What is "ecija"

Écija is a town belonging to the province of Seville, Spain. It is located in the Andalusian countryside, 85 km east of the city of Seville. According to the 2008 census, Écija has a total population of 40,100 inhabitants, ranking as the fifth most populous city in the province. The river Genil, the main tributary of the river Guadalquivir, runs through the urban area of the city.

The economy of Écija is based on agriculture ( olives, cereals and vegetables), cattle (cows and horses) and textile industry. The city has over twenty churches and convents, some of them with either Gothic, Mudéjar, Renaissance or Baroque towers or bell-gables, as well as an Arab fortress.

In the Philippines, the province of Nueva Ecija that was created as a military comandancia in 1705 by Governor Fausto Cruzat y Góngora, was named in honor of this city.