El Pangui Canton

El Pangui Tourism

The Pangui is located in the province of Zamora Chinchipe  it is also known as: " the Orchid of the Amazon”.  The warmth and simplicity of its people makes you feel at home, tourists enjoy the hospitality of the people of Pangui.    

Its extensive plain that covers its territory, accompanied by flora, fauna, the native "Shuar", the native and the settler, form an impressive landscape, so that whoever visits it feels pleasant and happy.

The Pangui Valley area has a humid and semi-humid mesothermic climate, making the place an ecological paradise, where you can appreciate the characteristics of a humid warm climate. 

This climate has very fertile lands due to its sandy texture giving way to crops such as corn, plantain, cassava, coffee and cocoa.

One of the things that makes this canton unique is the presence of the Shuar indigenous ethnicity, likewise there is the presence of the Saraguro and the mestizo, nowadays being the mjority. The places is an immensely rich cultural attraction.

The total population of the canton is approximately 7,300 inhabitants, who are distributed within the rural area 4,960 and 2,340 inhabitants in the urban area. Its territorial extension is 2,077.8 square kilometers of which the urban area of Parroquia el Pangui covers an area of 140.54 hectares and of these the urban area of the city El Pangui corresponds to an area 43.20 hectares.          

El Pangui

EL Pangui constitutes an ecological paradise, where you can appreciate the characteristics of a warm humid climate. It is covered by lush vegetation and large mountainous areas from which countless slopes of regular flow, giving rise to the main rivers and streams that run into the great river "Zamora" that has its origins on the flanks of the Loja province collecting the waters of the National Park Poducarpus and becoming one with the flow of the Yacuambi, Nangaritza, Nangipa, Zarza, Blanco rivers.     

Additionally to the Zamora river, that crosses El Panqui, we can mention the presence or existence of rivers such as Chuchumbletza, Uwent's, Machinatza, Quimi, Pachicutza; located throughout the territory.  

Its inhabitants are mostly dedicated to agriculture, livestock, mining and the development of handicrafts with materials from the area, seeking welfare for their families and achieving development for their people.

History of El Pangui

Agricultural and Livestock Production "San Francisco del Pangui", the same that was created in 1974 under the tutelage of Mons. Jorge Mosquera, its main objectives were the land defense, promotion of education, livestock production and the construction of a Shuar city.

In 1978 the first inhabitants of Pangui faced the refusal of the authorities of Morona Santiago to meet the demands of works for the benefit of the people of Pangui, made the decision to separate and request accession to the province of Zamora Chinchipe and, thanks to the effective decision of two Zamora Authorities such as Mr. Hugo Arias Benavides at that time mayor of the city and Mons. Jorge Mosquera Vicar Apostolic of Zamora Chinchipe, who taking advantage of the presence of the Constitutional President of the Republic the Ab. Jaime Roldós Aguilera, had him sign the Agreement, where the limits of the province of Zamora Chinchipe with Morona Santiago to the Chuchumbletza River are definitively established.   

In 1980, the founding town of Pangui began the efforts for its parish, obtaining it through Decree No. 55 published in the Official Registry No. 388, of February 26, 1981, it was elevated to the category of parish with its political rise, born as an extensive rural parish, its parish life depended on the Yanzatza canton.

The year of 1989, El Pangui follows a process of progress and thanks to the very determined push of the institutions and people in general, it achieves the provision of basic services and improves education at all levels. At this time, the active participation of the parish priest Fray Luís Imaicela, who proposes the canonization of the Pangui through a pro-canonization committee , had special significance at that time. Mr. Miguel Ocampo was elected as head of the committee, who did not have more prominence being replaced by Mr. Prof. Leoncio Heredia. 

In the year of 1990 the people of Pangui requested the National Congress to be elevated to the category of canton, achieving the proposed objective in favor of this town. 

Then the government of Dr. Rodrigo Borja making use of his powers, issued the Constitutional Decree published in the Official Registry No. 622 of February 14, 1991, declaring Pangui as a new canton in the province of Zamora Chinchipe