# Cantons of Ecuador

The cantons of Ecuador are the second-level subdivisions of Ecuador, below the provinces. The cantons are further subdivided into parishes, which are classified as either urban or rural.
As of 2025, there are 222 cantons in the country. The most recently created cantons are Sevilla Don Bosco in Morona Santiago Province in 2024; and La Concordia in Esmeraldas Province in 2007, although in 2013 La Concordia was transferred to Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Province.
Below is a list of cantons by province.

## Azuay Province (15 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Camilo Ponce Enríquez | | | Camilo Ponce Enríquez |
| Chordeleg | 10,859 | 105 | Chordeleg |
| Cuenca | 417,632 | 3,086 | Cuenca |
| El Pan | 3,075 | 132 | El Pan |
| Girón | 12,583 | 347 | Girón |
| Guachapala | 3,125 | 41 | Guachapala |
| Gualaceo | 38,587 | 347 | Gualaceo |
| Nabón | 15,121 | 636 | Nabón |
| Oña | 3,231 | 295 | Oña |
| Paute | 23,106 | 267 | Paute |
| Pucará | 20,382 | 848 | Pucará |
| San Fernando | 3,961 | 142 | San Fernando |
| Santa Isabel | 18,015 | 781 | Santa Isabel |
| Sevilla de Oro | 5,234 | 314 | Sevilla de Oro |
| Sígsig | 24,635 | 657 | Sígsig |

## Bolívar Province (7 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Caluma | 11,074 | 175 | Caluma |
| Chillanes | 18,685 | 655 | Chillanes |
| Chimbo | 15,005 | 262 | Chimbo |
| Echeandía | 10,951 | 230 | Echeandía |
| Guaranda | 81,643 | 1,888 | Guaranda |
| Las Naves | 5,265 | 147 | Las Naves |
| San Miguel | 26,747 | 570 | San Miguel |

## Cañar Province (7 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Azogues | 64,910 | 613 | Azogues |
| La Troncal | 44,389 | 613 | La Troncal |
| Biblián | 20,727 | 227 | Biblián |
| Cañar | 58,185 | 1,804 | Cañar |
| Déleg | 6,221 | 78 | Déleg |
| El Tambo | 8,251 | 65 | El Tambo |
| Suscal | 4,419 | 31 | Suscal |

## Carchi Province (6 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Bolívar | 13,898 | 353 | Bolívar |
| Espejo | 13,515 | 554 | El Ángel |
| Mira | 12,919 | 588 | Mira |
| Montúfar | 28,576 | 383 | San Gabriel |
| San Pedro de Huaca | 6,856 | 71 | Huaca |
| Tulcán | 77,175 | 1,801 | Tulcán |

## Chimborazo Province (10 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Alausí | 42,823 | 1,644 | Alausí |
| Chambo | 10,541 | 163 | Chambo |
| Chunchi | 12,474 | 273 | Chunchi |
| Colta | 44,701 | 829 | Cajabamba (also known as Villa la Unión) |
| Cumandá | 9,395 | 159 | Cumandá |
| Guamote | 35,210 | 1,216 | Guamote |
| Guano | 37,888 | 460 | Guano |
| Pallatanga | 10,800 | 377 | Pallatanga |
| Penipe | 6,485 | 370 | Penipe |
| Riobamba | 193,315 | 980 | Riobamba |

## Cotopaxi Province (7 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| La Maná | 32,115 | 647 | La Maná |
| Latacunga | 143,979 | 1,377 | Latacunga |
| Pangua | 19,877 | 715 | El Corazón |
| Pujilí | 60,728 | 1,289 | Pujilí |
| Salcedo | 51,304 | 484 | San Miguel |
| Saquisilí | 20,815 | 206 | Saquisilí |
| Sigchos | 20,722 | 1,267 | Sigchos |

## El Oro Province (14 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Arenillas | 22,477 | 803 | Arenillas |
| Atahualpa | 5,479 | 278 | Paccha |
| Balsas | 5,348 | 69 | Balsas |
| Chilla | 2,665 | 328 | Chilla |
| El Guabo | 41,078 | 603 | El Guabo |
| Huaquillas | 40,285 | 72 | Huaquillas |
| Las Lajas | 4,781 | 297 | La Victoria |
| Machala | 217,696 | 338 | Machala |
| Marcabelí | 4,930 | 147 | Marcabelí |
| Pasaje | 62,959 | 452 | Pasaje |
| Piñas | 23,246 | 615 | Piñas |
| Portovelo | 11,024 | 282 | Portovelo |
| Santa Rosa | 60,388 | 889 | Santa Rosa |
| Zaruma | 23,407 | 645 | Zaruma |

## Esmeraldas Province (7 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Atacames | 30,267 | 511 | Atacames |
| Eloy Alfaro | 33,403 | 4,302 | Valdez |
| Esmeraldas | 157,792 | 1,351 | Esmeraldas |
| Muisne | 25,080 | 1,265 | Muisne |
| Quinindé | 88,337 | 3,855 | Rosa Zárate (also known as Quinindé) |
| Río Verde | 22,164 | 1,506 | Rio Verde |
| San Lorenzo | 28,180 | 3,106 | San Lorenzo |

## Galápagos Province (3 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Isabela | 1,619 | 5,368 | Puerto Villamil |
| San Cristóbal | 5,633 | 849 | Puerto Baquerizo Moreno |
| Santa Cruz | 11,388 | 1,794 | Puerto Ayora |

## Guayas Province (25 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno (Jujan) | 19,982 | 216 | Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno (also known as Jujan) |
| Balao | 17,262 | 465 | Balao |
| Balzar (San Jacinto de Balzar) | 48,470 | 1,173 | Balzar |
| Colimes | 21,049 | 758 | Colimes |
| Coronel Marcelino Maridueña | 11,054 | 255 | Coronel Marcelino Maridueña |
| Daule | 85,148 | 462 | Daule |
| Durán | 178,714 | 339 | Durán |
| El Empalme | 64,789 | 711 | El Empalme (also known as Velasco Ibarra) |
| El Triunfo | 34,117 | 389 | El Triunfo |
| General Antonio Elizalde (Bucay) | 8,696 | 152 | General Antonio Elizalde (also known as Bucay) |
| Guayaquil | 2,039,789 | 5,237 | Guayaquil |
| Isidro Ayora | 8,226 | 492 | Isidro Ayora |
| Lomas de Sargentillo | 14,194 | 67 | Lomas de Sargentillo |
| Milagro | 140,103 | 401 | Milagro |
| Naranjal | 53,482 | 2,015 | Naranjal |
| Naranjito | 31,756 | 226 | Naranjito |
| Nobol | 14,753 | 128 | Nobol (also known as Narcisa de Jesús) |
| Palestina | 14,067 | 194 | Palestina |
| Pedro Carbo | 36,711 | 927 | Pedro Carbo |
| Playas (General Villamil Playas) | 30,045 | 269 | Playas (also known as General Villamil Playas) |
| Salitre (was Urbina Jado) | 50,379 | 390 | El Salitre |
| Samborondón | 45,476 | 388 | Samborondón |
| Santa Lucía | 33,868 | 348 | Santa Lucía |
| Simón Bolívar | 20,385 | 289 | Simón Bolívar |
| Yaguachi | 47,630 | 512 | Yaguachi (San Jacinto de Yaguachi) |

## Imbabura Province (6 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Pop. (2010) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Antonio Ante | 36,053 | 43,518 | 81 | Atuntaqui |
| Cotacachi | 37,215 | 40,036 | 1,726 | Cotacachi |
| Ibarra | 153,256 | 181,175 | 1,093 | Ibarra |
| Otavalo | 90,188 | 104,874 | 500 | Otavalo |
| Pimampiro | 12,951 | 12,970 | 437 | Pimampiro |
| San Miguel de Urcuquí | 14,381 | 15,671 | 779 | Urcuquí |

## Loja Province (16 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Calvas | 27,604 | 839 | Cariamanga |
| Catamayo | 27,000 | 646 | Catamayo |
| Celica | 13,358 | 518 | Celica |
| Chaguarpamba | 7,898 | 311 | Chaguarpamba |
| Espíndola | 15,750 | 514 | Amaluza (Espíndola) |
| Gonzanamá | 14,987 | 693 | Gonzanamá |
| Loja | 175,077 | 1,881 | Loja |
| Macará | 18,350 | 575 | Macará |
| Olmedo | 5,707 | 112 | Olmedo |
| Paltas | 24,703 | 1,145 | Catacocha |
| Pindal | 7,351 | 200 | Pindal |
| Puyango | 15,505 | 634 | Alamor |
| Quilanga | 4,582 | 235 | Quilanga |
| Saraguro | 28,029 | 1,075 | Saraguro |
| Sozoranga | 7,994 | 410 | Sozoranga |
| Zapotillo | 10,940 | 1,209 | Zapotillo |

## Los Ríos Province (13 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Baba | 35,185 | 516 | Baba |
| Babahoyo | 132,824 | 1,076 | Babahoyo |
| Buena Fe | 47,361 | 569 | San Jacinto de Buena Fe |
| Mocache | 33,481 | 562 | Mocache |
| Montalvo | 20,067 | 362 | Montalvo |
| Palenque | 20,658 | 570 | Palenque |
| Pueblo Viejo | 29,420 | 338 | Puebloviejo |
| Quevedo | 139,790 | 303 | Quevedo |
| Quinsaloma | | | Quinsaloma |
| Urdaneta | 25,812 | 377 | Catarama |
| Valencia | 32,870 | 980 | Valencia |
| Ventanas | 71,145 | 806 | Ventanas |
| Vinces | 61,565 | 693 | Vinces |

## Manabí Province (22 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Bolívar | 35,627 | 537 | Calceta |
| Chone | 117,634 | 3,017 | Chone |
| El Carmen | 69,998 | 1,245 | El Carmen |
| Flavio Alfaro | 25,390 | 1,343 | Flavio Alfaro |
| Jama | 20,230 | 575 | Jama |
| Jaramijó | 11,967 | 97 | Jaramijó |
| Jipijapa | 65,796 | 1,401 | Jipijapa |
| Junín | 18,491 | 246 | Junín |
| Manta | 192,322 | 309 | Manta |
| Montecristi | 43,400 | 734 | Montecristi |
| Olmedo | 9,243 | 253 | Olmedo |
| Paján | 35,952 | 1,079 | Paján |
| Pedernales | 46,876 | 1,932 | Pedernales |
| Pichincha | 29,945 | 1,067 | Pichincha |
| Portoviejo | 238,430 | 955 | Portoviejo |
| Puerto López | 16,626 | 420 | Puerto López |
| Rocafuerte | 29,321 | 280 | Rocafuerte |
| San Vicente | 19,116 | 718 | San Vicente |
| Santa Ana | 45,287 | 1,022 | Santa Ana |
| Sucre | 52,158 | 764 | Bahía de Caráquez |
| Tosagua | 33,922 | 377 | Tosagua |
| Veinticuatro de Mayo | 28,294 | 524 | Sucre |

## Morona-Santiago Province (13 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Gualaquiza | 15,288 | 2,203 | Gualaquiza |
| Huamboya | 5,965 | 653 | Huamboya |
| Limón Indanza | 10,192 | 2,101 | General Leonidas Plaza Gutiérrez |
| Logroño | 4,621 | 1,218 | Logroño |
| Morona | 31,379 | 5,095 | Macas |
| Pablo Sexto | 1,188 | 1,371 | Pablo Sexto |
| Palora | 6,317 | 1,436 | Palora |
| San Juan Bosco | 3,131 | 1,047 | San Juan Bosco |
| Santiago de Méndez (Santiago) | 9,841 | 1,691 | Santiago de Méndez (Santiago) |
| Sevilla Don Bosco | | | Sevilla Don Bosco |
| Sucúa | 14,412 | 893 | Sucúa |
| Taisha | 13,078 | 6,090 | Taisha |
| Tiwintza | | | Santiago |

## Napo Province (5 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Archidona | 18,551 | 3,029 | Archidona |
| Carlos Julio Arosemena Tola | 2,943 | 501 | Carlos Julio Arosemena Tola |
| El Chaco | 6,133 | 3,473 | El Chaco |
| Quijos | 5,505 | 1,577 | Baeza |
| Tena | 46,007 | 3,904 | Tena |

## Orellana Province (4 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Aguarico | 4,658 | 11,358 | Nueva Rocafuerte |
| Francisco de Orellana | 42,010 | 6,995 | Puerto Francisco de Orellana (also known as Coca) |
| Joya de los Sachas | 26,363 | 1,195 | La Joya de los Sachas |
| Loreto | 13,462 | 2,127 | Loreto |

## Pastaza Province (4 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Arajuno | 5,150 | 8,767 | Arajuno |
| Mera | 8,088 | 520 | Mera |
| Pastaza | 45,512 | 19,727 | Puyo |
| Santa Clara | 3,029 | 311 | Santa Clara |

## Pichincha Province (8 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Cayambe | 69,800 | 1,189 | Cayambe |
| Mejía | 62,888 | 1,476 | Machachi |
| Pedro Moncayo | 25,594 | 336 | Tabacundo |
| Pedro Vicente Maldonado | 9,965 | 620 | Pedro Vicente Maldonado |
| Puerto Quito | 17,100 | 683 | Puerto Quito |
| Quito | 1,839,853 | 4,183 | Quito |
| Rumiñahui | 65,882 | 139 | Sangolquí |
| San Miguel de Los Bancos | 10,717 | 839 | San Miguel de los Bancos |

## Santa Elena Province (3 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| La Libertad | 77,646 | 25 | La Libertad |
| Salinas | 49,572 | 69 | Salinas |
| Santa Elena | 111,671 | 3,669 | Santa Elena |

## Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Province (2 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Santo Domingo de los Colorados (Santo Domingo) | 287,018 | 3,805 | Santo Domingo de los Colorados |
| La Concordia | | | La Concordia |

## Sucumbíos Province (7 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Cascales | 7,409 | 1,248 | El Dorado de Cascales |
| Cuyabeno | 6,643 | 3875 | Tarapoa |
| Gonzalo Pizarro | 6,964 | 2,223 | Lumbaqui |
| Lago Agrio | 66,788 | 3,139 | Nueva Loja (Lago Agrio) |
| Putumayo | 6,171 | 3,559 | Puerto Carmen |
| Shushufindi | 32,184 | 2,463 | Shushufindi |
| Sucumbíos | 2,836 | 1,502 | La Bonita |

## Tungurahua Province (9 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Ambato | 287,282 | 1,009 | Ambato (San Juan de Ambato) |
| Baños | 16,112 | 1,065 | Baños de Agua Santa (Baños de Agua Santa) |
| Cevallos | 6,873 | 19 | Cevallos |
| Mocha | 6,371 | 86 | Mocha |
| Patate | 11,771 | 315 | Patate |
| Pelileo | 48,988 | 202 | Pelileo (San Pedro de Pelileo) |
| Píllaro | 34,925 | 443 | Píllaro (Santiago de Píllaro) |
| Quero | 18,187 | 173 | Quero (Santiago de Quero) |
| Tisaleo | 10,525 | 59 | Tisaleo |

## Zamora-Chinchipe Province (9 cantons)

| Canton | Pop. (2001) | Area (km$^2$) | Seat/Capital |
| Centinela del Cóndor | 7,230 | 519 | Zumbi |
| Chinchipe | 8,495 | 1,194 | Zumba |
| El Pangui | 7,441 | 614 | El Pangui |
| Nangaritza | 4,797 | 2,096 | Guayzimi (Nangaritza) |
| Palanda | 7,066 | 1,925 | Palanda |
| Paquisha | | | Paquisha |
| Yacuambi | 5,229 | 1,242 | Yacuambi |
| Yantzaza | 14,552 | 990 | Yantzaza |
| Zamora | 21,791 | 1,876 | Zamora |

## Non-delimited areas

Four areas in Ecuador previously did not belong to any province. These were:
* Las Golondrinas: In a referendum held on April 3, 2016, 56.9% of voters voted in favor of Las Golondrinas being incorporated into the Imbabura Province.
* La Manga del Cura: In a referendum held on September 27, 2015, 64.2% of the voters voted in favor of La Manga del Cura being incorporated into the Manabí Province.
* El Piedrero and Matilde Esther: incorporated into Guayas Province by presidential decree in 2017.

## Authorities

In each canton there is a jefe político, chosen by, and representing the interests of, the president. There is also a mayor (alcalde) and a municipal council (concejo municipal), chosen by popular vote.