# Loja Province, Ecuador – Cantons, Population & Map

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/

Province · Ecuador 

# Loja Province

Loja Province is a province of Ecuador. It had an estimated **521,154 people** in 2020 on 11,077 km² (about 47 per km²). Its main town is Loja. It is divided into 16 cantons. 2,303 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 2,520 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.

- 521,154people (2020)
- 11,077km²
- 16cantons
- 2,520mapped services

## How many people live in Loja Province?

Loja Province had an estimated **521,154 people** in 2020 — 3.0% of Ecuador, 10th of 24 provinces. There are 1,029 women for every 1,000 men (close to the Ecuador figure of 1,021). Spread over 11,077 km², that is about **47 people per km²**, 16th of 24 provinces.

28.8% of people are children under 15 and 9.8% are 65 or older; the median age is about 27 years (it is 27 across Ecuador). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 63 children and older people.

0–4 ****9,923**

1–5 ****39,700**

5–9 ****50,056**

10–14 ****50,557**

15–19 ****49,754**

20–24 ****46,268**

25–29 ****41,031**

30–34 ****36,118**

35–39 ****32,027**

40–44 ****28,129**

45–49 ****24,831**

50–54 ****22,614**

55–59 ****20,750**

60–64 ****18,396**

65–69 ****15,666**

70–74 ****12,921**

75–79 ****10,038**

80+ ****12,375**

Source: [UNFPA and INEC - Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos via OCHA HDX, population 2020 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-ecu).

## Where is Loja Province?

Loja Province lies in [Ecuador](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/). It borders 3 other provinces: [Azuay Province](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/azuay/), [El Oro Province](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/el-oro/) and [Zamora Chinchipe Province](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/zamora-chinchipe/). By area it is the 9th largest of 24 provinces in Ecuador. It covers 4.3% of [Ecuador](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/). The centre of Loja Province is about 447 km in a straight line from Quito, the capital. The centre point is at 4.0384° S, 79.8033° W.

Source: [INEC - Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-ecu).

## Things to see in and around Loja Province

OpenStreetMap lists 153 named sights in Loja Province: 40 attractions; 29 memorials; 20 monuments; 19 viewpoints; 13 museums; 10 nature reserves; 9 waterfalls; 5 caves; 2 ruins; 2 archaeological sites; 1 castle or fort; 1 zoo; 1 city gate; 1 beach.

- Casa de la Cultura de Pózul · museum
- Centro cultural Waka · museum
- El Cisne · museum
- Museo Matilde Hidalgo de Procel · museum
- Museo Puerta de la Cuidad · museum
- Museo de Arte Manuel Serrano · museum
- Museo de Zoología (MUTPL) · museum
- Museo de arte religioso y colonial El Valle · museum
- Museo de la Música · museum
- Museo de la cultura lojana · museum
- Museo de las Madres Conceptas - Loja · museum
- Musée histoire et patrimoine · museum
- Ñaño casa museo · museum
- Loma de Trapichillo · archaeological site
- Monolitos de Quillusara · archaeological site
- El Castillo de los Tello · castle or fort
- Baños del Inca · waterfall
- Cascada El Palto · waterfall
- Cascada Jipiro Alto · waterfall
- Cascada de Gallibón · waterfall
- Cascada de Humuto · waterfall
- Cascada de Solanda · waterfall
- Namanda · waterfall
- San Antonio waterfall · waterfall
- Sendero ecologico · waterfall
- Bosque Protector Jatumpamba-Jorupe · nature reserve
- Bosques Protectores Acanamá-Guashapamba-Aguirre · nature reserve
- El bosque protector Corazón de Oro · nature reserve
- RESERVA NATURAL CAZADEROS · nature reserve
- RESERVA NATURAL CAZADEROS · nature reserve

…and 123 more.

Source: [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: Loja Province

- Time zoneUTC−5, no daylight saving · America/Guayaquil
- CurrencyDollar (USD)
- Country calling code+593
- LanguagesSpanish
- Plug typesType A, B · 120 V
- Driving sideRight
- Postcode format6 digits (######)

### Nearest airports

- Ciudad de Catamayo Airport (LOH) · La Toma (Catamayo)48 km
- Santa Rosa - Artillery Colonel Victor Larrea International Airport (ETR) · Santa Rosa70 km

### Daylight

Days are longest in Dec (about 12.4 hours, sunrise around 06:03) and shortest in Jun (about 11.9 hours, sunrise around 06:22, sunset around 18:15).

Month Sunrise Sunset Daylight 

Jan 06:17 18:37 12.3 h 

Feb 06:26 18:40 12.2 h 

Mar 06:24 18:32 12.1 h 

Apr 06:18 18:20 12.0 h 

May 06:17 18:13 11.9 h 

Jun 06:22 18:15 11.9 h 

Jul 06:27 18:22 11.9 h 

Aug 06:24 18:23 12.0 h 

Sep 06:12 18:16 12.1 h 

Oct 05:59 18:10 12.2 h 

Nov 05:55 18:12 12.3 h 

Dec 06:03 18:24 12.4 h 

Source: [GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.geonames.org/); [Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-02](https://www.wikidata.org/); [OurAirports (public domain)](https://ourairports.com/data/).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Cantons of Loja Province

Canton Area km² Parishes Services 

[Calvas Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/calvas/) 852 5 125 

[Catamayo Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/catamayo/) 652 5 143 

[Celica Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/celica/) 522 5 43 

[Chaguarpamba Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/chaguarpamba/) 314 5 31 

[Espíndola Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/espindola/) 517 7 54 

[Gonzanamá Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/gonzanama/) 683 5 34 

[Loja Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/loja/) 1,893 14 1,484 

[Macará Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/macara/) 574 4 70 

[Olmedo Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/olmedo/) 114 2 10 

[Paltas Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/paltas/) 1,157 8 96 

[Pindal Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/pindal/) 202 4 18 

[Puyango Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/puyango/) 638 6 115 

[Quilanga Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/quilanga/) 237 3 12 

[Saraguro Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/saraguro/) 1,086 11 192 

[Sozoranga Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/sozoranga/) 422 3 14 

[Zapotillo Canton](https://wherepedia.org/ecuador/loja/zapotillo/) 1,213 7 79 

Source: [INEC - Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-ecu); [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/); [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

## Largest towns in Loja Province

- Loja274,112
- Catamayo18,565
- Cariamanga16,862
- Macará13,035
- Catacocha10,872
- Celica5,499

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Populations as recorded in GeoNames, which may be older than the estimates above.

## Landscape and landmarks of Loja Province

Named natural and historic features inside Loja Province, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

199 rivers and streams.

- Quebrada Agua Negra
- Quebrada Agua Turbia
- Quebrada Allaya
- Quebrada Allpachaca
- Quebrada Angashcola
- Quebrada Apuguín
- Quebrada Arenal
- Quebrada Azafrán
- Quebrada Bella María
- Quebrada Belén
- Quebrada Buenavista
- Quebrada Capilla
- Quebrada Carmelo
- Quebrada Cashipamba
- Quebrada Cataramillo
- Quebrada Cañabrava
- Quebrada Cerro Verde
- Quebrada Chandel
- Quebrada Chinchacruz
- Quebrada Chinipamba
- Quebrada Chivato
- Quebrada Chombos
- Quebrada Colca
- Quebrada Conchabón

…and 175 more.

### Hills and mountains

112 mountains; 6 hills; 4 valleys.

- Cerro Negro · 3,765 m
- Fierro Urcu · 3,744 m
- Cerro Acanama · 3,413 m
- Ganavir · 3,258 m
- Cerro Acayana · 3,170 m
- Cerro Palmira · 3,143 m
- Loma Corral Viejo · 3,138 m
- Loma La Encrucijada · 3,113 m
- Loma El Quingueado · 3,089 m
- Loma Las Muchicas · 3,087 m
- Loma Carboncillo · 3,065 m
- Cerro Guachanamá · 3,063 m
- Loma Juchín · 3,032 m
- Bellavista · 3,008 m
- Loma Deciteo · 2,996 m
- Yacucatina · 2,950 m
- Loma Segulag · 2,941 m
- Cerro Colambo · 2,935 m
- Loma Zhio · 2,930 m
- Cerro Fierrourcu · 2,894 m
- Verde Loma · 2,875 m
- Cerro Caragshillo · 2,853 m
- Loma Escaleras · 2,812 m
- Loma Lladán Pucará · 2,809 m

…and 98 more.

### Forests and nature

1 forest reserve.

- Las Palmas Cloud Forest Reserve

### Estates

1 estate.

- Hacienda Paloquin

### Getting around

2 airports.

- Catamayo / Camilo Ponce Enriquez
- J.M. Velasco Ibarra

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in Loja Province and the best time to visit

In Loja Province, the warmest month is Sep (average 25 °C) and the coolest is Mar (23 °C). About 453 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Mar (104 mm) and the driest Sep (9 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **January to December**.

- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec

Month Average °C Rain mm 

Jan 24 54 

Feb 23 95 

Mar 23 104 

Apr 24 52 

May 24 24 

Jun 24 15 

Jul 24 13 

Aug 25 9 

Sep 25 9 

Oct 24 20 

Nov 24 23 

Dec 24 33 

Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/).

## Hospitals, banks and other services in Loja Province

Places mapped inside Loja Province in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations.

- Hospitals99
- Banks114
- ATMs56
- Petrol pumps39
- Hotels234
- Shopping malls29
- Schools628
- Colleges and universities65
- Cinemas3
- Pharmacies252
- Restaurants821
- Police stations36
- Dental clinics144

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Quick answers

- Where is Loja Province?In Ecuador
- What is the population of Loja Province?521,154 (2020 estimate)
- What is the median age in Loja Province?About 27 years (2020 estimate)
- What is the population density of Loja Province?About 47 people per km²
- What borders Loja Province?Azuay Province, El Oro Province and Zamora Chinchipe Province
- What is there to see in Loja Province?Alejandro Carrión Aguirre, Alonso de Mercadillo, Altar Patrio, Balneario El Lucero - Unión de los dos Ríos.
- What time zone is Loja Province in?UTC−5
- What currency is used in Loja Province?Dollar (USD)
- What language is spoken in Loja Province?Spanish (main languages nationally)
- What is the largest town in Loja Province?Loja
- What is the highest point in Loja Province?Cerro Negro (3,765 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit Loja Province?January to December
- How many hospitals are in Loja Province?99 mapped
- How many banks are in Loja Province?114 mapped
- How many ATMs are in Loja Province?56 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in Loja Province?39 mapped
- What is the P-code of Loja Province?EC11 (OCHA common operational dataset)