Loja Province information

Loja Province
Province
Flag Seal
Location in Ecuador
Coordinates: 3°49′59″S 80°04′01″W / 3.833°S 80.067°W / -3.833; -80.067Coordinates: 3°49′59″S 80°04′01″W / 3.833°S 80.067°W / -3.833; -80.067
Country	Ecuador
Capital	Loja
Area
• Total	11,062.73 km2 (4,271.34 sq mi)
Elevation	2,225 m (7,300 ft)
Population  (2010 census)
• Total	448,966
• Density	41/km2 (110/sq mi)
Languages
• Spanish	?%
• Quechua	?%
Vehicle registration	L
Pronunciation	(lō'hä)
Annual rainfall	950 mm
HDI (2017)	0.747[1] high · 7th
Website	prefecturaloja.gob.ec

Macará Mountains

Loja Province (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈlo.xa]) is one of 24 provinces in Ecuador and shares its southern border on the west with El Oro Province, on the north with El Azuay, and on the east with Zamora-Chinchipe. Founded on its present site in 1548 by Captain Alonso de Mercadillo (Spanish), the site had been previously moved and rebuilt from La Toma due to earthquakes. It also is named as "Cuxibamba Valley", from the Quichua language, which means the "Smiley Valley".