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Orellana is an inland province of
EcuadorEcuador , 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...
. The capital is Puerto Francisco de Orellana (also known as Coca). It was created on July 30, 1998, from part of Napo Province.
The name of the province derives from the explorer
Francisco de OrellanaFrancisco de Orellana was a Spanish explorer and conquistador. He completed the first known navigation of the length of the Amazon River, which was originally named for him...
who it is told to have sailed from somewhere near the town to the Atlantic Ocean. He did this trip several times looking for the gold city of El Dorado and in search of a rumored Nutmeg forest which at the time was a very expensive spice. During his voyages he met a ferocious tribe of Indians who attacked his ships and many among them were women. This led to the naming of the river as the Amazon river.
The province is divided in four cantons.
Cantons
The province is divided into four cantons. The following table lists each with its population as of the 2001
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, its area in square kilometres (km²), and the name of the canton seat or capital.
| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km²) | Seat/Capital |
| Aguarico Aguarico Canton is a canton of Ecuador, located in the Orellana Province. Its capital is the town of Nuevo Rocafuerte. Its population at the 2001 census was 4,658.Aguarico is part of the Cuyabeno Natural Reserve and Yasuni National Park.-History:...
|
4,658 |
11,358 |
Nuevo Rocafuerte |
| Francisco de Orellana Francisco de Orellana Canton is a canton of Ecuador, located in the Orellana Province. Its capital is the town of Puerto Francisco de Orellana. Its population at the 2001 census was 42,010....
|
42,010 |
6,995 |
Puerto Francisco de Orellana (Coca) |
| Joya de los Sachas Joya de los Sachas is a canton of Ecuador, located in the Orellana Province. Its capital is the town of La Joya de los Sachas. Its population at the 2001 census was 26,363....
|
26,363 |
1,195 |
La Joya de los Sachas |
| Loreto Loreto Canton is a canton of Ecuador, located in the Orellana Province. Its capital is the town of Loreto. Its population at the 2001 census was 13,462....
|
13,462 |
2,127 |
Loreto |
Economy
The jungle habitat that composes most of the territory, makes the province rely on exports of crude oil, and timber. It's second most important source of income is tourism, offering jungle exploration, indigineous encounters, and rivers. Mining is placed as the third reliable source of income.