Zamora Chinchipe, Province in southeastern Ecuador
Zamora Chinchipe is a province in southeastern Ecuador between the Andean cordillera and the Amazon basin. The mountainous terrain covers more than 10,000 square kilometers and ranges from foothill slopes to humid lowland areas.
Spanish settlers founded a settlement in 1549 that was abandoned due to Shuar communities until the early 20th century. Permanent occupation began only in 1921 and the area was later organized as a formal province.
Residents across the area weave shigras bags and craft necklaces from natural seeds, sold at markets in smaller settlements. This handwork shows the ongoing connection between communities and the resources of surrounding forests and rivers.
The capital Zamora sits centrally and connects nine cantons via roads that pass through forested valleys and along rivers. Traveling through the area requires time due to winding mountain routes and frequent fog at higher elevations.
Podocarpus National Park within the territory holds over 100 lakes at different elevations, providing habitat for countless animal and plant species. These waters also feed rivers that irrigate farmland further downstream.
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