Duran, is a canton of the province of Guayas, in Ecuador. It is located on the eastern bank of the Guayas River. It is located in front of the city of Guayaquil, the provincial capital, to which it is linked by the bridge of National Unity. Duran canton has two urban parishes: Divino Niño and El Recreo. It has an urban and rural parish: Eloy Alfaro. Santay Island is considered a rural parish. According to official INEC data according to 2010 census, the canton has 255,769 inhabitants. It was created as a rural parish of the Guayaquil canton on October 16,1902.
On January 10,1986, through the Creation Law, it was administratively separated from Guayaquil, and was converted into a canton during the León Febres-Cordero administration. Part of the urban agglomeration of Guayaquil beyond the urban conurbation that could denote, because its economic, social and commercial activity is strongly linked to Guayaquil, being a dormitory for thousands of workers who cross to Guayaquil by land. It is considered part of the Conurbation of Guayaquil which is the second most populous city of the conurbation and is also part of Planning Zone # 8 along with the canton of Guayaquil and Samborondón, both separated by the bridge of national unity.