesús Monument is located, Cerro San Eduardo, in the northwestern area and further west, Cerro Azul, the city's highest elevation next to the Los Ceibos and Los Olivos citadels.

Natural resources

The region where Guayaquil is located has very fertile soils that allow abundant and varied agricultural and livestock production. Cotton, oilseeds, sugar cane, rice, bananas, cocoa and coffee and tropical fruits such as mango, passion fruit (world's leading exporters), papaya, melons and many more are grown. Flowers and tropical plants from the Guayas River are also exported, as well as the tropical dry forest of Cerro Blanco, the Chongón dam with its large artificial lake and Puerto Hondo with its mangrove swamps and navigable inlets.

Fishery production and exploitation is also noteworthy, mainly supported by captive breeding of shrimp, of which Ecuador was, before innumerable pests and problems, one of the main world exporters, currently in full recovery, as well as tuna fishing, sardines, and many other varieties of fish, both for domestic consumption and for export, naturally (frozen), canned, or with added values; Most of the fleet and industries are located around the Gulf of Guayaquil

Likewise, it has various species of wood such as guasango, palo santo, muyuyo, pegapega, chipra, fly trap and thistle; able to withstand long droughts. In the same way, there are many poultry farms and cattle and pig farms. In the Gulf area there are natural gas deposits of great potential, which is why its entire continental platform is considered as oil prospecting.

Protected areas

Ecological Reserve Mangroves Churute

In the surroundings of the city of Guayaquil, at a distance of no more than three hours, there are some parks, reserves and protective forests that make up the National System of Protected Areas of Ecuador:

• Machalilla National Park, in the south of Manabí province, approximately three hours from the city.
• Ecological reserve Manglares Churute, one hour by way to Naranjal.
• Mangrove Animal Production Reserve El Salado.
• Wildlife Refuge Mangroves El Morro, an hour from the beach canton.
• Cerro Blanco protective forest, within the urban perimeter of the city, at kilometer 16 of the road Guayaquil - Salinas.
• Marine wildlife production reserve Puntilla Santa Elena, approximately an hour and a half.
• National recreation area Parque Lago, is located in the km. 26 of the road Guayaquil - Salinas.
• Santay Island National Recreation Area, located in front of the city.
• Samanes National Recreation Area, located within the urban perimeter of the city.
• Cerro Colorado protective forest with the Botanic Garden of Guayaquil, located within the urban perimeter of the city.
• Cerro Paraíso protective forest, located within the urban perimeter of the city.
• Forestry
• Prosperina protective forest, located within the urban perimeter of the city.
• Protective forest of Palo Santo, located within the urban perimeter of the city.
• Papagayo Protective Forest
• Mangrove Fauna Production Reserve The Salado, located northeast of the Guayaquil Gulf estuary

Climate

The climate of Guayaquil is the result of a combination of several factors. Due to its location in the middle of the equatorial zone, the city has a warm temperature almost all year round. However, its proximity to the Pacific Ocean means that the Humboldt (cold) and El Niño (warm) currents mark two well-differentiated climatic periods. A wet and rainy season (period in which 97% of the annual precipitation occurs) that extends from January to May (corresponds to the austral summer); and the dry season that goes from June to December (corresponding to the austral winter).

According to the Köppen climate classification, Guayaquil's climate is of the tropical savannah subtype (Aw microclimate).

Because it is located in the middle of the equatorial zone, the city has warm temperatures throughout the year, although the most sweltering heat is between January and May. Although in these months the actual temperature is not extremely high, the humidity causes the thermal sensation to rise to 40° or more.

Average climate parameters of Guayaquil, Ecuador
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	37.2	35.4	37.3	35.8	35.2	35.0	34.1	34.7	34.4	35.1	35.4	36.7	37.3
Average temperature (°C)	31.2	31.2	32.2	32.0	31.2	29.8	29.1	29.7	30.5	30.2	31.1	31.8	30.8
Average temperature (°C)	27.1	27.3	28.0	27.8	26.9	25.7	25.0	25.2	25.5	25.6	26.2	27.1	26.5
Temp. medium (°C)	23.0	23.4	23.7	23.5	22.6	21.5	20.8	20.7	20.5	20.9	21.3	22.4	22.0
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	20.0	15.8	19.9	19.4	18.5	17.6	17.0	17.2	17.2	17.8	17.0	18.0	15.8
Total precipitation (mm)	200.7	332.0	315.7	207.2	62.6	34.0	15.6	1.2	1.5	5.6	29.1	68.0	1273.2
Precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	19	22	21	17	10	5	3	2	2	3	4	9	117
Hours of sun	102.3	101.7	139.5	150.0	167.4	123.0	127.1	133.3	144.0	136.4	120.0	136.4	1581.1
Relative humidity (%)	76	81	80	79	78	77	76	75	74	73	72	70	75.9
Source No. 1: World Meteorological Organization
Source No. 2: NOAA

Atmosphere

When the sky is clear, the Chimborazo volcano, with a elevation of 6268 meters above sea level, can be seen 145 kilometers away, from Guayaquil.

The city is surrounded by natural forests, to the west in the coastal region, thousands of hectares of Mangroves extend, which constitute the Manglares El Salado Fauna Production Reserve with large trees from the country's coast with roots over the sea. Santay Island, in front of the city, is a National Recreation Area. The Mangroves of Puerto Hondo, which are part of the Manglares El Salado Faunistic Production Reserve, to conserve the mangrove ecosystem in this area, is run by an ecological club, which offers the possibility of ecotourism.

To the north is Cerro Azul, which is the extension of the "Chongón Colonche" mountain range, with remnants of natural forests; To the east of the city, large agricultural areas and forests extend, established on the banks of the rivers that descend from the Andes mountain range, until they form the Guayas River.

The protected area of Cerro Blanco in the Chongón Colonche mountain range, declared a Protected Forest by government decree and administered by the Pro-Bosque foundation, protects Ecuador's tropical dry forest areas with local biodiversity, including various types of animals, the jaguar, puma, howler monkey, white-tailed deer, peccary, coatimundi, crab-eating raccoon and others; birdwatching, with 211 species including 22 species of birds of prey and a small population of Great Green Macow, protected by the government and where hunting is prohibited. Bosque Cerro Blanco facilities include an open-air amphitheater museum, four nature trails, picnic and camping areas, and a captive breeding center for the Great Green Macow. During the winter months, from January to May, the view of the hill is completely green and the abundance of water allows the reproduction of birds and animals that live in their natural environment. From June to December, it is the summer season, the color of the leaves changes to red-brown and the trees bloom.

The city has good air quality because it is surrounded by all these natural reserves, which permanently supply clean air to the city, and because of the wind that comes from the sea throughout the year; Some levels of environmental contamination have recently been registered due to the generation of electrical energy and the fleet of vehicles, bus transport and private vehicles, which increases every year, but which is absorbed and compensated by the forests that surround the city.

Guayaquil has a botanical garden with more than 324 plant species of the region, which can be observed in their natural habitat, timber trees, fruit trees, ornamental and exotic plants. You can also observe 73 species of birds and 60 species of butterflies, throughout the year, with three permanent exhibitions: Orquídeas (more than 50 species), Valdivia (minerals, rocks and precious stones) and medicinal silvers together with a family garden.

The city of Guayaquil is currently heading within the new world situation in the context of globalization, the municipal administration is committed to the UN millennium goals and the environment of the Climate Summit of the Paris Agreement of the year 2015, for which it is carrying out a series of actions aimed at improving the environment, reducing environmental pollution, improving water management, and extending the links between cities of the world through brotherhood agreements to create a " Global Network of Cities" that allow exchanges of experiences between them, the development of commercial, industrial, tourist and cultural activities, as well as the solutions applied to different urban problems such as public transport, pollution, citizen security, basic services, among others.

Economy

Guayaquil is a city with extensive commercial activity. The América Economía magazine in its April 2002 edition included the 2003 ranking of American cities, of which Guayaquil appeared in first place among the cities that provide the greatest facilities for starting businesses (entrepreneurial cities), reaching a index of 3.88, ranking before Monterrey (5.34), São Paulo (4.56), Santiago (4.45), Bogotá (4.40) and Mexico City (4.26).

Vista Ciudad del Rio, Guayaquil.

Commercial activity and the benefits they provide are also seen at the corporate level, the opportunities of the private sector by developing business models that generate economic, environmental and social value, are reflected in the development of new structures and buildings, investment private sector in Guayaquil has been part of the growth process of the city, real estate projects, private developments, and business centers and offices have been increasing, making the city a strategic and attractive point for doing business in Ecuador. The city of Guayaquil has been an important center of commerce in the region since colonial times. The main income of the people of Guayaquil are formal and informal trade, business, agriculture and aquaculture; The commerce of the vast majority of the population consists of SMEs and micro-enterprises, adding significantly to the informal economy that provides employment for thousands of Guayaquileños. Despite this, Guayaquil is a city with the highest rates of underemployment (around 40% of the EAP) and unemployment (around 11% of the EAP) of Ecuador. Guayaquil maintains an infrastructure for imports and exports of products with international standards. Among its main trade bridges are: the Maritime Port, Ecuador's main port and one of the busiest in the Pacific coast; and the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport. Additionally, it has an infrastructure of highways and roads to other cities and provinces, considered the best in the country. The main objective of the urban regeneration project is to increase property capital gains through regeneration of commercial centers. These projects promoted in the city by the latest mayors have achieved this goal after investing large sums of money. The current municipal administration has the goal of turning Guayaquil into a place for first-class international tourism and multinational businesses.

Guayaquil, the city with the greatest influence on GDP in Guayas, has a growing urban offer along the road to the coast, Daule and Samborondón. While shrimp, banana, cocoa, coffee, and rice producers have benefited from a higher price. According to the latest study, carried out by the Central Bank of Ecuador, in 2010 the economy of Guayas generated 26.44 of the GDP, which ratifies it at the head of the other 21 provinces. It is followed by Pichincha with 21.86 of GDP. 68% of investment is concentrated in five sectors: agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, commerce, and construction, according to data from the Central; being manufacturing, specifically, the most relevant with an added value generated of 1,200 million dollars.

Commercial activity and the benefits they provide are also seen at the corporate level, the opportunities of the private sector by developing business models that generate economic, environmental and social value, are reflected in the development of new structures and buildings, investment private sector in Guayaquil has been part of the growth process of the city, real estate projects, private developments, and business centers and offices have been increasing, making the city a strategic and attractive point for doing business in Ecuador.

Economic indicators
Category	Data
GDP: (Prev. 2009)	$ 61 106 (millions of dollars)
GDP: (Prev. 2009)	$70 572 (millions of dollars)
Active interest rate: (October 2009)	9.19%
Passive interest rate: (October 2016)	2.44%
Unemployment rate: (June 2016)	3.34%
Annual inflation: (October 2016/October 2016)	0.90%
Monthly inflation: (October 2016)	0.24%
Accumulated inflation: (January to October 2016)	0.37 per cent
Country risk: (September 2016)	183 points
Oil barrel price: (WTI 2 October 2009)	US$ 110.09
Data taken from Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce Source Central Bank of Ecuador

Trade

World Trade Center Guayaquil.

The city is home to 39% of the 1000 most important companies in Ecuador. Of this group of companies, Guayaquil companies represent 35% of assets, 37% of equity and 39% of income. Likewise, the total sales of Guayaquil companies represent 36% of this group.

Commerce contributed with 1028 million dollars. Construction has also had a multiplier effect on the economy. During the time of the Guayaquil colony, it always occupied a fundamental place. In its shipyards, boats were built with the famous woods from its surroundings such as guayacán, mangrove, balsa, laurel, and others, becoming the Royal Shipyard of the Spanish Crown.

Currently Guayaquil is the most important maritime port in the country, where ships arrive from all over the world. 83% of all imports and 70% of total exports move through port facilities located south of the city.

The Ecuadorian stock market is still in its infancy in the two stock exchanges of the country, both the one in Quito and the one in Guayaquil. The Guayaquil Stock Exchange handled an amount traded during the first ten months of 2007 of 1,583 million dollars. Currently only 110 Ecuadorian companies manage their investments in the stock market. Even though obtaining financing in this sector is cheaper, the unwillingness of companies to open finances stops them. Between January and October 2005, the Guayaquil Stock Exchange registered a business amount of 1,583 million.

• The Chamber of Commerce of Guayaquil, is the oldest trade union in Ecuador, was founded to serve the union interest of its affiliates, the development of its business and business activities, within the framework of the laws of the nation.

• The Chamber of the Small Industry of Guayas is a non-governmental organization based in Guayaquil, grouping and representing the small and medium enterprises of the province of Guayas, seeks to generate and support the sustainable and sustainable production of goods and services in the province of Guayas, through the creation and consolidation of production, trade or services units, leading their business development through, business support, commercial promotion and financial services.

• The Chamber of Industries, a non-profit institution, constituted and organized by the industrial producers based in Guayaquil and its area of influence, supports the socio-economic development of the city.

Tourism

View of La Perla from the Malecón 2000

Throughout the years it has continued with its commercial tradition, and currently in a fundamentally economic process, it bets on tourism, reflected in the changes in the decoration of the city, with an improvement in the self-esteem of citizens, it has been a process that has taken years, since the last two municipal administrations. Guayaquil has thus developed into a national and international tourist destination, hosting international fairs and events.

The downtown area of the city of Guayaquil is one of the most important places for national and foreign tourism, since it is the oldest and most colonial. The Malecón 2000 area is of great tourist interest and is close to the center. The Point, located in the Puerto Santa Ana area, is the largest building in Guayaquil and the country. The Neighborhood "Las Peñas" It is another site of interest, it has approximately 444 steps and ends with a viewpoint where you can appreciate the view of the city.

The Latin Trade magazine, in its cover article "Best of Latin America" includes the city of Guayaquil as the most outstanding city in 5 categories: Best Hotel for Executives, Best Exit (entertainment), Best Car Rental Agency, Best Travel Agency and Best Restaurant for Executives.

One of the most significant places for tourists is the Malecón 2000, named after the name of the Foundation that carried out the work. The original name is Malecón Simón Bolívar. This work is an urban regeneration project of the old boardwalk. With 2.5 km of extension, it offers its visitors, in addition to security, great monuments of the city's history, museums, gardens, fountains, viewpoints, shopping centers, restaurants, bars, food courts, the first IMAX cinema in Ecuador, docks, from where you can board boats for day and night trips along the Guayas River.

According to studies carried out by the Municipal Public Company of Tourism, Civic Promotion and International Relations, 54% of the tourists who arrive in Guayaquil are foreigners and 98% of tourists recommend the city as a tourist destination.

Partial view of Guayaquil from the air.

• In the Malecón del Salado you can enjoy family walks along the estuary on small boats and admire the flora and fauna of the estuary; there are also discos, restaurants, and bars.

• Las Peñas is the oldest neighborhood in Guayaquil. In recent years it has become one of the main attractions of the city.

• Puerto Santa Ana: a mega-project similar to the Coconut Walk from Miami or Puerto Madero from Argentina, it is a residential, commercial and potentially touristic place that has several contemporary construction buildings and luxurious departments. Its first stage was opened in 2007.

Only a few meters away from Las Peñas and Cerro Santa Ana, is the Guayaquil Craft Market (MAG), which was created in 1982 and since then has brought together under one roof, art, cultures and crafts from the 4 regions of Ecuador. It is the oldest craft market in the province with more than 100 artisans from the coast, highlands and Amazonia.

• Historic Park of Guayaquil: located outside the urban perimeter. The place has a mangrove forest that can be visited by visitors through a wooden trail. In the mangrove there are 28 species of animals in captivity, including the white tail veneer, the raccoon, the pecari. There are also skeletons, lazy bears, monkeys and crocodiles. This adds to the pericos, harpy eagle and parrots. The site also has a replica of the Ancient Guayaquil, some of the buildings are original and were transported to the park. In the park you can discover the main fauna and history not only of the city but also of the old province.

• National recreation area Parque Lago: km 25, via the Costa, which is an artificial lake with more than 2 500 000 m3 of water (embalse) and where you can practice water sports such as kayak, rowing boat, shore fishing, underwater fishing, diving, snorkeling, etc. and other sports and activities such as cycling, camping, picnics and enjoy nature.

Malecón del Salado

• Puerto Hondo: tourist site to enjoy the flora and fauna (mangrove reserve) and practice water sports such as swimming, paddle in boat, kayaketc. It has a beach and typical and traditional food service.

• Cerro Blanco protective forest: km 16, via to the coast. You can admire flora and fauna of dry forest, you can enjoy adventure tourism in an ecological reserve with possibility of camping from one day to another.

• Cerro Santa Ana: is located northeast of the city, next to Barrio Las Peñas and a few meters from the Malecón. It is the place where Guayaquil originated. It is colourful and to visit it is pleasant, since it is necessary to climb 456 steps, until reaching its peak, where the north of Guayaquil is observed. The Cerro is full of cafes, bars, craft shops, etc.

• Parque Seminario: is located in the Rocafuerte sector in the city center. In this park you can see a monument to Simon Bolivar, as well as a variety of green iguanas. The park Seminary in the north with the street Clemente Ballén and Millán, in the south with the street 10 of August, in the east with the street Chile and in the west with the street Chimborazo, which was regenerated for the specific use of pedestrians, as it connects the park with the Cathedral of Guayaquil.

• Guayaquil Metropolitan Cathedral: it is located in the heart of Guayaquil, it was built between the 1547s, it has beautiful semi-gothic towers, it was the parent church in the middle of the centuryXVIOriginally the cathedral was built of wood, during 1590 the building was on the hill Santa Ana, next to the Casa del Cabildo and the Plaza de Armas, then the temple was destroyed by a terrible fire in 1692.

• Samanes Park: It is located north of the city, precisely in the Samanes sector. It is the third largest park in Latin America, since it extends from the Guayas River to the Via to Daule with approximately 851 hectares. It is a recreational park that has a lot of football, tennis, basketball and basketball courts; it also has lagoons and a concert area with a capacity of 10 000 people. In this park a stadium was built that was called in honor of the late footballer Christian Benítez Betancourt, with a capacity of 8 000 people. In this stadium plays local Guayaquil City Football Club of the A Series of Ecuadorian football.

• Extreme sports: near Guayaquil are small villages surrounded by a lot of nature ideal for the practice of extreme sports and outdoor activities. The Canyoning o barranquismo consisting of descending by canyons or waterfalls is one of the most practiced by tourists who arrive in Guayaquil and who are looking for some adventure nearby, also the balsism and the tubing which consists of sailing through fast-water rivers is another highly practiced outdoor adventure sport.

Transportation

Road map of Guayaquil.

Aerovía Transpote Aerosuspendido

Metrovia Massive transport of the city

Air Transportation: Guayaquil has the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport, considered the best airport in Latin America and the Caribbean by the Airports Council International (ACI).

Marine transport: There are several public seaports such as: The Guayaquil Port Terminal (TPG), the deep-water port of Posorja; and as well as several private ports. The port movement in Guayaquil (APG, private terminals) in 2018 was 2,064,281 TEU, ranking 7th in the list of port activity in Latin America and the Caribbean. Although several large-scale river transport projects are currently being managed, Currently, river passenger transport only exists for tourism.

Ground transportation: As the city is bordered by rivers and crossed by estuaries, there is a need for bridges for free circulation within the city, as well as for communication with the rest of the country. The National Unity Bridge (PUN), also known as Rafael Mendoza Avilés, connects Guayaquil with the city of Durán, and therefore, with the rest of the country, becoming the main gateway to Guayaquil by land from the year of its inauguration in 1970; although in reality there are two bridges, the first over the Daule River connecting Guayaquil with Samborondón, and the other over the Babahoyo River connecting Samborondón with Durán. To the north there is also another bridge, although smaller, with the name of Alterno Norte Bridge (PAN), created specifically to relieve congestion in the PUN.

Urban transportation: Public transportation is the main means of transportation for Guayaquil residents. It is estimated that around 17,000 public transportation units operate in the city, including buses, taxis, express buses, and three-wheelers.

The Municipal Mass Urban Transport Foundation of Guayaquil, is a legal person under private law and non-profit with the purpose of permanently promoting, as well as managing and regulating in a coordinated manner the Integrated Mass Urban Transport System of Guayaquil - " METROVIA System”, made up of the routes, terminals, stops, infrastructure and equipment incorporated into the aforementioned System. It was established under the name of "Fundación Massive Urban Transport of Guayaquil" through Ministerial Agreement No. 0220, dated March 25, 2004, issued by the Minister of Government, Cults, Police and Municipalities, changing to its current name, through Ministerial Agreement No. 0093, dated May 17, 2005, issued by the same Ministry. The Metrovía rapid transit bus system is currently one of the most widely used means of public transport and was founded on July 30, 2006. Metrovía has 3 trunks enabled and the creation of 4 more trunks is being planned to meet the demand transportation in various sectors of the city. Since 2019, Trunk 1 has 30 new articulated cars, of which 10 have air conditioning.

Trunk 4 of the Metrovía is under construction. The route will run from the downtown area of the city to the suburbs. Likewise, it will be integrated with lines 1,2 and 3 for ease in the mobilization of users.

Aerovía airborne transportation: As of December 21, 2020, the Aerovía (Guayaquil) airborne mass transportation system began operations, with 154 cabins connecting Guayaquil with Durán and which will mobilize up to 40 000 users per day in just 17 minutes.

Airway and Metrovia connections

The Airway is connected to lines 1 and 2 of the Metrovía, respectively the Cuatro Mosqueteros station with the Las Peñas - Troncal 1 stop and the Parque del Centenario station, with the Parque del Centenario - Troncal 2 stop.

Media

Written press

Old headquarters building of the newspaper El Telégrafo.

Several of the most important newspapers in the nation circulate in the city of Guayaquil. Among the newspapers with the largest circulation are:

• The Universe is one of the best sellers.
• Express.
• El Telégrafo, is one of the oldest newspapers has been returned to circulation although with state administration.
• Extra diary, it is another of the best sellers, although very controversial for its amarillism and sensationalism.
• Metroquil, a newspaper that circulates free of charge on the routes of the Metrovía.
• Daily What, a free circulation journal belonging to El Universo.

Television

The main television stations are:

Radio stations

From Guayaquil they broadcast more than 30 AM and FM stations with local, national and international reach.

Demographics

Demographic developments in the city of Guayaquil, from 1950 to 2000

In the 2010 census carried out by the INEC in the city of Guayaquil, 2,350,915 inhabitants were counted, which makes it the most populous canton in the country to date, inhabitants of which 65.2% are women and men represent 63.8%. And it is estimated that in 2017 Guayaquil has 2,644,891 inhabitants. Likewise, the city has a significant demographic density that amounts to 2,473 inhabitants/km².

Throughout the history of the city, multiple fires, pirate attacks, plagues, and epidemics have become one of the factors that have prevented rapid and continuous population growth in Guayaquil. However, due to to the job opportunities that the city offered, the migration of people from other parts of the nation contributed to growth throughout the 20th century; also including the arrival of immigrants from different parts of the world such as Americans, Canadians, Italians, Spanish, French and Germans who have contributed to the social and economic growth of the city over the years until today. The average annual rate of population growth is 2.50%.

Ethnography

According to the figures presented by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC) in the 2010 census, the ethnic composition of the Guayaquil canton is:

• Mestizos (70.8%)
• Whites (11.4%)
• Afro-Ecuadorians (10.9%)
• Amount (5.0%)
• Indigenous (1.4 per cent)
• Other (0.6 per cent)

Education

Higher Education

Public education in the city of Guayaquil is free up to the third level in accordance with the provisions of article 348 and ratified in articles 356 and 357 of the National Political Constitution.

Educational infrastructure presents problems annually due to classes starting just after winter, since the rains generally destroy various parts of the educational facilities partly due to the poor quality of construction materials, especially at the marginal level It is estimated that in 2008, the budget invested in educational infrastructure amounted to approximately 9 million dollars between the central government and the city municipality.

The city also has a wide variety of highly prestigious public secondary education institutions. However, there is a significant growth in the number of students in private institutions, which are generally intended for upper and middle class children and youth. In the same way, the students of public or private schools and colleges maintain the use of the school uniform that varies according to each institution, but in the case of public primary schools in marginal areas, there is a program promoted by the central government that provides the free uniform students.

Most primary and secondary education teachers are affiliated with the National Union of Educators, which is one of the largest unions in Ecuador and has an active part in national politics with great influence from political parties of tendency socialist and communist, such as the Popular Democratic Movement.

The city has several centers of higher education, with more than 120,000 university students spread across various majors. The first institution of higher education established in the city was the University of Guayaquil, known as the State University, being also the one with the highest number of students registered. The Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, known by its acronym "ESPOL& #34;, is considered the best institution of higher education in the city, and among the best in the entire nation according to the latest evaluation report on the universities of Ecuador carried out by CONEA. Other of the large higher institutions that the city is the Universidad Católica Santiago de Guayaquil, where a large number of people active in national politics have completed their studies, and the Universidad Tecnológica Empresarial de Guayaquil, where the business practices of the city have converged with academia.

The other universities in Guayaquil are: Universidad Laica Vicente Rocafuerte, Universidad de Especialidades Espiritu Santo, Universidad Agraria del Ecuador, Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Universidad Tecnológica Ecotec, the Guayaquil campus of the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María de Chile, among others.

According to the results of the 2010 population and housing census, illiteracy in people over 15 years of age reaches 3.1%; and the coverage of the public education system reached 60.7%. An important fact that exists in Guayaquil is the levels of digital illiteracy that reaches 24.8%. According to the study carried out by the 2001 census, it was possible to add to the statistics that 40% had finished their primary studies, while another 33.2 % had graduated from high school at the end of high school, however only 14% had entered the university, high school, or any other third level institute. Finally only 8.5% had reached fourth level education.

Culture

Literature

There are few references about the literature of the city of Guayaquil in the colonial era.

19th century: The first important figures in Guayaquil literature appear after the independence of the city in 1820, with the poet José Joaquín de Olmedo and other writers. At the end of this century, one of the great poets of Ecuador was born in 1898: Medardo Ángel Silva, Manuel Gallegos Naranjo, José Ignacio Moreno y Santistevan, Miguel Moreno Morán de Butrón, Jacinto de Evia, Ignacio Olazo y Maruri, Ignacio Casimiro Roca, José Antonio de Marcos, Toribio Castro Guzmán, José Eleodoro Avilés.

20th century: As at the end of the previous century, several writers of great national importance began to appear, such as Elysa Ayala; In this era, a select group of writers called the Group of Guayaquil emerged, which was made up of Demetrio Aguilera Malta and Alfredo Pareja Diezcanseco, in the company of José de la Cuadra, Joaquín Gallegos Lara, Enrique Gil Gilbert. In 1946, Gallegos Lara wrote "Las cruces sobre el agua", which is considered one of the greatest Ecuadorian novels. Outstanding historians of this century are Julio Estrada Icaza, Guillermo Arosemena Arosemena and Alberto Cordero Aroca.

XXI century: In the last century, Guayaquil literature has had a great development, finding countless authors in various genres, the exponents of contemporary romantic poetry are: Karina Gálvez, Renato Basso and Sonia Manzano; in fantastic literature or short stories we have exponents such as: Fernanda Ampuero, Mónica Ojeda, Solange Rodríguez. and José Antonio Gómez Iturralde.

Music

Julio Jaramillo.

The corridor is the traditional musical genre of the city of Guayaquil with greater roots in the older generations of the popular strata. There are great exponents of this genre, however the most important was Julio Jaramillo Laurido, known by his initials & # 34; JJ & # 34;. Jaramillo was also considered internationally as the "Nightingale of America". The pasillo in Ecuador shows two branches due to its content, since the one sung in the mountains is melancholic, while the one on the coast, especially Guayaquil, is more rhythmic. Other great interpreters and composers of the Guayaquil pasillo are Nicasio Safadi, Enrique Ibáñez Mora, Carlos Solís, Carlos Silva Pareja and Constantino Mendoza Moreira. Héctor Napolitano, better known as "Old Napo," a former under rocker from the city, has taken up the genre again.

In the 1980s there were also experienced soloists, standing out the balladeer Alfredo Mármol who ventured into the musical field in 1983 with hits such as "Ya no eres la misma de ayer", " And it's you", "I will never do it again", "Let me know", How much I won, how much I lost", the year 1984 represents Ecuador at the OTI Festival of the song, being one of the best representatives of Ecuador in the history of said festival. In the 1980s, several bands from Guayaquil began their careers as musicians, including the group Tranzas in the pop rock genre, which had a 20-year career on stage. In rock and pop Reynaldo Egas with his song "El químico", and also the singer-songwriter Mike Albornoz with his songs "San Viernes", "Balde de agua fría", "Your kisses" and "My perfect way to love". Other groups that achieved notoriety in the mid and late 80s were: Clip, Taller, Quartz Band, Right. Also in rap, hip hop, Gerardo stood out, who already gained fame at the beginning of the 1990s. At the end of the 90s, the participation of AU-D, a rap singer from Guayaquil, stood out, managing to participate in the Festival Viña del Mar with a song that was a hit called "Lemon Cream". The pop band Van Mozart also gained notoriety in those years.

The influence of rock since those years has also made itself felt in its different genres, although mostly with loosely structured and unstable underground bands. The rock bands that have stood out the most have been: La Trifullka in a heavier genre, with its leader and vocalist Luis Rueda (now soloist), and L.E.G.O. (the first band from Guayaquil to appear on MTV and be nominated for the 2007 MTV Awards in the Best Independent Artist category) in a softer rock genre. The trend of new bands at the end of the 2000s in Guayaquil aims to rescue the sound of stoner rock and acid rock from the 1970s, merging them with national sounds.

In Guayaquil there are several companies dedicated to academic music such as: the Guayaquil Symphony Orchestra, the Guayaquil Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Guayaquil Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, the Guasmo Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of the Municipal Museum, Performática Symphony Orchestra, Christian Symphony Orchestra. Regarding lyrical musicians from Guayaquil we have the Sopranos Beatriz Parra, Astrid Achi, Viviana Rodríguez, Sofía Rosado; and the tenors Roy Espinoza and Andrés Córdova.

Plastic arts

During the first decades of the 20th century, following the rise of the socialist and communist movements, a group of artists who promoted a new art, it was the birth of social realism, so Alba Calderón and Bella Amada López maintained a faithful aesthetic in their works which showed montubios, cholos and Afro-descendants in their daily activities.

In Guayaquil since the birth of the School of Fine Arts in 1941, there is academic evidence of the emergence of great painters and sculptors, some of them such as Miranda, De Lucca and Theo Constante have exported their talents to Europe.

In 1959 the municipality of Guayaquil established the Salón de Julio, a great painting contest that takes place annually. Later, the Núcleo del Guayas House of Culture would organize the Salón de Octubre painting contest.

In 1966 the sculptor Yela Lofredo founded the Las Peñas Cultural Association, which brought together all the plastic artists of the city, and organizes exhibition events, one of the most important is the exhibition on July 25 on the street main of the Peñas. And in which an artist is awarded every year in the nominations of "El pincel de oro" and "El chisel de oro"

Libraries and museums

In Guayaquil there are several libraries, most of them public, such as replica school libraries that with a collection of approximately 3000 books were made available to the community, among the oldest and most important we also have:

• Municipal Library of Guayaquil
• Union Club Library
• Library of Arts
• Biblioteca Augusto Alvarado Oleas
• Biblioteca del Archivo Histórico del Guayas.
• Biblioteca de la Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana Nucleo del Guayas.

Most of Guayaquil's museums are located in the center of the city.

• Municipal Museum of Guayaquil, in which attractions are archaeology, colonial documents, personal effects of the patriots of independence and photographs of the city at the beginning of the centuryXX..
• Nahim Isaiah Museum, in which he exhibits colonial and republican art.
• Museo de la Cerveza, is located in Puerto Santa and belongs to the National brewery. The place presents the world history of this drink and the history of the company that governs it.
• Bae Calderón Historic Museum is the only one in the city that exhibits astronomy, history and weapons.
• Presley Norton Museum, named after an American Archaeologist, specializes in archaeology.
• Francisco Campos Museum, you can see zoology, mineralogy, archaeology, paleontology.
• Carlos Zevallos Menéndez is located in the House of Culture, you can see three rooms: ceramics and pre-Hispanic orfebrería.
• Museo del Bombero Ecuatoriano Jefe Félix Luque Plata where the history of the fire department of Guayaquil is displayed.
• Anthropological and Contemporary Art Museum, known for its acronym "MAAC", is one of the most outstanding museums in the city, is located in the northern part of the Malecón 2000 on the banks of the Guayas River. It is one of the largest and most important in Ecuador where art from pre-Hispanic cultures and a collection of 50 000 Ecuadorian native archaeological pieces and more than 3000 modern works of art are exhibited.
• Municipal Museum of popular music Julio Jaramillo, specialized in local music, is located in the sector of Puerto Santa Ana.
• Museum of the Shipyard Teams, is divided into its right wing for the Club Sport Emelec Museum and its left wing for the Barcelona Sporting Club Museum
• Municipal Museum of Art “María Eugenia Puig”, located in the Malecón del Salado, was inaugurated by the illustrious Municipality of Guayaquil in 2013. The museum has large clay boards where the various historical facts that formed Ecuador are reflected, such as the October Revolution, the conquest, the pre-Columbian stage and the Liberal Revolution.
• Museum of the Ecuadorian Federation of Football, is located in the sector of Av Gómez Lince or Las Aguas within the facilities of the Federation. The museum has busts made in bronze of the most outstanding football players in history, the trophies that the different major or juvenile selections have conquered and a collection of balls (replications) used in the world since 1930.
• The Cacao Museum is located in the area of the streets of Imbabura and Panama.

Religion

View of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Guayaquil.

A wide variety of religions are practiced in the city of Guayaquil. Most of the citizens are Christians, being among all of them, the Catholic Church, the one that mostly predominates in the city. Catholics have 223 parishes, 1,345 diocesan priests, 473 religious priests, 349 seminarians in 12 major seminaries, 64 male congregations, 233 female congregations, 46 monasteries of contemplative life with more than 400 members of institutes of consecrated life. Approximately 85 4% of the people of Guayaquil profess Catholicism, the first Christian religion established since the founding of the city.

A large group is that of evangelical Christians, several Protestant denominations are currently found, with 52 different denominations and around 150,000 believers.

Also members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which have a central temple in the city along with several stake centers, and a large number of chapels and claim approximately 90,000 adherents. The Seventh-day Adventist Church was established in the city for the first time in the whole country and then the "Misión Ecuatoriana Adventista del Sur" was founded. Adventists currently consider that there are about 7,277 followers in Guayaquil. While Jehovah's Witnesses, in a detailed world report by country presented by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, affirm that there are around 55,669 followers in active service in Ecuador with some 720 congregations, of which 160 correspond only to Guayaquil, where there are also 87 Kingdom halls. There is also a very small Jewish community of 60 people, made up mostly of Israeli citizens, and German immigrants who fled Germany during World War II. There is also a Buddhist temple in the Garzota citadel and a mosque in the Urdesa sector, the first in Guayaquil. In the same way, the International Church of God Ministerial of Jesus Christ exists in the city with 2 of its mega-prayer halls.

According to the Latinobarómetro study (2011), the religious affiliation of the city of Guayaquil is as follows:

• Catholics 85.4%
• Other religions 12.9 per cent
• No religious affiliation 1.7%

Gastronomy

In Guayaquil it is possible to find restaurants of typical, international and specialized food in different parts of the city. The main sectors of international restaurants are Urdesa, the center of the city, and the road to Samborondón.

Among the typical Guayaquil dishes, we can highlight rice with menestra and roast meat; It is a dish prepared with ripe beans of the type known locally as canary, although it can also be prepared with lentils, chickpeas or another different type of bean, as well as meat variants (chop, fish, chicken or sausages), which are cooked charcoal and comes with patacones (pieces of fried green plantain) as a complement. It is also very traditional to consume the typical encebollado, a kind of broth with albacore fish or preferably tuna, cooked cassava, onion and garnished with kidney tomato, cilantro and lemon juice, all prepared separately, and served together; This dish is considered an excellent energizer after a very common night out in this vibrant city of Buenos Aires. Being the main port of Ecuador, seafood abounds, and also dishes prepared based on these, ceviches are widely consumed, whether they are fish (pickled), shrimp or shell (cooked); Another seafood product is crab, very popular and widely eaten especially on weekends in the city. It is prepared with garlic, "criollo", in salads, in soups, etc. An option for breakfasts are bolones de verde (fried green plantain balls, which are shaped by hand) with fried pieces of pork skin (chicharrón) or with pieces of fresh cheese. There are also salty appetizers such as humitas (made with sweet ground corn, together with pieces of cheese, wrapped in the corn leaf itself), hayacas (made with cornmeal, together with pieces of pork or chicken, vegetables, grapes raisins, peas, wrapped in a banana leaf), fish buns (prepared with ground green plantain, fish, peanuts or peanuts, also wrapped in a banana leaf) and green plantain empanadas, stuffed with cheese or beef beef. It also highlights the sausage (or hose) broth, broth made with giblets (viscera) stuffed with blood and rice or grated green, liver, ears, among other parts of the pig that are used for its preparation. Among the desserts, there is the typical fruit salad, orange juice to which are added pieces of pineapple, melon, watermelon, banana, grapes and many other tropical fruits more to suit the diner. Rice pudding, a legacy of our miscegenation with Spain, including that which is seasoned with Cloves. The milk cheese, a homemade flan prepared with eggs, sugar and milk. Among the typical drinks are quaker, the trade name of a cereal brand, which has been adopted by this drink, which consists of a colada made with oat flakes, together with naranjilla or passion fruit and/or also pineapple peel, cinnamon, cloves and panela (unrefined sugar block) included in its cooking; it can be drunk warm or cold. In addition, due to its privileged position in the tropics, it has an immense variety of fruit juices: watermelon, papaya, pineapple, soursop, melon, citrus, guava, etc.

Among international and specialized food establishments, the most consumed is Italian food. There are pizzerias (with their offer of pasta and other Italian food), grills (where barbecues are sold in the Rio de la Plata style), asaderos (for sale of roast chicken), chifas (Chinese food restaurants), Mexican food restaurants, as well as global fast food chains, hamburgers, fries and fried chicken. Likewise, there has been an important boom in fast food ventures of the "tex mex" and "barbecue", such as chicken wings with different sauces, roast ribs, hamburgers and special sandwiches, tacos and burritos, etc., which can be found all over the city.

Festivities and traditions

Kids dancing in typical costumes in a barry presentation for the Julian parties.

Guayaquil celebrates several holidays throughout the year, the same ones that attract a large number of tourists from the country and abroad.

January: One of the celebrations that is recognized at the national level is celebrated by the people of Guayaquil in a particular way, it is the New Year and the day of the arrival of the wise men, it is usually celebrated by burning the "giant old years", these customs are usually carried out between January 7 and 15.

February to March: Among these months, the beginning of the year is Carnival, which varies from the beginning of February to the beginning of March depending on the year. A large number of people choose to stay out of the city during these dates, taking advantage of the holidays to go to the different spas in the country, although there is also a good number that prefers to go to the celebrations offered by the cities of the Ecuadorian mountain range. In recent years, the mayor's office has promoted a series of activity programs so that people can spend these holidays in the city, which is why parades and festivals are held in various sectors of the city on these dates.

Carnival opens a liturgical period called Lent, which begins with the traditional Ash Wednesday and ends with Holy Week, in which the traditional Procession of Cristo del Consuelo takes place every year, bringing together a large number of faithful Catholics.

May: Other celebrations in the city take place on May 1 of each year when International Workers' Day is commemorated. There is also usually a holiday on May 24 to remember the Battle of Pichincha.

July: This month begins the city's patron saint festivities, which are celebrated on July 25 of each year. The festivities for these parties are characterized by their parades in various sectors of the city and art exhibitions in the Las Peñas neighborhood of Cerro Santa Ana.

October: The biggest festivities that take place in the city are the "octubrinas festivities", which are celebrated throughout the month of October each year, especially on October 9 in which military parades and civic parades are held, and the M.I. Municipality holds the "Solemn Session" in memory of the independence of Guayaquil.

November: This month the Guayaquil Mayor's Office has implemented on November 30, a parade of giant balloons similar to the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York, it takes place throughout Av. Quito with balloons from 8 to 15 meters filled with helium.

December: At this time the inhabitants focus on the Christmas and New Year celebrations that the mayor's office prepares in the different sectors of the city, the return of migrants from abroad, gift shopping, the typical decorative lights are present on Christmas Eve. On the other hand, the burning of the puppets in almost all the streets of the city is typical of the city for New Year's Eve, although several people also have the habit of spending the holidays in the different nearby spas.

Sports

Sports clubs: Guayaquil is home to several soccer teams:

• The Guayaquil Sport Club, the longest team in Ecuadorian football activity. He currently plays in Series B and his only participation in First Division was in 1973.
• The Club Sport Patria is another of the longest teams in Ecuadorian football activity. He was deputy champion of the First Division in 1961. He currently plays in the Second Category and his last participation in First Division was in 1970.
• The Everest Sports Club, The name of the team is in honor of Mount Everest which is located on the Himalaya Range. He was a champion of the First Division in 1962, one of the eight teams that got that title. From this team came Alberto Spencer, the best Ecuadorian footballer of all time. He currently plays in the Second Category and his last participation in First Division was in 1983.
• The Calvi Football Club, the city team currently playing in the Second Category and its only participation in the A Series was in 1997.
• Panama Sporting Club, a city team currently playing in the Second Category and its only participation in the A Series was in 1998.
• The North American Sport Club, a city team currently playing in the Second Category and its last participation in the First Division was in 1971.
• The Rocafuerte Football Club, the city team that currently plays in the Second Category and its latest participation in Serie B was in 2012.

• The Barcelona Sporting Club is the team that most championships have won in the First Division of Ecuador (16 championships), in addition to arriving twice to a final of the Copa Libertadores de América becoming the first Ecuadorian team to achieve a final in the Copa Libertadores de América. It was one of the teams that never came down from category.
• The Sport Emelec Club, was chosen as the best club of the month of the world in June 2010, the only one in the country to have this merit; it was the first national champion in 1957, the first Ecuadorian team to have its own stadium and has been the only Ecuadorian team to be champion all the decades; it was the first club of Ecuadorian football to have an organized bar, since on October 9, 1974 it was formed the
• The Guayaquil City Football Club, city team currently playing in Serie A.
• On October 9th Football Club, The name of the team is in honor of the date of the Independence of Guayaquil, on October 9. He was vice champion of the A Series of Ecuador in 1965, 1983 and 1984. He currently plays in Serie A.

In the city of Guayaquil, like the entire Ecuadorian nation, the most popular sport is soccer. The first soccer club called Guayaquil Sport Club was founded in the city. The city is home to the two most popular teams in the country: Barcelona Sporting Club and Club Sport Emelec, both teams participate in the First Division of Ecuadorian National Soccer. By coincidence, these two teams were born in the Barrio del Astillero, and from the beginning they had fights and for this reason, when they face each other, they offer one of the most traditional matches of the championship known as the Clásico del Astillero, which is considered by FIFA as the official classic of the country.

Stadiums, coliseums and sports parks: Guayaquil has several iconic soccer stadiums.

Monumental Stadium Isidro Romero Carbo, the largest sports scene in the country, headquarters of the Barcelona Sporting Club.

• The Monumental Stadium Banco Pichincha, belonging to the Barcelona Sporting Club, one of the largest football stadiums in South America that has capacity for 57 283 spectators and is owned by the Barcelona Sporting Club its maximum capacity has been of 90 000 fans registered at the end of the 1998 liberating cup and is part of the top 10 of the most historic stadiums on the continent^{[chuckles]required]} Hosting the Final of the Americas Cup 1993 He hosted the 1995 Sub-17 World Cup of Football and other international finals such as the 1990 Liberator Cup and the 1998 Liberators Cup. FIFA chose the Monumental Stadium among the 100 best stadiums in the world^{[chuckles]required]}.
• The George Capwell Stadium, belonging to the Club Sport Emelec, who was the first Ecuadorian team to have its own stadium, has capacity for 40 000 spectators and is owned by the Club Sport Emelec, was founded in 1945, hosted the Copa América of 1947 and 1993 and in 2017 it was the fourth most beautiful stadium in the world, its infrastructure is unique in the country because it presents the typical form of the European stadiums,
• The Model Stadium Alberto Spencer, is the stadium of the Sports Federation of Guayas, which have two clubs that make them local each teams October 9 and Guayaquil Sport and is used for concerts, aphore 42 000 people^{[chuckles]required]} and has athletic track. The Sports Federation of Guayas is the governing body of sport throughout the Province of Guayas and thus in Guayaquil its control authority is exercised.
• The Christian Benítez Betancourt Stadium, is a stadium belonging to the government and where the Guayaquil City team plays local.
• The Coliseum Voltaire Paladines Polo is used for basketball, concerts, artistic shows for 8500 people.
• The Yeyo Úraga Stadium is used for the Ecuadorian Baseball League, is a sports stage for 8 000 people.
• In the Sports City Carlos Pérez Perasso is held annually since 1982 the Interbarrial Championship of Infant-Youth Soccer that has participants from most provinces of the country. He was qualified as the "largest youth tournament in the world" by FIFA in 2000.
• The Samanes Park, in 2013 in order to promote sport, the national government inaugurates the largest recreational and sports park in Ecuador, thus providing a space that besides being free, consists of more than 851 hectares in which its main attraction are the more than 50 courts of the Samanes Park, in which since then the Guayaquileña citizenship gathers to practice both formally and amateur, a diversity of outdoor sports.

Amateur sports: In 1930, four swimmers from Guayaquil (Carlos Luis Gilbert, Abel Gilbert, Ricardo Planas and Luis Alcívar Elizalde), managed to win the South American Championship in Lima, which in posterity would be called as the "feat of the four musketeers". In addition, Jorge Delgado Panchana would later appear in this sport, becoming the South American swimmer who has won the most titles, later obtaining fourth place in swimming at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Francisco Segura Cano is a great bulwark in the history of Ecuadorian tennis who was world champion in the 40s and 50s more than once. Other tennis players such as Andrés Gómez Santos also stood out, who was the winner in 1990 of the Roland Garros Tournament (one of the four Grand Slams of world tennis). In the Pancho Segura Cano Stadium, owned by the Guayaquil Tennis Club, the ATP Challenger Ciudad de Guayaquil has been played since 2005, its court is made of clay and seats 4,500 people.

In 1982, Guayaquil hosted one of its most important international sporting events in its history, when the IV World Swimming Championships was held in the Alberto Vallarino Pools, organized by the International Swimming Federation (FINA).

Since 2005, in the month of October, the Guayaquil Marathon has been held in the city, an event that is endorsed by the AIMS Association of International Marathons and Distance Races and considered the most important athletic event in the country since runners from different cities of Ecuador and abroad.

Heritage

Ala-Vedra Castle of the Five Corners

In the port city you can find unusual things like a medieval castle in the middle of the chaotic commercial sector of the center. It is not exactly medieval, as it was built in the late 1950s by the eccentric Mr. Dr. Dn. José María Ala-Vedra de Figuerola Moreira de Vergara and Gómez de Tama Ponce de León, an admirer of the aristocracy.

The castle is in a medieval Hispano-Roman style, with a fortress-like architecture, four floors, with 76 windows and three round towers six meters in diameter. In addition, the façade shows off four noble coats of arms and in its lower part there are shapes in rustic stone blocks, among other details.

Currently, the site is divided into commercial premises and apartments.

• Location: Columbus and Noguchi.
• Transport: Troncal I and III of the Metrovia.

Government Palace

The State Accounting Office was located at this point in 1779. The building, where the governor's office functioned, was restored in 1855 and burned down in 1917. For this reason, the current building was built between 1923 and 1924 by the German architect Augustus Ridder.

The architecture of the palace is neoclassical in style. It is divided into four blocks, linked by a cross-shaped corridor, which serves as a pedestrian walkway and whose roof is made of iron and glass.

Currently, in addition to housing the governor's office, it is the headquarters of the University of the Arts (Uniartes).

• Location: Av. Malecón Simón Bolívar and Aguirre.
• Transport: Troncal I of the Metrovia.

Heritage Cemetery

If you still have time and energy left, after climbing the 444 steps of Cerro Santa Ana and parading through the cobbled streets of Las Peñas, you can continue your journey through a place known as "the white city": the Patrimonial Cemetery of Guayaquil.

Classified as one of the most beautiful in the world, this cemetery -founded on the slopes of Cerro del Carmen on April 27, 1823- is a true open-air museum. Eight heroes of Independence, 18 Presidents of the Republic, artists, athletes and more characters who made history are buried in this site.

Some of the tombs are majestic mausoleums that stand out to the naked eye, such as that of Vicente Rocafuerte, the first Ecuadorian president; or those of Eloy Alfaro, Víctor Emilio Estrada, among others.

The routes to explore it are: Under the sky of memory, Memories and the flight of angels, After the shadow of the last verse and that of the heroes.

• Location: Julián Colonel.
• Hours: Monday to Sunday, from 08:30 to 18:00.

Moorish Tower “Clock Tower” (Heritage)

History

Its history dates back to the 18th century with several buildings in different locations. The first Public Clock dates from 1800 when Santiago Espantoso bought the house of Temporalities. In 1842 the Governor of Guayaquil, Vicente Rocafuerte, brought from Europe and gave the city the Public Clock that is on top of the Moorish Tower. Initially, it remained at the top of the colonial town hall and was later transferred to the Torre del Mercado de la Orilla. When it disappeared, a special tower was built in the same sector and it remained there until 1925, when it was removed since the construction did not offer security. In 1930, the Municipality ordered the construction of the Torre Morisca whose works began on August 1, 1930, being inaugurated on May 24, 1931.

After several years without working due to breakdowns, on June 7, 2013, Guayaquil recovered this urban jewel. Thus, the London clock returned to mark the hours and its bronze bell rang again every hour.

Old South Market “Crystal Palace” (Heritage)

History

In the past it was declared a Historical Monument of the City by the then Parochial Board and in current times it was declared a Historical Heritage of the city. It was built as a food market between 1905 and 1907 and inaugurated on January 6, 1908. As a Crystal Palace, it was reopened on February 26, 2002, after completing the urban regeneration process implemented by the mayor's office of the city.

Reviews say that the Old South Market was designed and built by engineers Francisco Manrique Pacanis and Carlos Van Ischot. The parts used for its construction were brought directly from Brussels, Belgium and it was prefabricated by the firm Verhaeren Ca JagerIngeneriusConstruiters de Bruxelles.

This old market was remodeled twice, managing to stay standing for almost a century, hence its current importance. In addition, at that time and even before urban regeneration, the site was a river cargo post mainly for artisanal fishing.

Its importance lies in the fact that the building is a beautiful example of iron prefabrication.

Sister cities

Guayaquil is a member of Sister Cities International, an organization whose objective is to create brotherhood and friendship among peoples.

	Country	City	County / District / Province / State / Department
	Chile	Santiago de Chile	Metropolitan Region of Santiago
	United States	Houston	State of Texas
		North Miami Beach	State of Florida
	Italy	Genoa	Genoa Province
	China	Shanghai	Eastern China
	Peru	Miraflores District	Province of Lima
		District of Jesus Mary