city, western Colombia, on the Atrato River, in the Pacific coastal plain. It receives more than 420 inches (10,700 mm) of rain per year, which probably exceeds that of any other equatorial area on Earth. Founded in 1654 as San Francisco de Quibdó, the city has served as Chocó's capital since 1948. It is a regional commercial and manufacturing centre, housing metalworks, sawmills, and clothing and soft-drink plants. Gold and platinum mines and a hydroelectric plant are nearby. Quibdó is accessible by river, highway, and air. Pop. (2003) 74,588.