The province of Carchi is one of the 24 provinces that make up the Republic of Ecuador, located in the north of the country, in the geographical area known as the interandean region or sierra, mainly on the Nodes de las Pastos northeastern, the Chota basin in the south and on the outer flanks of the western mountain range in the west. Its administrative capital is the city of Tulcán, which is also its largest and most populated city. It occupies a territory of about 3,699 km², being the third province of the smallest country by extension, behind Bolívar and Tungurahua.
It limits to the south with Imbabura, by the west with Esmeraldas, to the east with Sucumbíos and by the north with the department of Nariño pertaining to Colombia. There are 164,524 people living in the Carcaste territory, according to the last national census, being the eighteenth most populated in the country and the least populated of the inter-Andean region. The Province of Carchi is constituted by 6 cantons, with their respective urban and rural parishes. According to the last territorial ordinance, the province of Carchi will belong to a region included also by the provinces of Imbabura, Esmeraldas and Sucumbíos, although it is not officially formed, called North. The trade from the bridge of Rumichaca, door that joins commercially and touristically Ecuador and Colombia, the customs register a strong exchange: newly assembled cars, agricultural products and clothes, come and go, during the 365 days of the year.
In the province trade is still intense, especially on Thursdays and Sundays, considered fair. With regard to agriculture, it is one of the main activities that generates resources for the inhabitants of Carche. Among the products that are best grown are: potatoes, beans, peas, corn, wheat, barley, oats, beans. To the northwest cassava, banana, banana and tropical fruits. He had different migratory periods from the mountains such as pastures. Later it was conquered by the Incas under the command of Huayna Cápac. The first explorers of the region near Pasto were Juan de Ampudia and Pedro de Añasco, commissioned by Sebastián de Belalcázar in 1535, who in turn toured the territory in 1536.
After the independence war and the annexation of Ecuador to Gran Colombia, the Province of Imbabura was created on June 25,1824, in which the current Carchen territory is located within its limits. On November 19,1880, the 13th province of the country was created, the Province of Veintemilla, which would later change its name to Carchi.