Babahoyo
Encyclopedia
Babahoyo, founded September 30, 1948, by legislative decree, is the capital of the Los Ríos
province of Ecuador
. Its population is cited around 158,000. It is bordered by two rivers, the San Pablo and the Caracol, which join to form the Babahoyo River
. This meets the Daule River
to form the Guayas River
, which runs to the Pacific Ocean
at the Gulf of Guayaquil
.
A processing and trade center for the surrounding agricultural region, the city handles rice
, sugarcane
, fruit
s, balsa wood, and tagua nuts (vegetable ivory). Rice and sugar
are also milled here.
Babahoyo suffered from many fires, the worst one occurring on the 30th of March in 1867, which demolished all of the goods of the population, creating a sufficient motive for the government of Dr. Gabriel García Moreno to move the city to its current location. The capital was moved to the other side of the San Pablo River, where the urban district of Barreiro is now located.
It is a prototype of the activity and height of different orders of national life, and will continue to be so, because it has its own resources; it is the backbone of two regions: coast and mountains; being the most influential point in between the two, where the forces of many enterprising villages are bonded; because here the agricultural and commercial aspirations were founded.
One of the excursions that the area offers involves sailing down the Rio Babahoyo, taking in the countryside and the traditional lifestyle of the area's campesinos
who live off the land, cultivating crops and raising cattle. One feature of this journey that stands out is seeing the floating houses unique to the area.
and Guayaquil
stop or pass through Babahoyo. Quevedo
connects with Guayaquil by two highways, a less popular one through Balzar and Daule, and one that passes through Babahoyo.
Babahoyo has two Transportation Agencies: Fluminense and The Santa Ana Cooperative. There are 4 bus routes and each of these go from the northeast to the south passing through the city center. There is also transportation by boat which joins the urban parishes of Barreiro and El Salto and the rural parishes of Pimocha and Caracol.
The main source of work and wealth is agriculture although some other industries exist. The ground produces cocoa, rice, sugar cane, coffee, rubber, fine wood, especially oak, cedar and balsa wood. With regards to fruits, citrus, especially sweet oranges, are of unbeatable quality. Bananas are exported in large quantities. Also pineapple, sapote, and many wild fruits grow here. Extensive industries other than livestock and fishery are sugar factories and liquor production and rice and coffee farming.
Los Ríos Province
Los Ríos is a province in Ecuador. The capital is Babahoyo. The province was founded on September 30, 1948 under legistative decree. Its capital Babahoyo was founded October, 6, 1860...
province of Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. Its population is cited around 158,000. It is bordered by two rivers, the San Pablo and the Caracol, which join to form the Babahoyo River
Babahoyo River
The Babahoyo River is a river in western Ecuador, fed by tributaries rising in the Andes Mountains. It takes its name from the town of Babahoyo in Los Ríos. At Durán, it joins the Daule River to form the Guayas River, which continues to the Pacific Ocean....
. This meets the Daule River
Daule River
The Daule River is a river in Ecuador, in Guayas Province. At Guayaquil, it joins the Babahoyo River; from that point the confluence becomes the Guayas River.-Cities along the River:*Pichincha, Ecuador*Balzar*Colimes*Palestina*Santa Lucía*Daule...
to form the Guayas River
Guayas River
The Guayas River is a river in western Ecuador. It gives name to the Guayas Province, and it is the most important river in South America that does not flow into the Atlantic Ocean or any of its seas. Its total length, including the Daule River, is 389 km.-Course:The Guayas River has one of...
, which runs to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
at the Gulf of Guayaquil
Gulf of Guayaquil
The Gulf of Guayaquil is a large body of water of the Pacific Ocean in western South America. Its northern limit is the city of Salinas, in Ecuador, and its southern limit is Punta Pariñas, in Peru.The gulf takes its name from the city of Guayaquil...
.
A processing and trade center for the surrounding agricultural region, the city handles rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s, balsa wood, and tagua nuts (vegetable ivory). Rice and sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
are also milled here.
Geography
The city is located in on the left bank of the San Pablo River, which unites in its estuary with the Catarama River to form the Babahoyo River. One of the most interesting excursions one can take in the area is a boat trip on the Babahoyo River. Babahoyo is located in Litoral and is an obligatory stop to reach the mountains through the highways Babahoyo – Quito (Via Panamericana), Babahoyo – Ambato (Via Flores) and also through Babahoyo – Riobamba. Babahoyo is located in the south of the province of Los Ríos. The roads that unite it with other cities and towns in the coast are Babhoyo – Baba, Babahoyo – Guayaquil and Babahoyo – Milagro. Its geographical location is one of the best because more than 25000 cars, buses, trailers and trucks pass through Babahoyo every day. Babhoyo is a commercial center between the coast and the mountains. Through the urban road network, the city counts on two pedestrian bridges that permit communication between Barreiro and El Salto. There are four bridges for vehicles: the first two cross the Catarama River and the San Pablo river in the north of the city (highway Babahoyo – Quito); the third crosses the Lagarto marsh in the south of the city (highway Babahoyo – Guayaquil); and the fourth is located in the sector of La Ventura (highway Babahoyo – Ambato).History
The city of Babahoyo was founded on May 27, 1869 in the lands ceded by the Flores family. Facing the confluence of the Babahoyo River and Caracol River, the city was established on the right bank of the San Pablo River. For a long time it was called Bodegas (vineyards) because the customs and royal stores were located in the city, to control the commerce between Guayaquil and the cities of the Ecuadorian mountains.Babahoyo suffered from many fires, the worst one occurring on the 30th of March in 1867, which demolished all of the goods of the population, creating a sufficient motive for the government of Dr. Gabriel García Moreno to move the city to its current location. The capital was moved to the other side of the San Pablo River, where the urban district of Barreiro is now located.
It is a prototype of the activity and height of different orders of national life, and will continue to be so, because it has its own resources; it is the backbone of two regions: coast and mountains; being the most influential point in between the two, where the forces of many enterprising villages are bonded; because here the agricultural and commercial aspirations were founded.
Demographics
Babahoyo has a population of 250,000 inhabitants in the city center, which is one of the largest of the region. It is one of the 10 biggest cities of the country. A large part of its population is in the urban area and in the outskirts of the city which are near the Bypass (Via E25, highway Babahoyo – Quito) that passes through all of the city from the south to the northeast. The center of the city begins at Malecón 9 de octubre, and includes the roads Juan x Marcos Isaías Chopitea and ends at Primero de Mayo. This is the center for commerce and public administration. The center has all infrastructure services and a large part of the community centers of the city; the buildings of this sector are built with strong, modern materials. The roads are in good repair, all with strong paving and some paved with flexible asphalt.Economy
The population is mainly dedicated to farming and the common crops are rice and bananas. Different industries have taken root in this city such as Industrias Facundo located in the periphery of the city, and also the Ingenio Isabel Maria, the fourth largest refinery in the country, and different (piladoras); a large part of the city is upwardly mobile above all in the city center which is the largest economic center in the province. There are also a few different banking entities.Culture
The patron saint’s day is the 24th of September. Each year Babahoya gives just homage to the Virgin of Merced in the following manner: from the 15th until the 23rd of September, different groups carry the Virgin through the streets of the city. On the 24th the day of September Merced is celebrated. Artisans of the mountain and coastal regions of Ecuador show and sell their wares, and there is always a large fair of children's toys. Folkloric groups and national and sometimes international singers come to give homage to the Virgin.Attractions
Noteworthy attractions of the capital include the verdant gardens of Parque 24 de Mayo and the city's main cathedral, which is decorated with an enormous mosaic mural depicting the Virgin Mary.One of the excursions that the area offers involves sailing down the Rio Babahoyo, taking in the countryside and the traditional lifestyle of the area's campesinos
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
who live off the land, cultivating crops and raising cattle. One feature of this journey that stands out is seeing the floating houses unique to the area.
Local Festivals
Within the local festivals and holidays that Babahoyans celebrate are the following:| Festividades locales | |
| Date | Celebration |
| January 1 | New Year's Day New Year's Day New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome... |
| February or March | Carnival Carnival Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party... |
| March or April | Holy Week Holy Week Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter... |
| May 1 | Labor Day Labor Day Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:... |
| May 27 | Founding of Babahoyo |
| May 24 | Battle of Pichincha Battle of Pichincha The Battle of Pichincha took place on 24 May 1822, on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, 3,500 meters above sea-level, right next to the city of Quito, in modern Ecuador.... |
| August 10 | First Shout of Independece |
| September 24 | Festival of the Patron Saint of the city |
| October 6 | Creation of the Los Rios Province Los Ríos Province Los Ríos is a province in Ecuador. The capital is Babahoyo. The province was founded on September 30, 1948 under legistative decree. Its capital Babahoyo was founded October, 6, 1860... |
| October 11 | Independence of Babahoyo |
| October 12 | Race Day |
| November 2 | Day of the Dead Day of the Dead Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in many cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality... |
| December 25 | Christmas Christmas Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days... |
| December 31 | New Year's Eve New Year's Eve New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the... |
Climate
The city has a hot and humid climate. Babahoyo floods frequently during the winter months. (Note:Babahoyo flooded during January-June 2008 in which the entire city flooded)Food
In Babahoyo the main dish is the ceviche of shrimp, fish and conch. Another characteristic dish famous in Babahoyo is the caldo de manguera (sausage soup).Transportation
Most bus companies running between QuitoQuito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
and Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
stop or pass through Babahoyo. Quevedo
Quevedo, Ecuador
Quevedo is a city in Ecuador located in the Los Rios Province. It is the seat of Quevedo Canton, a vibrant community founded in 1943. According to the latest census, Quevedo's population is 173,000. Located at 237 km SW of Quito , or, 183 km NE of Guayaquil...
connects with Guayaquil by two highways, a less popular one through Balzar and Daule, and one that passes through Babahoyo.
Babahoyo has two Transportation Agencies: Fluminense and The Santa Ana Cooperative. There are 4 bus routes and each of these go from the northeast to the south passing through the city center. There is also transportation by boat which joins the urban parishes of Barreiro and El Salto and the rural parishes of Pimocha and Caracol.
La Unión
Located in the northwest of Babahoyo, close to the mountains, is an agricultural district which is dedicated to fishing and rice, soy and banana cultivation.Pimocha
It is a very large district in regards to area. It borders Puebloviejo county in the north, the Babahoyo River in the south, the Caracol River in the east, and the Garrapata River in the west. Its precincts are Cauge, Guarumo, Chapulo, Convento, Mapan, Sauce, Gallinazo, Papayal, Compañía, Pechiche Dulce, Santa Rita, Las tres bocas, Calabria, Cubon de Caimito, Parindero, Río Grande, Tejar, Providencia, etc. It is certain that it was home to many tribes that formed the Huancavilca villages.The main source of work and wealth is agriculture although some other industries exist. The ground produces cocoa, rice, sugar cane, coffee, rubber, fine wood, especially oak, cedar and balsa wood. With regards to fruits, citrus, especially sweet oranges, are of unbeatable quality. Bananas are exported in large quantities. Also pineapple, sapote, and many wild fruits grow here. Extensive industries other than livestock and fishery are sugar factories and liquor production and rice and coffee farming.