Esmeraldas, city in northwestern Ecuador, capital of Esmeraldas Province, a seaport and tourist resort on the Pacific Ocean. It is the commercial center of a diversified agricultural region, and considerable trade in bananas, rubber, cattle, cacao, and lumber is conducted. The tropical climate here varies little throughout the year, and the city's small white beaches are popular with tourists. A technical university is here. Population (1996 estimate) 115,017.
