Ambato, Ecuador

Ambato
City
San Juan de Ambato
Panorama view of downtown La Merced and Inbayo area
Flag
Nickname(s): Tierra de las Flores y las Frutas (Land of Flowers and Fruits)
Motto: Home of Ana A.
Ambato Location in Ecuador
Coordinates: 1°14′30″S 78°37′11″W / 1.24167°S 78.61972°W / -1.24167; -78.61972Coordinates: 1°14′30″S 78°37′11″W / 1.24167°S 78.61972°W / -1.24167; -78.61972
Country	Ecuador
Province	Tungurahua
Canton	Ambato Canton
Founded	October 12, 1698
Government
• Mayor	Fernando Callejas Barona
Area
• City	46.50 km2 (17.95 sq mi)
• Metro	1,018.32 km2 (393.18 sq mi)
Elevation	2,500 m (8,200 ft)
Highest elevation	3,900 m (12,800 ft)
Lowest elevation	1,800 m (5,900 ft)
Population (2014)
• City	350,000
Demonym(s)	Ambateño,-a
Time zone	ECT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	(+593) 3
Climate	Cfb
Website	www.ambato.gob.ec (Spanish)

Ambato (full form, San Juan de Ambato) is a city located in the central Andean valley of Ecuador. Lying on the banks of the Ambato River, the city also sits beneath several tall mountains. It is the capital of the province of Tungurahua, at an elevation of 2,577 meters above sea level. It is variously nicknamed "City of Flowers and Fruit", "Cradle of the Three Juans", and "Garden of Ecuador." Inhabitants of Ambato are called Ambateños, Guaytambos (after a type of native peach that the valley is famous for producing) or Patojos. The current mayor of Ambato is Luis Amoroso.

The city has been fully or partially destroyed by earthquakes several times in its history, most recently on 5 August 1949 when the city and its cathedral were almost completely levelled. The city was rebuilt in the two years following. In honour of the tenacity of the resident Ambateños, the city celebrates the Festival of Fruits and Flowers during Carnival in February. Today, the Festival of Fruits and Flowers is one of the most important in Ecuador.

The city is referred to as "Cradle of the Three Juans" as it was the birthplace of three notable Ecuadorians: Juan Montalvo, a noted essayist of the 19th century, Juan León Mera, the author of the country's national anthem, and Juan Benigno Vela, a key figure in the Ecuadorean independence movement. The city is well known for its production of fruit, tanneries, food products and textiles. It also serves as a main transportation hub, especially for travelers moving south on the Pan-American Highway.

The city of Ambato was founded in its present location on 6 December 1698 as the Seat of Ambato, on the request of Ambateños to the Royal Audience of Quito. For the next century, Ambato grew slowly into an important mountain center. The city was to play a pivotal role in the Ecuadorian War of Independence. On 9 October 1820, the citizens of Guayaquil, along with help from a number of Venezuelans and Colombians, declared independence from the Spanish monarchy. The group raised an army (known as the Junta de Guayaquil), and began to move against Spanish forcesss in Quito. On their way to Quito, Ambato was one of the first cities liberated. The city formally declared its separation from Spain on 12 November 1820.