AMBATO - ECUADOR

DIANA FIALLOS

MUNICIPALITY OF AMBATO

SEOUL - 2016

Geography • Northwest of South America

• Bordered by Colombia, Peru and the Pacific Ocean.

• Area of about 283,560 Km2. Ocean - 200 nautical miles.

• Situated in the Equator (territory in North and the South hemispheres)

• Capital city : Quito.

Natural Division The Amazon (Jungle) The Sierra (Highlands –Chimborazo 6,310 m) The Coast (Pacific) The Galapagos (Islands)

Political Division 24 provinces which are split into cantons (urban and rural areas).

•Climate

Temperature: the higher the altitude the lower the temperature.

Range of natural formations and climates, from the desertlike southern coast (23-26°C) to the snowcapped peaks (bellow 0°) of the Andes Mountains (12-17°) to the plains of the Amazon River Basin (25-28°).

Variation in rainfall primarily determines seasons (dry and wet).

• Population Ecuador has a population of 14,483,499 inhabitants

(2010 Census): 71,9 % of mestizos (mix) 7,4% coast region natives, 7,2% afroecuadorian, 7% amerindian, 6,1% white.

• Languages:

Official: Spanish (94% of the population). Other official languages are used in native communities (Quechua, Shuar, and 11 other languages).

• Social:

Free public health-care system .

80.44% are Roman Catholic

• Education

Free education up to university

• Economics

In 2000, Ecuador changed its currency from the Sucre to the US dollar due to a banking crisis.

Oil – main exportation, contributes 1/4 of central government budget.

Export: bananas, flowers, and cocoa as well as shrimp, sugar cane, rice, cotton, corn, palm and coffee.

• Industry Mining, hydro-energy generation are currently being

developed – future industry. Mining and oil industry are concentrated in the amazon

region. Tourism is also important especially for the Galapagos Islands.

• Environment

Ecuador is home to a great variety of species, many of them endemic, like those of the Galápagos Islands and the Amazon region. This species diversity makes Ecuador one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world.

AMBATO

•Located in the central Andean valley of Ecuador •The capital of the province of Tungurahua. •The threat of eruption from the volcano is constant.

AMBATO

• Temperature varies between 20.4 and 8.77 C

• Average rainfall: 504 mm/year

• Population: 349.856 Inh (INEC, 2010)

• Average altitude: 2,577 meters above sea level

• Considered the country's comercial center, due to its location.

• An important industrial hub for Ecuador (vehicles, leather, shoes, textiles, glass)

• The Ambato River cuts through the city. It is not a very wide or deep river, but can cause significant flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. The river has cut a deep basin into the land, creating the need for bridges.

Regulation and Organization Municipality of Ambato

National legislation states that municipalities are responsible for regulating and guiding each canton development and land use zoning, also to provide public services such as water sanitation, solid waste management, transportation and traffic control, as well as planning, directing, building and maintaining public infrastructure such as recreation areas, parks, historic buildings, streets, among others.

PROBLEMS Urban development issues are major concerns, despite the actions taken by the local government to improve these conditions:

• Unorganized urban and agricultural expansion (less paramo land / water source, food security threat),

• Lack of watershed management,

• Pollution generated by untreated domestic and industrial discharges,

• Air contamination due to vehicles and industries,

• Biodiversity loss and destruction of natural areas due to illegal land use changes,

• Traffic congestion

• Inefficient public transportation

PROBLEMS

• Factories are established everywhere along the city, and it is very difficult to relocate them due to economical issues.

• No compliance with land use regulations (natives).

• Loss of agricultural land due to land division (natives)

No access to drinking water, wastewater sanitation and solid waste management in rural areas

Currently, the city s urban area is expanding to rural areas without any guidance or regulation; ravines are being filled with debris and houses are being built in areas at risk; also waterbodies beds are being used for agriculture and other non-compatible activities.

In order to comply with legal responsibilities and solve the mentioned problems, the Municipality of Ambato is currently updating the city's development plan and land use zoning which have to consider a sustainable development.

Governmental Response

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