Guayaquil

Guayaquil (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡwaʝaˈkil] ), officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest city in Ecuador and also the nation's economic capital and main port. The city is the capital of Guayas Province and the seat of Guayaquil Canton. The city is located on the west bank of the Guayas River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Guayaquil. With a population of 2,746,403 inhabitants, it is the most populous city in the country, and the fifth largest in the Andean Community. However, its urban fabric extends beyond its official urban parishes, encompassing nearby cities and parishes; thus, the Guayaquil metropolitan area reaches a population of 3,618,450, making it the most populous urban agglomeration in the nation, and also the fifth in the Andean Community. As the largest city, it is one of the two main development poles of the country—alongside Quito, the national capital—hosting Ecuador’s main business, financial, cultural, and sports institutions. After several failed founding attempts, it was definitively established in 1547 under the name "Santiago de Guayaquil" as a shipyard and port for trade in service of the Spanish Empire; from that moment, it became a key hub in the economy of the Spanish colony and later of the nation. Guayaquil has been the site of major revolutions and uprisings throughout its history, being the first Ecuadorian city to definitively achieve its independence from Spain in 1820. It later served as the capital of the Free Province of Guayaquil, which was subsequently annexed to Gran Colombia. Since 1830, it has been part of the Republic of Ecuador, playing a significant economic and political role. It is the principal economic, cultural, and financial center of Ecuador. Guayaquil stands out among Ecuadorian cities for its high use of mass transit, total population density, and diversity. The city’s port is one of the most important on the eastern Pacific coast. About 70% of the country's private exports leave through its facilities, and 83% of imports enter through them.