Quito is the capital of Ecuador and the Ecuadorian province of Pichincha. The city lies fifteen miles south of the equator, on the eastern slopes of the Pichincha, an active volcano in the Andes. The city has an average altitude of 2850 meters above sea level. About whether it the highest or second highest capital city in the world there is ambiguity: the city of La Paz in Bolivia are higher and there is the politics of the country conducted, but the official Bolivian capital of Sucre (which however only the Central Bank of Bolivia and the Supreme Council of the country are located) is lower. According to the latest census (2004), the city is populated by over 1.8 million people. This is the second largest city after Guayaquil. The city with its 70 km long and only 4 km width exceptionally long stretched.
The current (2009) mayor of Quito is Augusto Barrera.
In the highlands of Quito lived until the 13th century the people of the Quitus, later by the Caras coming from the coastal areas were subjected. Both nations mingled the Shyri and that people continued to inhabit the area until the arrival of the Incas in the 15th century. After the conquest by the Incas, Cuzco and Cajamarca next Quito (both in Peru today), a major city in the Inca empire. The city became the center of the empire of Emperor Atahualpa, who became embroiled in a war with his brother Huascar, which operated from Cuzco. During the conquest by the Spaniards in 1534, the town was burned to the ground, and re-founded under the name Muy noble y muy leal ciudad de San Francisco de Quito (Very high and very loyal city of Saint Francis of Quito).
Quito grew in 300 years, into a city of around 10,000 inhabitants. On August 10, 1809 originated in this city for the first call for independence from Spain. In 1822 independence fighters defeated the Spanish army, and then the country joined with the Republic of Gran Colombia of Simón Bolívar. In 1830 the republic fell apart and Ecuador became independent republic. Quito became its capital.
In the 20th century, Quito experienced spectacular growth, particularly through industrialization and migration from rural to urban.
Geography
Quito is located in the northern highlands of Ecuador, sandwiched between mountains of the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes. The location of Quito is quite unique: close to the equator to at very high altitude and surrounded by some 14 active volcanoes. This location attracts tourists, but it also brings dangers for the metropolis. Quito is quite regularly hit by earthquakes and ashfall. As a result, the old town was rebuilt at least four times now. The active volcano Pichincha (volcano), is adjacent to the west of the city and covered the city in 1999 with a layer of ash. In November 2002 the volcano erupted the Reventador that 20 years had remained quiet, out. The state of emergency should be declared in the city, which was completely covered by ash. Even the more than 1000 km away Galapagos Islands were covered with ashes to make.
Historic center
Quito has a historical center after that of Havana in Cuba is the largest in Latin America. In 1978 the center on the UNESCO placed. It was Quito, along with Krakow, Poland, the first city in the world whose center was placed on the list.
At the end of the 20th century became the center but plagued by serious crime and decay, UNESCO threatened to undo the installation. At the beginning of the new millennium was therefore quite work on the historic center. Many buildings were given a facelift, the street was moved to air markets and it was heavily invested in security. This gives the center spot on the World Heritage Centre to maintain and is now an attraction for tourists.
One of the churches in Quito Basílica del Voto Nacional, is the highest church tower (115 meters) in Ecuador.
Transport
The main roads in Quito run from north to south. From east to west, the city is not very large, and the roads in that direction are mainly the north-south routes connecting.
Quito has an efficient bus: MetrobusQ the network, also called the Red Integrado de Transporte Público Grada (integrated public transport network) called. This is a high quality public transport system of the city from north to south covers. Three lines on buses and trolleys with great frequency, sometimes at high speed on an exposed bus lane. This system is complemented by short bus at various locations from east to west travel.
In Quito driving around the 8800 yellow taxis. The private car ownership has increased over the years so that traffic jams are a problem. It is therefore considered one of the buses to replace a light rail system. In 2009 started the construction thereof. The old city of Quito on Sunday morning car Fri
Quito's airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre, located in the north of the city surrounded by buildings. Because of this location, the airport does not grow to larger aircraft or more traffic to process. Also, the site risks with them for the surrounding population. These problems are working on a new airport, Aeropuerto Internacional de Quito, on the plateau Tababela about eighteen miles east of the city.
Administrative divisions
Quito is divided into eight administrative zones. These areas include not only the city of Quito, but the entire metropolitan region.
The eight areas:
Zona Equinoccial (La Delicia)
Zona Calderón
Zona Norte (Eugenio Espejo)
Zona Centro (Manuela Sáenz)
Zona Sur (Eloy Alfaro)
Zona de Tumbaco
Zona Valle de Los Chillos
Zona Quitumbe
