equitable distribution of resources?

Do the programs and projects carried out by

the municipality energize the socio-economic sector?

These questions will allow us to analyze the degree or level of socio-economic

development of the canton; We will also know if the actions or activities of local
management are centralized or polarized to certain privileged sectors.

1. Characterization of the Tena canton

1.1 General data: location, extension, population

The Tena canton was established as such on April 30, 1969, and its Spanish
foundation on November 15, 1560. The Tena Canton is named in honor of the
river that crosses the city of the same name, which is the cantonal head and
capital of the province of Napo. It has 3,894 square kilometers. It is located
southwest of the province of Napo. Limits: to the North: Archidona and Loreto
Cantons; South: Provinces of Tungurahua and Pastaza; East: Orellana Canton
and West: Cotopaxi and Tungurahua Provinces

The Tena canton from east to west gradually rises from its border with the
Orellana canton, about 300 meters above sea level, to the Eastern mountain
range where mountains such as El Quilindaña and Cerro Hermoso are found, in
the Llanganates mountain range. Near and around the city of Tena there are
minor elevations such as Pasourco, Pullurco, Chiuta, Tamburo, Itaurco, etc.

The Galeras mountain range enters the territory of the Tena canton, in the
sector where the Pusuno River is born, on the dividing line with the Loreto
canton. The Napo River is the main river artery of the Tena canton. This river,
known at the time of the conquest as the Santa Ana River or the Canela River, is
formed a little above Puerto Napo at the confluence of the Jatunyacu with the
Anzu.

On the left bank the Misahuallí, Pusuno and Suno flow into the Napo. On the
right the Arajuno and Rodríguez rivers. The Bueno River, a tributary of the Suno,
serves as the limit with the Loreto canton. The Tena flows into the Misahuallí
River, which passes through the center of the city of the same name where it
receives the waters of the Pano. In the Eastern mountain range and in its
foothills we find lagoons such as Yanacocha, Tambo Grande, Conga, Chaupi
rumi, Zapala, Yanacocha de San Antonio, la Soledad, etc.

It is the cantonal capital and capital of the province of Napo, where the provincial
administration is concentrated. It is divided by the Tena River and the Pano
River, which join in the center of the city. It has a population of 46,007
inhabitants, of which 64% live in rural areas and 36% live in urban areas. 1 , this
implies the majority presence of the indigenous population in the canton. It has a
growth rate of 3.05% annually2

Politically it is made up of the parishes of Chonta Punta, Ahuano, Misahualli,

Puerto Napo, Pano, Talag and Tena; All its parishes with the exception of Tena

1 SIISE, Population and Housing Census 2001

2INEC, CENSUS 1962 - 2001
are rural.
The Tena Canton is located in the lower and upper part of the Napo Province,
with an average temperature of 25° (Degrees) 3 , constant humidity and rain
almost all year round, the maximum amount of rain occurs in the foothills of the
mountain range where the large masses of vapor brought by the wind from the
Amazon condense.

The settler has learned from the indigenous people to perfectly take advantage
of nature's resources. Crops, housing, clothing, customs, etc. They are the
response to the demands of the natural environment.

1.2 Brief History: periodization / most important milestones

At the time when the Spanish founded the cities of Archidona, Avila and Alcalá
del Río Dorado, the lands were distributed, including the indigenous people who
lived there, for their exploitation and benefit. Faced with this circumstance, the
indigenous people, tired of enduring the excesses of the Spanish, fled into the
jungle; They chose the banks of the Tena, Pano and Napo rivers to form their
populated centers.

With the arrival of the Jesuit missionaries these human concentrations took the
names of Tena, Puerto Napo, San Javier (currently Puerto Misahualli), Ahuano,
Santa Rosa, among others. They were towns that belonged to the radius of
influence of Archidona.

The Quijos, at a certain point in history, lost their original language and became
part of the Kichwas or Yumbos. The Kichwa groups were differentiated from
each other by taking the name of the place where they lived, thus we had the
Panos, Misahuallíes, Ongotas, Ahuanos, etc.

At the time of the Spanish conquest, the Tena canton was part of the territory of
the Quijos Governorate; In the first years of the republic it was part of the
province of Pichincha as an integral part of the Quijos canton. Since 1861, the

3 Strategic Development Plan of the Tena Canton

province of Oriente was created and this territory became part of it. The name of
Napo canton was maintained until April 30, 1969.4 in which it is renamed Tena.

With the construction of the Puerto Napo – Puyo highway, settlers from the
mountains and the coast arrived. The greatest interest of the settlers is the land
and they occupy the places closest to Tena and Archidona, hunting and fishing
decreases significantly so the indigenous people move further away from the
populated centers to be able to survive and sell the lands at very low prices. .
Those who sell the land move away to the areas of Coca, Aguarico and Riveras
del Río Napo. Those who decide to stay have to legalize the possession of their
lands before the IERAC, as if they were settlers. They receive individual titles
and are thus easily deceived into selling land to settlers.

The Federation of Indigenous Kichwa Organizations and Nationalities of Napo

FONAKIN has been developing its work to strengthen unity with the grassroots
communities, always fighting for cultural, social, political and economic
development, especially for the recognition of their rights to land through the
legalization of global deed; agricultural production through associated crops;
execution of productive projects such as fish farming, poultry farming, crafts and
others that generate a sustainable economy; health protection through natural
medicine practices and spiritual healing rites through the action of the yachak;
development of bilingual intercultural education for human formation and
improvement of spiritual and material living conditions for community benefit.

In short, the organizational level of FONAKIN does not remain stationary at the
provincial level, but transcends to regional spaces until it forms the
Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon
CONFENIAE, they even elevate the organizational process with the constitution
of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador CONAIE, whose
position allows participation in the Bilingual Intercultural Educational
Administration and in national political leadership with the PACHAKUTIK
Political Movement.

4 www.tena.gov.ec
2. Territorial aspects

2.1 Concepts

There is no doubt that the countryside and the city are increasingly closer and
interdependent realities. In rural spaces, we are witnessing the return of the
population seeking a higher quality of life, and a new concept called rural
urbanism is beginning to be in force.

The territory, in this first approximation, ceases to be an appellation typical of

rural spaces, to constitute a global unit of intervention, a continuous field-city
space. This gives way to an open situation with mutual influences, in which a
completely new framework seems to be consolidated.

The territory is, therefore, the space that welcomes and within which social life,
economic activity, political organization, the present and the future of a social
community develop. In Figaredo's Manifesto5 , it is noted that:

5 The Figaredo Manifesto is a consensus document signed by the Geography departments of 15

Spanish universities, in relation to rural development.