Esmeraldas

Town and port in northwest Ecuador, on the river of the same name, and capital of the province of Esmeraldas; area 15,029 sq km/5,803 sq mi; population (1996) 372,303. Esmeraldas is situated on the border with Colombia and has been a major port for centuries. It is the centre of a rich agricultural district and the headquarters of a number of trading and mining companies. Straw hats are manufactured here, and gold is mined. It is the main banana port of the northwest; timber and cacao are also significant exports.

The name Esmeraldas derives from the old emerald mines in the vicinity. At the town's port, vessels anchor outside the harbour bar and load and discharge by means of launches. An oil refinery has been built nearby, and an ocean oil terminal is located at the port of Balao 5 km/3 mi to the southwest. The town is linked by a pipeline to the oilfields of the Oriente region. There is a new fishing port and a power station nearby.