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Ecuador is named for its latitude and Quito, the capital since 1830, is situated on the imaginary line. Manta is the second busiest port after Guayaquil. The city retains vestiges of tradition - its graceful bay is lined with cafes and the slender peninsula that sweeps west of the city is lined with beaches. Founded in the mid-16th century along Rio Manta, which separates the community from the sister city of Tarqui, it is a conservative place with plenty of churches. Residents still recall a 1966 plane crash that destroyed the central church - the Virgin Mary inside was unscathed. Just a few miles from the coast, banana, cocoa and rice plantations spread inland all the way to the base of the sierra.
Manta may be Manabi Province’s largest city, but it is not a huge metropolis - there are only 180,000 inhabitants. Still the busy port enjoys a long and rich pre-Columbian history. Spaniards favored the thriving Mantena community, the Europeanized name is taken from this tribal name, as a natural harbor. The port’s importance grew as conquistadors began shipping hordes of looted Incan gold all along the Pacific coast. Itineraries for cargo routes had to be changed often to avoid pirate attacks, so like many of its neighbors, the port was developed into a colonial supply station. For many years after Ecuador was colonized and the gold stopped flowing, Manta languished as a traditional fishing community, but in recent years, the government has been trying to promote tourism, so new hotels and other facilities have been added. A pleasant climate is the lure, and the port sees fairly little precipitation on its 80 degree sands.
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