Intag is a region in the Cotacachi County, Province of Imbabura, in the Andes of Northwest Ecuador. It is a system of river valleys on the western slopes of the Andes, with an elevation ranging between 1200 and 2300 meters (3937 and 7546
feet).The Intag region falls within two of the world’s 25 most important biodiversity hotspots: the Tropical Andes and the Choc/Darien/Western Ecuador hotspots (Myers et al. 2000). The predominant ecosystem is tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), although premontane humid forests dominate lower-elevation across the regio
Intag’s scattered farms, communities, and hamlets are occupied by a mix of people with indigenous, African, and mestizo backgrounds. The name Intag is a nonpolitical label for region dominated by the river valley of the ‘Rio Intag.’ The region is administered by the Cotacachi County and contains seven parishes, with a total land area of 150,000 hectares (~370,660 acres) Intag has a current population of roughly
15,000 people, most of whom are small-scale landowners.
BHP Billiton’s mining concessions are located near or on the some of Intag’s most vibrant communities including Apuela, the cultural center of region.