ABSTRACT
The province of Esmeraldas on the north-west coast of Ecuador is one of the most isolated and neglected regions of the country. Abounding in natural diversity and fertile land, this region has nevertheless remained on the margins for the entirety of its history, both due to its geographical isolation as well as due to the perceived minimal importance of its primary inhabitants. Esmeraldas is home to a large proportion of the Afro-Ecuadorian population, which makes up about 5 to 10 per cent of the total population of the country.
