Santa Rosa

Walkable town in Ecuador's El Oro province with a centre full of cafés and restaurants, Santa Rosa sits on the right bank of the river that shares its name, within sight of mountains and close to water. Known locally as "la Benemérita" for its role in defending Ecuador against conflicts with Peru, the town grew rapidly in the mid-20th century on the back of banana and shrimp production, and remains a significant commercial hub in the province.

• Population41,816
• Nearest water from center1.1 km
• Nearest mountain from center12.7 km