Population:
167.175 inhabitants
[
Urban:
77.834 / Rural:
89.791]
Borders
and Area Size:
3.699 km
2
[
Location:
NORTH: Republic
of Colombia
- SOUTH AND
EAST: Province
of Imbabura
- EAST: Sucumbios
- WEST: Province
of Esmeraldas]
Economy
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Natural
Resources:
Agriculture,
potatoes, wheat,
cattle, etc.
Industry:
Foodstuffs,
beverages, tobacco,
dairy industry,
etc.
Business:
Foodstuffs,
manufactured
goods, etc.
Tourism
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Most
Important Cantons
Tulcan
According
to some historians,
the word TULCAN
is an abbreviation
of ‘Tulcanquer’,
an ancient
village inhabited
by Aborigines
who were located
towards the
west of the
town. According
to others
the name comes
from ‘Hulcan’
which in Yucatan
(a Mayan language)
means ‘soldier’.
Prehistoric
Tulcan existed
on the hill
of Tulcanquer.
The Spanish
captain Pedro
de Anasco
founded the
Spanish population
in the same
place under
the name San
Sebastian
de Tulcan.
This happened
on 11 th June
1535, six
months after
the foundation
of Quito .
The city of
Tulcan is
the capital
of the canton
of the same
name which
is the largest
in the province.
Although the
urban sector
is somewhat
small, it
is densely
populated
accommodating
some 47 per
cent of the
cantonal population.
Tulcan is
located at
an altitude
of 3001 metres
; the climate
is relatively
cold with
temperatures
averaging
11.5 degrees
centigrade.
On 9 th April
1851 Tulcan
was elevated
to canton
status by
decree of
the National
Convention
stating “the
erection of
a new canton
in the province
of Imbabura
under the
name of Tulcan”.
Rumichaca
( Stone Bridge
) is located
some 8 km
away from
Tulcan towards
the north
of the town
along the
Panamerican
highway. Rumichaca
is situated
on the border
with Colombia
and is where
the Police,
customs and
migration
offices are
located.
The
rural parishes
of the canton
are: Huaca,
El Carmelo
(Pun), Julio
Andrade, Maldonado,
Pioter, Tobar
Donoso, Tufino
and Urbina.
The furthest
away is Tobar
Donoso.
Canton
of Espejo
The
capital of
the canton
is El Angel.
This canton
mainly dedicates
itself to
agricultural
activity and
the majority
of the population
inhabits the
rural sectors.
On the Angel
paramo
, the
frailejon
(tall
plants belonging
to the daisy
family and
extending
for up to
2 metres )
are native
to the Carchi
province.
The rural
parishes are
Goaltal, la
Libertad and
San Isidro
.
Montufar
The
capital of
the canton
is San Gabriel
, a meticulous
and hardworking
town. The
rural parishes
of the canton
are Bolivar
Cristobal
Colon, Chitan
de Navarrete,
Fernandez
Salvador,
Garcia Moreno,
La Paz , Los
Andes, Montes
Olivo and
San Vicente
de Pusir.
Mira
Mira
is the most
recently created
canton (1980).
Mira was elevated
to canton
status due
to its “notable
progress with
regards to
urban, population,
agricultural
and commercial
aspects” according
to a legislative
decree. Its
rural parishes
are Concepcion,
Juan Montalvo
y Jijon and
Caamano.
Last
Updated 7th
August 2006
(DLW)
