What are the major cultural regions of Ecuador?

Ecuador is a nation characterized by significant ethnic diversity and strong regional identities, with many residents identifying more closely with their local village or region than with the country as a whole.1

At a minimum, the country can be divided into approximately a dozen major folk-cultural regions:1

• Highland regions: norteño mestizo, northern Quechua, central highland mestizo, Quiteño urban, central Quechua, Cuencano mestizo, Lojano mestizo, and southern Quechua.1
• Coastal and Amazonian regions: Esmeraldeño Blacks, coastal mestizo-mulatto, Shuar (Jivaro), and Amazonian Quechua.1

Additionally, there are two culturally mixed areas located in Santo Domingo de los Colorados and the northeastern Oriente. While these diverse regions exist, the central highland mestizo and coastal mestizo-mulatto cultures are considered the most prominent and representative groups, with their identities increasingly linked to the urban centers of Quito and Guayaquil, respectively. Numerous smaller, localized cultures also exist throughout the country.1