Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas Province - Ecuador

It is one of the provinces of the Republic of Ecuador and is part of the Costa Region, historically known as Yumbos Province. Its territory is in a humid tropic zone. The province takes its name from the Tsáchilas, ancestral ethnic group of the area.

Its capital is the city of Santo Domingo also known as "Santo Domingo de los Colorados" because of the custom of the Tsáchila Indians to paint their hair red with achiote. Santo Domingo de los Colorados the 23 province of Ecuador, very young in its creation the attractiveness of the new province is its landscape and nature. Among its important attractions are the protective forests such as: La Perla, Delta, La Indiana, Río Lelia and Tanti. It has a high and wonderful viewpoint El Bombolí. It has a very high trade since it has become a land port of exchange between Sierra and Costa. The most attractive and striking are its delicious fruits. The province offers tourists several places for recreation and adventure as it has several places where you can practice sports such as diving and rafting.

The city and canton Santo Domingo, like the other Ecuadorian towns, is governed by a municipality as stipulated in the National Political Constitution. The Municipality of Santo Domingo is a sectional government entity that administers the canton autonomously to the central government. The municipality is organized by the separation of powers of an executive nature represented by the mayor, and another of a legislative nature made up of the members of the cantonal council. The Mayor is the highest administrative and political authority of the Santo Domingo Canton. It is the head of the council and representative of the Municipality.

Relief Province Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

Santodomingueña procession heading towards the hill Bomolí. Located on the outer flanks of the western Andes mountain range, the province has an area of ​​3,857 km² at an altitude of 625 meters above sea level, is 120 km away from the sea. It is one of the most rainy areas in the country. It has a great hydrological richness, there are five important basins and micro basins: to the east and northeast, the middle and lower course of the Toachi, belonging to the Blanco river basin; to the south, the sub-basin of the Bourbon, which belongs to the great basin of the Guayas river and ties with the Babis (Niño Torres); to the southwest, the sub-basin of the Peripa river; to the northeast, the Quinindé sub-basin, which, like the Blanco sub-basin, to the northwest, belongs to the Esmeraldas river basin. The city is at the end of the Toachi river hole, the same one that is located on the east side of the city. It has no higher elevations except for Cerro Bombolí.

Climate Province Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

It is a tropical rainy climatic zone, its usual temperature is about 18 to 33 ° C in summer. In winter it is usually warmer from 23 to 34 degrees and sometimes reaches 38 ° C. Its average temperature is 25.5 ° C. The nearest beach, Pedernales, is 120 km away, 1 hour along the new road "La Concordia - Puerto Nuevo", a 32-kilometer, two-lane artery. It is paved and supports little vehicular traffic. Those who arrive at La Independencia must advance to the La Concordia roundabout and from there take the new route, which is also known as Latitude 0 ».

Flora Province Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

The flora of the whole province is considered as one of the important attractions since it is possible to study species typical of the area. There is a varied flora the most seen are plants and trees from, most of them, from different regions of Ecuador. Among other species we have oak, guayacán, laurel, legendary trees such as ceibos over 700 years old.

Fauna Province Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

Due to its proximity to Quito, birds of the Andean subtropics can be seen as hummingbirds. The province is characterized by the variety of animals that can be observed among them we have: woodpeckers, the toucan, macaws and herons that arrive with the summer. Among mammals we have the guatusa, armadillo and cuchucho. Very dangerous snakes like the horse kills, corals and the X.

Demography Province Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

With 270,875 inhabitants in 2010 it is the fourth most populous city in Ecuador, after Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca; and the one with the highest growth rate. Apart from the urban population, Santo Domingo can also be extended outside the urban perimeters to form a typical Metropolitan Area consolidating the cantons of Santo Domingo, La Concordia and El Carmen de Manabí thus giving it a merged population of 499,958 inhabitants according to the 2010 census. With these figures, Santo Domingo is the 5th most populous metropolitan area in Ecuador being surpassed by the metropolitan areas of Guayaquil, Quito, Manta-Portoviejo and Cuenca-Azogues and ahead of the Metropolitan Area of ​​Quito.

Economic activity Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

The main economic activity is agriculture (coffee, African palm, abaca, cocoa, tubers, corn, rubber, tropical flowers), livestock and tourist activity signs.

Culture and traditions of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

The culture and traditions of this province are linked to its deeply indigenous past, it is that even today when visiting Tsáchilas communities we can appreciate the culture and traditions maintained by these peoples in ancestral rites such as that of their “clean” which is a Welcome accompanied by the sage or sorcerer of the community who among visitors, magical dances and rituals welcome visitors, in the communities we can also appreciate native music and dance that accompanies the daily activities of the Tsáchilas.

Kasama is the only party celebrated by members of the Tsáchila ethnic group. In the Tsafiqui language, "Kasa" means new and "ma" day, so Kasama is the beginning of a new day or new year.

The celebration of Kasama, which marks the beginning of a new year, which always coincides with the Sabbath of Glory (for Catholics), represents much more than for Westerners the celebration of the new year.

Formerly this celebration was used to place the order by the hand of a girl, while the marimberos delighted those present with their music, they drank special drinks and organized fights.

Nowadays, dance, theater, music and native competitions of the nationality are held, there are also demonstrations of hunting and fishing skills.

Gastronomy of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas

The typical food of the province is linked to the migration of the area, we can say that there are clearly no typical or representative dishes of the area, but we can talk about some delicacies from this part of the country that share culture with other parts of the nation.

The roasts of this province are remarkable dishes that they like and are scattered throughout the province, mainly they are roasts of beef and pork that are accompanied by rice, roasted green plantain and lentil stew or beans. Another popular food in the region is cane juice that is sometimes served with a little panela and lemon.

During the visit to the Tsáchilas communities we can also appreciate typical dishes of these communities such as: trout maito with banana leaf, dish that is traditionally served as the maitos of the Amazon region, accompanied by cassava, roasted green banana, pickled rice and rice .

Tourist Places in Santo Domingo

Alluriquin: Known by the name of Tierra Dulce for having a gastronomic tradition in the preparation of sweets (marshmallows, peanuts, panela) and brandy, made in an artisanal way.

Congoma Commune: It is unique and striking because of its great diversity of birds that it possesses, a great attraction when the melodies that the birds sing are heard.

Valle Hermoso: It is a rural parish of the Santo Domingo canton, it has approx. 10,000 inhabitants It is at a height of 307 meters above sea level and the average temperature is 25 ° C

La Perla Protective Forest: It is considered one of the most important in the area for its flora and fauna. Located 40 km from Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. It has approx. 250 hours of forest.

Commune Peripa: A sacred place where they used to baptize the Pone (Shamans) by calling it Sanctuary

Route of the waterfalls and howler monkeys of Alluriquin: It is a communal route through 7 waterfalls and the entrance to a primary forest where you can make the guided observation of howler monkeys in the area.

The Tapir Island Zoo: It started as an animal rescue site but its organization carried out the zoo project.

Balneario las Pirámides: Its main feature in which its river lands a rock with the face of a monkey, located in the parish Julio Moreno

Malecon San Gabriel de Baba: recreational areas, nature, traditional cuisine

Las Vegas spa. A natural spa with suspension bridges.

El Pulpo Water Park: A spa that has the largest slide in Ecuador

Source:
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Domingo_(Ecuador)
https://www.ecured.cu/Provincia_de_Santo_Domingo_de_los_Ts%C3%A1chilas_(Ecuador)