Quito

Quito is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in northern Ecuador (see NG MapMachine satellite map) in the Guayllabamba river basin on the eastern slopes of the Pichincha http://www.igepn.edu.ec/vulcanologia/pichincha/pichincha.htm (4794 m), an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains. At 2850 meters/9300 feet above sea level at the Plaza de la Independencia, Quito is the second highest capital city in the world. The population of Quito, according to the most recent census (2001), was 1,399,378. In 2005, however, the estimated population was 1,865,541 (canton). The area of Quito is approximately 290 km².

Topographical zones

Quito is divided into three areas, separated by hills:

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• the center houses the colonial old city
• the southern part is mainly industrial and residential, a working-class housing area.
• The northern part is modern Quito, with high-rise buildings, shopping centers, the financial district and upper class residential areas. Mariscal Sucre International Airport http://www.quitoairport.com is in the northern part.