Loja Province

Loja is a province in Ecuador. The capital is the city of Loja, which is a very old city. The original colonial city having been destroyed by an earthquake, the city was rebuilt at higher elevation by 1548 by Spanish Captain Alonso de Mercadillo.

Loja is located at 2100 meters (6,890 ft) in elevation in the Cuxibamba valley in the Andes Mountains of southern Ecuador.

Even though close to the equator, the elevation gives Loja a pleasantly cool climate, with a brief rainy season from February to May.

Just south of the city, but located within the province is the village of Vilcabamba where many of the inhabitants are reputed to be over 100 years of age.

Also southtern Loja city (province) we can find the Stoned Forest of Puyango (Bosque Petrificado de Puyango).

Loja was the first city to have electricity (from a hydrolectric dam), which was built in 1897.

It is known as, "Capital Musical del Ecuador" (the music capital of Ecuador) and "Ciudad doblemente universitaria" (Double universitary city)

The province is divided in 16 cantons.

Canton (Capital)

1. Calvas (Cariamanga)
2. Catamayo Canton (Catamayo)
3. Celicia (Celica)
4. Chaguarpamba (Chaguarpamba)
5. Espíndola (Espíndola)
6. Gonzanamá (Gonzanamá)
7. Loja (Loja, Ecuador)
8. Macará (Macará)
9. Olmedo (Olmedo)
10. Paltas(Catacocha)
11. Pindal (Pindal)
12. Puyango (Alamor)
13. Quilanga (Quilanga)
14. Saraguro (Saraguro)
15. Sozoranga (Sozoranga)
16. Zapotillo (Zapotillo)

Provinces of Ecuador
Azuay | Bolívar | Cañar | Carchi | Chimborazo | Cotopaxi | Esmeraldas | Galápagos | Guayas | Imbabura | Loja | Los Ríos | Manabí | Morona-Santiago | Napo | Orellana | El Oro | Pastaza | Pichincha | Sucumbíos | Tungurahua | Zamora-Chinchipe

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