Summary

Esmeraldas is a coastal city and the capital of Esmeraldas Province, located on the northern Ecuadorian Coast. The Esmeraldas River runs through the city forming a large estuary with the Pacific coast. The population is approximately 162,000 and covers an area of 70.5 square km (2010 Census). The city hosts one of the largest seaports in northern Ecuador, an oil refinery, and is the terminus of the Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline. The economy of Esmeraldas is heavily dependent on raw material extraction, such as mining, and agricultural exports, such as timber, African palm, and bananas. Over half of the population in Esmeraldas is Afro-Ecuadorian (56.6%). Coupled with high rates of poverty and rapid growth, Esmeraldas’ vulnerable population is increasing. These trends are exacerbated by natural disasters, such as the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Ecuador’s coast in April 2016. This disaster killed 700 people and left more than 700,000 people in need of assistance throughout the country, with Esmeraldas being one of the provinces worst-affected by the earthquake (World Vision).

Goal

The 2C Esmeraldas project focuses on developing geospatial data on social and environmental risks that affect the city, such as floods and landslides in informal settlements. The 2C Esmeraldas team collects data about vulnerable and low-income individuals who have been disproportionately affected by these risks due to location of slum settlements and the high costs of household energy.

Data

Local workshops have focused on training communities in data creation activities that include locating water quality testing sites, unofficial waste sites, and flood risk areas. The assessment of landslide locations further develops the relationship between vulnerable communities and risk.

Lead Partner

Instituto de Geografía of the San Francisco de Quito University (USFQ)

Supporting Partners

Luis Vargas de Emeraldas Technical Institute

Map Layers