Loja

Founded in 1548 by Captain Alonso de Mercadillo, Loja Province serves as Ecuador's southern gateway to the Amazon, sharing borders with El Oro, Azuay, and Zamora-Chinchipe. Known as the "Smiley Valley" in Quichua, this high-altitude region is home to over 485,000 people and boasts a Human Development Index ranking seventh in the nation.