It is bordered to the west by Manabí, Santa Elena, and the Pacific Ocean (as the Gulf of Guayaquil); to the east by Los Ríos, Bolívar, Chimborazo, Cañar, and Azuay; to the north by Los Ríos and Bolívar; and to the south by El Oro and the Pacific Ocean.

The province is part of the largest river basin in South America west of the Andes Mountains.

The city became free on October 9, 1820, and the Guayaquil Department (one of the original subdivisions of Ecuador) was founded soon afterwards.

The Guayaquil Province included territory of what now is Peruvian Tumbes, and today's Los Ríos and El Oro.

In recent decades, there has been a massive exit from rural areas to the main cities (especially Guayaquil).

The following table lists each with its population at the time of the 2010 census, its area in square kilometres (km2), and the name of the canton seat or capital.