A shrine to the Virgin Mary, or Marian shrine, is a shrine marking an apparition or other miracle ascribed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, or a site on which is centered a historically strong Marian devotion. Such locales are often the destinations of Christian pilgrimages.
Guayas is a coastal province in Ecuador. It is bordered to the west by Manabí, Santa Elena, and the Pacific Ocean ; to the east by Los Ríos, Bolívar, Chimborazo, Cañar, and Azuay; to the north by Los Ríos and Bolívar; and to the south by El Oro and the Pacific Ocean.
El Oro is the southernmost of Ecuador's coastal provinces. It was named for its historically important gold production. Today it is one of the world's major exporters of bananas. The capital is Machala.
Loja Province is one of 24 provinces in Ecuador and shares its southern border on the west with El Oro Province, on the north with El Azuay, and on the east with Zamora-Chinchipe. Founded on its present site in 1548 by Captain Alonso de Mercadillo (Spanish), the site had been previously moved and rebuilt from La Toma due to earthquakes. It also is named as "Cuxibamba Valley", from the Quichua language, which means the "Smiley Valley".
Zamora Chinchipe, Province of Zamora Chinchipe is a province of the Republic of Ecuador, located at the southeastern end of the Amazon Basin, which shares borders with the Ecuadorian provinces of Azuay and Morona Santiago to the north, Loja and Azuay to the west, and with Peru to the east and south. The province comprises an area of approximately 10,456 km² and is covered with a uniquely mountainous topography which markedly distinguishes it from the surrounding Amazonian provinces. Zamora-Chinchipe is characterized and largely identified by its mining industry; indigenous ethnic groups with a rich archaeological legacy; its biodiversity; and its niche and tourist attractions, which include a number of waterfalls well-noted for their beauty. The province takes its name from the bureaucratic fusion of the Zamora and Chinchipe cantons. The provincial capital is the city of Zamora.
Loja, formerly Loxa and fully City of the Immaculate Conception of Loja, is the capital of Ecuador's Loja Province. It is located in the Cuxibamba valley in the south of the country, sharing borders with the provinces of Zamora-Chinchipe and other cantons of the province of Loja. Loja holds a rich tradition in the arts, and for this reason is known as the Music and Cultural Capital of Ecuador. The city is home to two major universities.
Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Loja was a professional association football team from the city of Loja, Ecuador. They played in the Serie A, the highest level of the Ecuadorian professional football league. In the First Stage of the 2012 season, the team qualified for the first time to an international tournament, the 2012 Copa Sudamericana.
Balsas is a canton in the Province of El Oro in Ecuador. The name of the canton is due to the abundant amount of balsa trees that existed in this area. The customs and traditions in Balsas are based on the influence brought by the first settlers from the Cantón Piñas, Zaruma, and part of the Province of Loja. Balsas is a privileged town, its location, natural resources, and economic conditions are unique conditions that have allowed it to aim towards development.
Piñas is a canton in the El Oro Province, Ecuador. Its seat is Piñas. It is also known as the "Orchid of The Andes" because of the many orchids grown nearby. The town was named Piñas by Juan de Loayza, in honor of his homeland Piñas in Spain. It is located 1,126 metres (3,694 ft) above sea level.
Calvas is a canton of the Province of Loja, Ecuador, located in the south of the province, bordering Paltas and Gonzanamá in the north, Quilanga and Espíndola in the east, Peru in the south, and Sozoranga in the west. It covers 1700 km2 at an altitude of about 1932m. Total population is about 31,000, and the capital city of the canton is Cariamanga.
Catamayo Canton is a canton of Loja Province in Ecuador. Its seat is Catamayo. It is located in the north of the province, bordered by the cantons of Loja, Gonzanamá, Olmedo, and Chaguarpamba. In it is located the largest and most fertile valley of the province, and is the location of the Monterrey Sugar Cane Processing Plant, a major sugarcane operation which is a financial boon to the province and country. The town of La Toma in Catamayo is the seat of the city of Loja's airport.
Celica is a canton in Loja Province, Ecuador. Its seat is Celica. The canton is located in the west of the province and is bordered by the cantons of Puyango and Paltas in the north, Sozoranga in the east, Macará in the south, and Pindal and Zapotillo in the west. It covers 517.8 km2 at an altitude of 2500 m.
Espíndola is a canton in the Province of Loja Ecuador. It is located in the south-east, bordered by the cantons of Quilanga and Calvas, the province of Zamora-Chinchipe and the country of Peru. It covers an area of 632 km2 at an altitude of 1720 m, with a population of 19,213. The average temperature is 19.9 °C.
Gonzanamá is a canton in the Province of Loja, Ecuador. It is located in the south-east of the province, bordered by the cantons of Catamayo, Loja, Quilanga, Calvas, and Paltas. It is the "agricultural, farming, and craftsmanship capital of Loja." Gonzanamá covers 1272 km2 at an altitude of 2045 m, with a population of 17,276. The principal town is Gonzanamá.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Loja is a diocese located in the city of Loja in the Ecclesiastical province of Cuenca in Ecuador. It was erected on 29 December 1862 from territory of the Diocese of Cuenca.
Daule, is a canton located in the Guayas province in Ecuador. Created in 1820, it is one of the most important parts of Guayas thanks to its rice production and other products such as corn and eggs.
El Cisne is a city in the southern region of Ecuador, in Loja province, about 74 km (46 mi) from the city of Loja.
Macará Canton is a canton of Ecuador, located in the Loja Province. Its capital is the town of Macará. Its population at the 2001 census was 18,350.
Ecuador is a country with vast natural and cultural wealth. The diversity of its four regions has resulted in hundreds of thousands of species of flora and fauna. It has about 1640 species of birds. The species of butterflies line the 4,500, the 345 reptiles, 358 amphibians and 258 mammals, among others. Ecuador is considered one of the 17 countries where the greatest biodiversity of the planet is concentrated. Most of its flora and fauna live in 26 areas protected by the State. It also offers historical attractions such as Quito, food and a variety of cultures and traditions.
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