City (pop., 2001 prelim.: 1,399,814), capital of Ecuador.
Situated in an area of intense volcanic activity, the city lies at an elevation of 9,350 ft (2,850 m) on the lower slopes of Pichincha Volcano
which again became active in 1998 after its last major eruption in 1666
in a narrow valley of the Andes Mountains. A pre-Columbian town, it was captured by the Inca in 1487 and taken by the Spanish in 1534. It is the oldest of all South American capitals, and its old town preserves much of its colonial atmosphere. In 1535 the Franciscans established an art school there, the first of its kind in South America. One of Ecuador's two major industrial centres, it produces textiles and light consumer goods. It is the site of several institutions of higher learning. The old town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978.