Guayaquil's industrial counterpart and dormitory city: Durán is a large city located directly across the Guayas River from Guayaquil. It serves as a major industrial zone and a "dormitory city" for a vast workforce that commutes daily to the metropolis.
Connected by the iconic National Unity Bridge: The city is physically and economically linked to Guayaquil by the "Puente de la Unidad Nacional," a massive bridge complex that is one of the most important and heavily trafficked pieces of infrastructure in Ecuador.
A critical transportation and logistics hub: Durán is a crucial hub for national transportation. Many of the country's main highways converge here, and it is a major center for trucking, logistics, and industrial manufacturing.
Faces severe and persistent security challenges: The city is widely known for suffering from some of the highest levels of crime and violence in Ecuador. It is a major operational center for organized crime gangs, leading to extremely high rates of homicides, extortion, and other violent crimes.
A rapidly grown, working-class city: Durán has experienced explosive population growth with less formal planning than its neighbors, resulting in a sprawling, densely populated, working-class urban area with significant infrastructure challenges.