Orellana Province

Orellana
Province
Province of Orellana
Yasuní National Park
Flag
Location of Orellana Province in Ecuador.
Cantons of Orellana Province
Country	Ecuador
Established	July 28, 1998
Founded by	Alejandro Labaca
Named for	Francisco de Orellana
Capital	Puerto Francisco de Orellana (El Coca)
Cantons	List of Cantons
Area
• Total	21,601 km2 (8,340 sq mi)
Population  (2022 census)[1]
• Total	182,166
• Density	8.4/km2 (22/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (ECT)
Vehicle registration	Q
HDI (2017)	0.701[2] high · 23rd
Website	www.orellana.gob.ec

Orellana (Spanish pronunciation: [oɾeˈʝana]) is an inland province of Ecuador. The capital is Puerto Francisco de Orellana (also known as Coca). It was created on July 30, 1998, from part of Napo Province.

The name of the province derives from the explorer Francisco de Orellana who it is told to have sailed from somewhere near the town to the Atlantic Ocean. He did this trip several times looking for the gold city of El Dorado and in search of a rumored Nutmeg forest which at the time was a very expensive spice. During his voyages he met a ferocious tribe of Indians who attacked his ships and many among them were women. This led to the naming of the river as the Amazon river. The province is divided in four cantons.