Guayaquil, Pearl of the Pacific

Officially Santiago de Guayaquil, it is Ecuador's most populous city. Guayaquil's urban area is ranked among the biggest cities in the world. It's also an important center of commerce with regional influence in areas of business, finance, culture and entertainment. The city is the head of the canton of Guayaquil, and also the capital of the Guayas Province.

Located in the in Ecuador's Pacific Coast Region, Guayaquil is Ecuador's city with the highest population density, with 2'366.902 estimated inhabitants occupying about 344,5km².

Guayaquil stands out from other cities in the country thanks to it's use of mass transportation systems, total population density and diversity. Just like Ecuador as a whole, the majority of inhabitants speak Spanish. Also, thanks to its position as a commercial hub, Guayaquil is also known as the "Economic Capital of Ecuador", boasting an important number of companies, factories and businesses. Another very common nickname for Guayaquil is "Pearl of the Pacific".

Important Data

Name:

• Santiago de Guayaquil

Inhabitants:

• About 2'350.000

Area:

• 344,5km²

Currency:

• U.S. Dollar

Voltage:

• Usually 110 volts, Type A & Type B plugs.

Phone code:

• Ecuador: 593; Guayas: 4. Example: (593)-4-216-9000

Tax:

• 12% IVA

Climate:

• Two seasons: Winter (rainy and humid, from December to April) and Summer (dry and fresh, from May to December).

For more information you can visit Guayaquil's official tourism site offered by the Very Illustrious Municipality of Guayaquil.