Oriente

Remote eastern region of Ecuador. This large region (135,014 sq km/52,129 sq mi) on the far side of the Andes was once administered as a unit, but now comprises several provinces, in which development (principally oil exploration) is proceeding rapidly. The modern provinces of Oriente are: Napo; Pastaza; Morona-Santiago (capital Macas), and Zamora-Chinchipe (capital Zamora). The region comprises a large tract of country in the Amazon valley, which is home to many indigenous peoples, and is crossed by numerous rivers.

A 1942 treaty ceded a large portion of the Oriente to Peru. The treaty is internationally recognized, but Ecuador continues to claim the land as far as Iquitos and the Amazon.

Oriente

Region of Cuba, in the West Indies, comprising the island's eastern provinces, Las Tunas, Holguín, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo. Running along the southern part of the region is the mountain range of Sierra Maestra, whose highest peak is Turquino (1,974 m/6,476 ft).