Los Ríos

Province in Ecuador, located partly on the western slopes of the Andes and partly in the coastal zone; area 7,629 sq km/2,946 sq mi; population (1996) 619,353. The province consists almost entirely of densely forested lowlands traversed by numerous rivers, tributaries of the Guayas. The capital is Babahoyo. The main economic activity in the east is stock raising, while tropical agriculture (particularly cacao) predominates in the west.