The name of the province derives from the explorer Francisco de Orellana who it is told to have sailed from somewhere near the town to the Atlantic Ocean.

During his voyages he met a ferocious tribe of Indians who attacked his ships and many among them were women.

The following table lists each with its population at the 2001 census, its area in square kilometres (km²), and the name of the canton seat or capital.

[3] Ethnic groups as of the Ecuadorian census of 2010:[4] Jungle composes most of the province's territory, forcing it to rely primarily on exports of crude oil, and timber.

Its second most important source of income is tourism, offering jungle exploration, indigenous encounters, and rivers.