MACHALA

capital of El Oro province, southwestern Ecuador, in the Pacific coastal lowlands 2 mi (3 km) from the Gulf of Guayaquil. A commercial centre for the surrounding agricultural region, the city trades in bananas, cacao, coffee, and hides. An annual banana fair is held there in the fall. Industrial development is slight, but a technical university was established in 1969. Puerto Bolvar, 4 mi southwest, is the outport of Machala and handles about one-quarter of Ecuador's banana exports. Pop. (1982 prelim.) 109,162.