Cotacachi
Encyclopedia
Imbabura Province
Imbabura is a province in Ecuador. The capital is Ibarra. The people of the province speak Spanish and the Imbaburan Quechua language.Imbabura Volcano is located in the province. Best reached from the town of La Esperanza, the 4,609-meter-high mountain can be climbed in a single day.- Cantons...
province of Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. The name also refers to the town which is the seat of that canton, one of Ecuador's leading artisanal manufacturers of leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
goods, and to the dormant Volcan
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
Cotacachi which overlooks the canton.
The town of Cotacachi holds a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
medal for being free of illiteracy.
The name Cotacachi has many meanings. In "Cara" it means "lake with women breast" which refers to the general shape of the island in Laguna Cuicocha; in Quichua it means powder salt. The ecosystems of the area and the native flora and fauna makes this canton one of the ecologically richest zones in South America. The area is valuable to tourists for bird watching, camping and fly fishing.
The weather in the area ranges from 9 to 25 degrees celsius and is cooler in the evenings.
In the last decade Cotacachi has implemented a new system of local development by creating a city council. All the sectors of the society, from children to the ancient, rural and urban representantives participate in the council. Cotacachi is an example of development and progress.
Ascendant Corporation plans to raze to the ground the villages of Junín, Cerro Pelado
Cerro Pelado
Cerro Pelado is a fast growing population centre in the Maldonado Department of southeastern Uruguay. It is one of the northern suburbs of Maldonado, along with Villa Delia and La Sonrisa.-Population:In 2004 it had a population of 6,385....
and El Triunfo
El Triunfo
El Triunfo , formerly known as Boca de los Sapos , is a town located in Guayas, Ecuador, near the Cañar province. It is the seat of El Triunfo Canton, created in 1983....
in order to make ground for copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
mining. However, since the complete moratorium passed on all mining in Ecuador (as of May 2008) this has been delayed if not completely halted.
Pachakutik, a party of the indigenous population gained 4 of 5 seats in the area at the 2004 local elections.
Cotacachi is known for quality leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
goods; it has a number of shops on "Leather Street" that sell coats, jackets, shoes, and specialty items.
In 2000 Cotacachi was declared the first ecological county
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
of South America.
See also
- Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological ReserveCotacachi Cayapas Ecological ReserveCotacachi Cayapas Reserve contains of land and is located in the Imbabura and Esmeraldas provinces of Ecuador from Quito. This nature reserve is partly rainforest. The park is mix of many biological zones but, the Andeean and Sub-tropical zones are most common. The symbol of the reserve is a...