TULCN

city, extreme northern highland Ecuador. Tulcn lies just south of the Carchi River near the Colombian border. It is on the former site of the Cara Indian settlement Tulcanque. Spanish colonists established the European settlement in the mid-18th century. When Ecuador seceded from Gran Colombia in 1830, the boundary between Ecuador and Colombia was fixed along the Carchi River, thus politically dividing a natural economic areathe basin of Tulcn. In the vicinity is the natural bridge of Rumichaca over the Carchi River, which is the location of a frontier post between Colombia and Ecuador. A few miles to the northeast in Colombia, the shrine of Nuestra Seora de Las Lajas (Our Lady of the Flagstones) is visited by many pilgrims from both countries. Tulcn is in the centre of a rich agricultural region and processes cereals, sugarcane, and coffee. It is also known for its dairy products. Tanning and the manufacture of woolen textiles (rugs and ponchos) are other leading activities. Tulcn was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1923 and has since been rebuilt. It is the seat of a Roman Catholic diocese. The Pan-American Highway passes through the city. Pop. (1990 prelim.) 36,947.