Editing Ecuador (section)

===Regions and planning areas===
[[File:Cascada Cabellera de la Virgen, Baños.jpg|upright|thumb|Cabellera de la Virgen waterfall in [[Baños de Agua Santa]], Tungurahua Province]]
Regionalization, or zoning, is the union of two or more adjoining provinces in order to decentralize the administrative functions of the capital, Quito.
In Ecuador, there are seven regions, or zones, each shaped by the following provinces:
* Region 1 (42,126&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, or 16,265&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>): [[Esmeraldas (province)|Esmeraldas]], [[Carchi]], [[Imbabura Province|Imbabura]], and [[Sucumbios]]. Administrative city: [[Ibarra, Ecuador|Ibarra]]
* Region 2 (43,498&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, or 16,795&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>): [[Pichincha (province)|Pichincha]], [[Napo (province)|Napo]], and [[Orellana Province|Orellana]]. Administrative city: [[Tena, Ecuador|Tena]]
* Region 3 (44,710&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, or 17,263&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>): [[Chimborazo (province)|Chimborazo]], [[Tungurahua (province)|Tungurahua]], [[Pastaza (province)|Pastaza]], and [[Cotopaxi (province)|Cotopaxi]]. Administrative city: [[Riobamba, Ecuador|Riobamba]]
* Region 4 (22,257&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, or 8,594&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>): [[Manabí Province|Manabí]] and [[Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas]]. Administrative city: [[Ciudad Alfaro, Ecuador|Ciudad Alfaro]]
* Region 5 (38,420&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, or 14,834&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>): [[Santa Elena Province|Santa Elena]], [[Guayas (province)|Guayas]], [[Los Ríos Province|Los Ríos]], [[Galápagos Province|Galápagos]], and [[Bolívar Province (Ecuador)|Bolívar]]. Administrative city: [[Milagro, Ecuador|Milagro]]
* Region 6 (38,237&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, or 14,763&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>): [[Cañar Province, Ecuador|Cañar]], [[Azuay]], and [[Morona Santiago]]. Administrative city: [[Cuenca (Ecuador)|Cuenca]]
* Region 7 (27,571&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, or 10,645&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>): [[El Oro Province|El Oro]], [[Loja Province|Loja]], and [[Zamora Chinchipe]]. Administrative city: [[Loja, Ecuador|Loja]]

[[Quito]] and [[Guayaquil]] are Metropolitan Districts. [[Galápagos]], despite being included within Region 5,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.planificacion.gob.ec/3-niveles-administrativos-de-planificacion |title=Niveles administrativos de planificación |publisher=Secretaría Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo |access-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924073955/http://www.planificacion.gob.ec/3-niveles-administrativos-de-planificacion/ |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> is also under a special unit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcpec.gob.ec/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1047&Itemid=108 |title=Región 4 – Santo Domingo, Manabí y Galápagos |publisher=Ministry of Production, Employment and Competitiveness Coordination |access-date=20 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127225748/http://www.mcpec.gob.ec/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1047&Itemid=108 |archive-date=27 November 2011 }}</ref>