Pichincha () is a province of Ecuador located in the northern Sierra region; its capital and largest city is Quito. It is bordered by Imbabura and Esmeraldas to the north, Cotopaxi and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas to the south, Napo and SucumbÃÂos to the east, and Esmeraldas and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas to the west.
Prior to 2008, the canton Santo Domingo de los Colorados was part of the Pichincha Province. It has since become its own province, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas.
The province is home to many rose plantations, which make up the bulk of Ecuador's floriculture industry.
Ethnic groups as of the Ecuadorian census of 2010:
Pichincha has maintained its status as a vital demographic and political center of Ecuador, experiencing steady urbanization throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries. In 1950, the province recorded a population of 414,533. This number grew significantly over the following decades as the highland region saw increased migration and infrastructure development, reaching 857,014 by 1970.
The turn of the millennium marked a major milestone as the population climbed to 2,179,558, reflecting the province's expanding role in the nation's economy. Recent data shows a stabilization of this growth; the population reached 3,087,202 in 2020 and sits at 3,089,473 as of the 2022 census . This highlights Pichincha's position as a densely populated region characterized by both its historic capital and its rapidly evolving surrounding parishes.
The province is divided into eight cantons.