Chone, Ecuador

Chone is a town in the province of Manabí in Ecuador. It is located in Ecuador's low-lying coastal region and plays an important role as a transportation hub. It is about seven hours by bus from the capital city of Quito.

Chone
Town
San Cayetano de Chone
Flag
Chone
Coordinates: 0°41′S 80°06′W
Country	Ecuador
Province	Manabí
Canton	Chone Canton
Area
• Town	10.87 km2 (4.20 sq mi)
Population  (2022 census)[1]
• Town	54,629
• Density	5,000/km2 (13,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (ECT)

According to the political-administrative division of the Republic of Ecuador, Chone is a territory with a legal category of Canton with the same name of its river, city and urban parish. In the city are the main institutions and organizations of the council of Chone. All Canton is located along half of the province of Manabi, and political geographical axis is what is known as the northern area of Manabi. It is a prosperous area with its own identity that includes the connection of production and trade hub across the northern Manabi. Canton is the largest area at the provincial level and a major production center for raw materials that are absorbed quickly by the national and international industry, due to the excellent quality of their crops originated. Canton excel in this traditional crop planting and nourishing fruits of various coastal area, such as cocoa, coffee, banana, cassava, and maize.

History

Chone was founded on 7 August 1735 by a friar from Portoviejo, José Antonion Cedeño. Cedeño named the town Villa de San Cayetano de Chone.^[2] Chone grew rapidly as a center for agriculture and transportation.

Geography

Due to the city's location, it is prone to damaging floods during the coast's rainy season. During this time, streets often become inundated with rain water. Many of the city's residents have taken to constructing homes on bamboo stilts to keep out the water.

The city lies on the banks of the Río Chone. Further west, the river becomes an estuary, opening to the coastal cities of Bahía de Caráquez and San Vicente.

The closest beaches are about two hours away in different directions. They include Crucita, San Vicente and San Clemente. The city of Manta has a popular beach and was home to an American military base in charge of helping battle the drug trade.

Culture

A popular fish in Chone is called chame (chah-mee); known in English as the Pacific fat sleeper (Dormitator latifrons). It is fried and served with rice, platano (plantain) and a small salad.

Notable people

• Dario Cedeño (born 1991), football player
• Marlon Vera (born 1992), mixed martial artist
• Lavinia Valbonesi (born 1998), First Lady-designate of Ecuador

Climate

Climate data for Chone, elevation 69 m (226 ft), (1971–2000)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	31.4 (88.5)	31.6 (88.9)	31.3 (88.3)	32.6 (90.7)	31.5 (88.7)	29.4 (84.9)	29.3 (84.7)	30.3 (86.5)	30.6 (87.1)	30.4 (86.7)	30.9 (87.6)	31.4 (88.5)	30.9 (87.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	21.6 (70.9)	21.9 (71.4)	21.9 (71.4)	21.8 (71.2)	21.8 (71.2)	21.0 (69.8)	20.3 (68.5)	20.0 (68.0)	20.1 (68.2)	20.5 (68.9)	20.0 (68.0)	20.6 (69.1)	21.0 (69.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	202.0 (7.95)	279.0 (10.98)	291.0 (11.46)	176.0 (6.93)	57.0 (2.24)	61.0 (2.40)	19.0 (0.75)	6.0 (0.24)	11.0 (0.43)	12.0 (0.47)	6.0 (0.24)	37.0 (1.46)	1,157 (45.55)
Average relative humidity (%)	84	86	86	85	83	85	83	81	80	81	81	81	83
Source: FAO[3]