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Machala
Machala is a city in south-west Ecuador, capital of the El Oro Province. It is located near the Gulf of Guayaquil on fertile lowlands. It has a population of 426,901 (2008 estimate). Machala has been referred to as the "Banana Capital of the World"
Machala is a commercial centre for the surrounding agriculture industries. There is a large trade in bananas, coffee and cocoa. Especially banana industry is orientated to exportation, and plays a huge role in the city's economy. Universidad Tecnica de Machala is the cities only university. There are many privet schools in Machala and one public high school- Colegio 9 De Octobre. The city serves as a stopping-off point on the way to nearby port Puerto Bolivar and the Jambeli Islands, which can be reached by ferry. Machala has a small airport which currently has no commercial flights . In the past there have been flights to Guayaquil and Quito with Ecuadorian airline TAME. Recently Machala built its first mall, with a movie theater on the outskirts of the city.
The center of Machala is dominated by a large Catholic church and a central plaza. The plaza was built in the early 2000s to include a large fountain. There are many hotels situated in the centre of the city. Las Brias, located a few blocks from the central plaza, is another popular place in Machala. Located in the wealthier part of town it serves as a hang out for local teenagers.
Machala has received many exchange students since the 1990s through AFS and Rotary International. Besides to approximately 20 students Machala receives each year very few westerners visit this city.
Esmeraldeno soccer forward Eduardo Hurtado played in Machala's professional soccer team Audaz Octubrino.
External links
Municipio de Machala Web site of the municipality in Spanish
Orenses - El Oro - Machala - Ecuador / Comunidad Virtual de la Provincia de El Oro News about Machala in Spanish
Diario Correo - El Diario de Todos News about Machala in Spanish
Universidad Technica de Machala
Sitio informativo de la Capital Bananera del Mundo
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Machala
