Manta is a mid size city of Ecuador, in the Manabí Province. The city has existed since Pre-Columbian times. It was a trading post for the Mantas and the Incans. The city of Manta has grown in the last 50 years to 200,000 inhabitants. Its main economic activity is tuna fishing. Other economic activities include tourism and a chemical industry with products from cleaning supplies to oils and margarines. One famous episode in Manta history occurred when a Boeing 707 carrying cargo crashed into the town's wooden church in 1996 although it was reported that amazingly the statue of the virgin remained intact. The city of Manta has an international airport (Eloy Alfaro Intl.) as well as a large seaport. Manabí is a province in Ecuador. ... The term Pre-Columbian is used to refer to the cultures of the New World in the era before significant European influence. ... For other meanings of Inca, see Inca (disambiguation). ... Species See text Tuna, sometimes called tunafish, are several species of ocean-dwelling fish in the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. ... Tourists at Oahu island, Hawaii Tourism is the act of travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes, and also refers to the provision of services in support of this act. ... A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ... Manta Air Base (also known as Eloy Alfaro Air Base) is an air base outside the city of Manta in the province of Manabí in western continental Ecuador. ...

Since 1999 Manta has been used as a military location for U.S. Air forces in unison with Ecuadorian in strategic warfare against Colombian drug trafficking cartels through surveillance flights as well in Plan Colombia as being used as a geographical look out point for the U.S.A for any war crafts heading north from the Middle East and Asia. Manta is also used for supporting anti-narcotics military operations. A regular stop for U.S. Navy warships, Manta proves to be of importance for its location and respite that it offers the U.S. Military in addition to its beauty and untrampled wilderness.

Manta was the port used by Charles Marie de la Condamine upon his arrival in Ecuador when leading the French mission to measure the location of the equator in 1735. From Manta, Condamine started his trip inland towards Quito.

Manta is recognized thanks to its international film festival featuring groups from different places in the world. The Ecuadorian actor Carlos Valencia, once invited to Cannes Film Festival for his performance in Ratas Ratones y Rateros (1999) directed by Sebastian Cordero, was born in the city of Manta. Carlos Valencia is a stand-up comedian/fine artist/film director. ... Sebastián Cordero Sebastián Crodero (born in 1972) is an ecuadorian film director often recognized for his work in Ratas Ratones y Rateros, his debut film which portrays the life in a poverty-stricken Ecuador, his films have been exhibited in festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival and...

Sport

As in the entire country, football (soccer) is the sport of the city. The city has 2 professional teams Delfin S.C. and Manta F.C. However, most inhabitants are fans of Barcelona S.C., the team with the largest fanbase in Ecuador. The practice of water sports is very significant in Manta. Water sports include Surf (Manta was the host for the 2004 Bodyboarding World Cup), Scuba diving, Water-ski, Kiteboarding and Kitesurfing. Manta has some of South America's most breathtaking beaches, Manta was selected as the site of the sixth South American Windsurfing Championship. It is renowned for its diving and sport fishing.

Entertainment

In addition, Manta hosts an International Theater Festival in September. Sporting events take place in November, and also from January through April. In the city one also finds a selection of first rate night clubs, the ocasional amusement park, as well as a cinema.

Products

Produced in Manabì and known throughout the world are the original and official "Panama" hats, which are made just outside of Manta in the town of Montecristi. Manabì is also famous for its delicious cuisine, much of which is the best in the country. For those who enjoy seafood Manta is second to none.

The Beach of San Lorenzo near Manta

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (935x648, 745 KB)Self File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (935x648, 745 KB)Self File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Tourism

Manta receives numerous visits from foreign as well as local tourists. The most visited beaches include "El Murcielgao", "San Lorenzo" and "Barbasquillo". If you are interested in surfing you may head to San Lorenzo where you are likley to find powerful waves - regularly head high - which may prove to be an exciting challenge.

Nearby, also, is the small town of Montecristi, founded in the early 1600's. With its colonial architecture, this small town is best known for its wickerwork weaving, and as the original birth place of the Panama Hats which, historically produced in Ecuador.

Montecristi is a great place for shopping for local crafts at a number of shops across from the main plaza, featuring ceramics, wickerwork and of course, Panama hats in a variety of shapes and colors.

The evenings are full of activity: partying people, loud music and groups of young people that form around the waterfront Malecon that arcs around the bay and the nearby side streets.

The Malecon is always a pleasant area to walk in the evening and most refreshing in the night breezes.

The recently refurbished Playa Murcielago (Bat Beach), very popular with locals, is in the area of the Malecon; it features a scenic boardwalk, restaurants serving excellent seafood fresh out of the ocean, recreational sports, craft markets, bars and other places for fun and relaxation.

External links

• Manta municipality, Oficial City and Tourism information (Spanish)
• Michael Flynn, "What's the deal at Manta?", Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January/February 2005., An article discussing the presence of US Airforce at Manta Eloy Alfaro Airbase

Coordinates: 0°59′S 80°45′W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...