Pichincha () is a province of Ecuador located in the northern Sierra region; its capital and largest city is Quito. It is bordered by Imbabura and Esmeraldas to the north, Cotopaxi and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas to the south, Napo and Sucumbíos to the east, and Esmeraldas and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas to the west.
Prior to 2008, the canton Santo Domingo de los Colorados was part of the Pichincha Province. It has since become its own province, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas.
The province is home to many rose plantations, which make up the bulk of Ecuador's floriculture industry.
Demographics Ethnic groups as of the Ecuadorian census of 2010:
Mestizo 82.1% White 6.3% Indigenous 5.3% Afro-Ecuadorian 4.5% Montubio 1.3% Other 0.4%
Population growth
Pichincha has maintained its status as a vital demographic and political center of Ecuador, experiencing steady urbanization throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries. In 1950, the province recorded a population of 414,533. This number grew significantly over the following decades as the highland region saw increased migration and infrastructure development, reaching 857,014 by 1970.
The turn of the millennium marked a major milestone as the population climbed to 2,179,558, reflecting the province's expanding role in the nation's economy. Recent data shows a stabilization of this growth; the population reached 3,087,202 in 2020 and sits at 3,089,473 as of the 2022 census. This highlights Pichincha's position as a densely populated region characterized by both its historic capital and its rapidly evolving surrounding parishes.
Administrative divisions
The province is divided into eight cantons.
Canton Pop. (2001) Area (km2) Cantonization Capital Cayambe69,8001,187 July 23, 1883 Cayambe Mejía62,8881,459 July 23, 1883 Machachi Pedro Moncayo25,594333 Sep. 26, 1911 Tabacundo Pedro Vicente Maldonado9,965657 Jan. 28, 1992 Pedro Vicente Maldonado Puerto Quito17,100719 Apr. 1, 1996 Puerto Quito Quito1,839,8534,204 Dec. 6, 1534 Quito Rumiñahui65,882134 May 31, 1938 Sangolquí San Miguel de Los Bancos10,717801 Feb. 14, 1991 San Miguel de los Bancos
See also Cantons of Ecuador Centro de Levantamientos Integrados de Recursos Naturales por Sensores Remotos Provinces of Ecuador Santa Lucia Cloud Forest
References
Gobierno de la Provincia Pichincha—Official Web site of Pichincha Prefecture Data of Pichincha—Geographical data of the province at the official Web site of Pichincha Prefecture
External links
Provincial Prefecture's official page