Morona-Santiago Province

Morona Santiago stretches from the Andean ridge to the Amazon lowlands, encompassing rainforests, river valleys and highland terraces at different elevations. The landscape shifts from misty mountain forests to dense green plains, crossed by countless waterways and rolling hills.

The area formed from older administrative units and received its current status as an independent province in November 1953. Its creation followed a longer phase of political reorganizations in eastern Ecuador during the first half of the 20th century.

The three indigenous peoples give the region its character, speak their own languages and maintain traditions visible in small communities along the rivers. Their houses, markets and celebrations show ways of life adapted over centuries to the rainforest and mountain slopes.

The twelve cantons of the province lie partly far apart and connect remote settlements with the administrative center Macas through roads of varying quality. Travel into the area requires time and patience, as distances and weather conditions can affect the schedule.

The cave system Cueva de los Tayos runs through parts of the province and holds within its underground passages both geological formations and archaeological finds. Some of these caves became known in the 1970s through an expedition that searched for ancient objects there.

Location: Ecuador

Inception: November 10, 1953

Capital city: Macas

Elevation above the sea: 808 m

Shares border with: Zamora Chinchipe, Azuay Province, Cañar Province, Chimborazo Province, Tungurahua Province, Pastaza Province, Loreto Department, Chordeleg Canton

Website: https://moronasantiago.gob.ec

GPS coordinates: -2.45000,-77.98333

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:45