Tulcán

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title: "Tulcán" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-carchi-province", "colombia–ecuador-border-crossings", "provincial-capitals-in-ecuador", "1535-establishments-in-the-spanish-empire"] topic_path: "geography/spain" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulcán" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
official_name	Tulcán
nickname	"Heir of the Sun, and Earth"
settlement_type	City
total_type	City
image_caption	From top, left to right: Aerial view of the city, south of Tulcan, Central Park of Independence, University Avenue, José María Azael Franco Guerrero Cemetery, Lemarie Theater, City of Tulcán Velodrome, Carchi State Polytechnic University and Eloy Alfaro Market.
image_flag	Flag of Tulcán.svg
pushpin_map	Ecuador
mapsize	200px
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name
subdivision_type1	Province
subdivision_name1	Carchi
subdivision_type2	Canton
subdivision_name2	Tulcán Canton
leader_title	Mayor
leader_name	Andrés Ruano
area_total_km2	11.09
population_footnotes
population_as_of	2022 census
population_total	56719
population_density_km2	auto
population_demonym	Tulcaneño,-a
timezone	UTC−5
coordinates
elevation_m	2980
postal_code_type	Postal code
postal_code	EC040101-2
area_code	(+593) 6
blank_name	Climate
blank_info	Csb
website
::

Tulcán () is the capital of the province of Carchi in Ecuador and the seat of Tulcán Canton. The population of the city of Tulcán was 56,719 in the 2022 census. Tulcán is known for its hot springs, deep wells, 3-acre topiary garden cemetery, the most elaborate topiary in the New World, created with Cupressus sempervirens by José Maria Azael Franco in 1936. The city is the highest in Ecuador, at 2,950 m above sea level, and it is located in the north of Andes Mountains in Ecuador, at 7 km of the border between Ecuador and Colombia.

Etymology

The name is a Spanish derivation of the indigenous peoples' original name Hul-Can, which means "Warrior".

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Male_Figure_seated_on_a_bench,_1100-1400_AD,_Carchi_style,_Carchi_province,_Ecuador,earthenware-_Gardiner_Museum,Toronto-_DSC01199.JPG" caption="Male figure [[Carchi]] style CA 1100–1400"] ::

The first known history of the aboriginal occupants of this land begins with the failed Incan conquests. Tulcán sits within the northernmost outpost of the Inca Empire, which according to Spanish chroniclers, was the Rumichaca Bridge, located 7 km from Tulcán and which is the present-day border with Colombia.

The Spanish, seeking gold, became interested in the Quillasingas (the name given to the indigenous people of the region), meaning "Gold Noses". Quillasingas were named without distinction of the ethnic occupants including the Pastos. Upon assuming the sovereignty for the Spanish crown, the territory was divided into provinces: Quillasinga road to Quito, Quillasinga road to Popayan, Quillasinga road to Almaguer, and Quillasinga road of the mountains. Tulcan's Spanish foundation is said to have been on June 11, 1535. With the arrival of colonists and further Spanish conquerors, its growth increased and immediately passed to be part of the Township of Otavalo, until 1600 when it passed to the Township of Ibarra. During the colonial age it remained under the authority of the Real Audiencia de Quito, in which it increased its economic importance, until it became the most significant locality in the region.

Independence

Independence movements and proclamations sparked through the region. The independence movement in Carchi was led by Alejandro Ruano, Antonio Baca, Cecilio Arciniegas, Esteban Baca, Leandro Campiño, José María Pava, Antonio Rueda, and Ramón Montenegro. On April 14, 1814, with charges of conspiracy of fighting for independence, these men were shot in Bolivar. The population continued its rebellion and in 1820, it ratified the Declaration of Independence of 9 de Octubre. Upon Ecuador becoming a republic, Tulcán retained its importance because it became a border town.

Proximity to Colombia

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Tulcan_aero.jpg" caption="Aerial view of Tulcán. The Colombian city of Ipiales is in the upper right side"] ::

Tulcán is just 2 km from the Colombian border; the international bridge at Rumichaca which bridges the Carchi River is shared by the two countries. Tulcán is bounded on the north by the municipality of Ipiales (Colombia), on the south by the San Pedro de Huaca Canton, to the east by the Amazonian provinces of Sucumbios and to the west by the coastal province of Esmeraldas.

This city is known for its civic culture and modern business, similar to that of Colombia because of its proximity to and significant trade with that country.

Because of the proximity with Colombia, Tulcán and Ipiales form a bi-national conurbation with an approximate of 150.000 inhabitants.

Geography

Climate

Tulcán features a subtropical highland climate (Csb) under the Köppen climate classification.

|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Tulcán (El Rosal), elevation 2940 m, (1971–2000) |Jan high C = 17.0 |Feb high C = 17.2 |Mar high C = 17.0 |Apr high C = 17.2 |May high C = 17.2 |Jun high C = 16.4 |Jul high C = 15.9 |Aug high C = 16.1 |Sep high C = 16.9 |Oct high C = 17.7 |Nov high C = 17.8 |Dec high C = 17.5 | year high C = |Jan low C = 6.4 |Feb low C = 6.6 |Mar low C = 6.9 |Apr low C = 7.1 |May low C = 7.0 |Jun low C = 6.1 |Jul low C = 5.6 |Aug low C = 5.2 |Sep low C = 5.3 |Oct low C = 6.5 |Nov low C = 6.8 |Dec low C = 9.2 | year low C = |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 71.0 |Feb precipitation mm = 72.0 |Mar precipitation mm = 87.0 |Apr precipitation mm = 95.0 |May precipitation mm = 69.0 |Jun precipitation mm = 56.0 |Jul precipitation mm = 35.0 |Aug precipitation mm = 34.0 |Sep precipitation mm = 46.0 |Oct precipitation mm = 114.0 |Nov precipitation mm = 123.0 |Dec precipitation mm = 89.0 |year precipitation mm = | Jan humidity = 84 | Feb humidity = 85 | Mar humidity = 85 | Apr humidity = 85 | May humidity = 85 | Jun humidity = 85 | Jul humidity = 85 | Aug humidity = 83 | Sep humidity = 82 | Oct humidity = 84 | Nov humidity = 84 | Dec humidity = 86 | year humidity = | source 1 = FAO{{cite web | url = https://www.fao.org/land-water/databases-and-software/climwat-for-cropwat/en/ | title = CLIMWAT climatic database | publisher= Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations | access-date = 20 June 2024}}

Transportation

Tulcán is very well connected in terms of land and air transport: the Panamerican Highway and Luis A. Mantilla airport are located nearby.

References

[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/ecuador/towns/carchi/040150__tulc%C3%A1n/ Citypopulation.de]
According to Dr Edgar Anderson, director of the Missouri Botanical Garden, quoted in Charles B. Heiser, Jr., "Topiary in Tulcán", ''American Horticulturist'', April 1985:28-31.
"Enciclopedia del Ecuador - Efrén Avilés Pino". enciclopediadelecuador.com.
Almeida Reyes, Dr. Eduardo (2015), "El Camino del Inca en las Sierra Norte del Ecuador y su Valoracion Turistica", Revista de Invetigacion Cientifica, No, 7, pp. 75-87
"EL TERRITORIO QUILLACINGA I - banrepcultural.org". banrepcultural.org.
https%3A%2F%2Frevistasdigitales.upec.edu.ec%2Findex.php%2Fcomercionegocio%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F681%2F684%2F2120&usg=AOvVaw0cIaSgYX7VeDDdtGLfeNno&opi=89978449

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