Tungurahua
Province
Province of Tungurahua
Landscape near Baños
Flag Seal
Tungurahua Province in Ecuador
Cantons of Tungurahua Province
Coordinates: 1°14′S 78°37′W / 1.233°S 78.617°W / -1.233; -78.617
Country	Ecuador
Capital	Ambato
Cantons	List of cantons Ambato Baños de Agua Santa Cevallos Mocha Patate Quero San Pedro de Pelileo Santiago de Pillaro Tisaleo
Government
• Provincial Prefect	Manuel Caizabanda
Area
• Province	3,382 km2 (1,306 sq mi)
Elevation	2,600 m (8,500 ft)
Highest elevation	5,016 m (16,457 ft)
Lowest elevation	900 m (3,000 ft)
Population  (2022 census)[1]
• Province	563,532
• Density	170/km2 (430/sq mi)
• Urban	225,249
Time zone	UTC-5 (ECT)
Vehicle registration	T
HDI (2017)	0.768[2] high · 4th
Website	www.tungurahua.gob.ec

Tungurahua (Spanish: Provincia del Tungurahua, literally Province of the Tungurahua; pronounced [tuŋɡuˈɾawa]) is one of the twenty-four provinces of Ecuador. Its capital is Ambato. The province takes its name from the Tungurahua volcano, which is located within the boundaries of the provinces.

Population

In 2011, Tungurahua had an estimated population of 581,389.^[3] Ethnic groups as of the Ecuadorian census of 2010:^[4]

• Mestizo 82.1%
• Indigenous 12.4%
• White 3.4%
• Afro-Ecuadorian 1.4%
• Montubio 0.5%
• Other 0.1%

Climate

The province has a dry, temperate climate. Like all mountainous areas, the region experiences the phenomenon known as microclimates, in which small portions of the province have drastically different conditions from others due to winds and area pressure.

Generally though, Tungurahua experiences temperatures between 14 and 17 degree Celsius in the day-time, with cooler nights. At higher altitudes, conditions are much colder. Despite the area being near the Equator, mountains such as Carihuayrazo and Chimborazo are covered in snow for much of the year.^[5]

Geography

The province is very mountainous, containing the Tungurahua volcano near Baños, as well as bordering the Carihuayrazo and Chimborazo volcanoes to the south. Baños attracts the highest number of tourists. The principal river of the province is the Patate River, which flows to the east toward the Amazon Region.^[6]

Political division

The province is divided into nine cantons which stretch from Ambato in the west to Baños in the east. The following table lists each with its population at the 2001 census, its area in square kilometres (km²), and the name of the canton seat or capital.^[7]

Places of interest

• Parque de la Familia
• Llanganates National Park