Quito

San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito, is the capital city of Ecuador in South America. It is one of Earth's six tether cities, and its infrastructure is managed with the help of a second generation "dumb" AI, much like the Superintendent of New Mombasa. It houses the base of the Quito Space Tether.

The skyline of Quito is dominated by the immense base structure of the Space Tether, surrounded by futuristic skyscrapers.

History
Quito has a long history, with its origins dating back to the pre-Columbian era when the local tribes founded a kingdom in the area. After the Spanish settlers arrived and quelled the remaining local resistance, the city of Quito was founded in 1534 and officially declared a city in 1541. The city has seen several conflicts over its control since then.

Quito became one of Earth's six tether cities in the 24th century. The Quito Space Tether was completed on January 14th, 2313 and named on March 9th, 2401. By late 2552, the tether and the city were still standing and seemingly undamaged, and the tether was amongst the four that survived the Battle of Earth.

Geography
The center of Quito is located about 25 km south of the equator, making it an ideal location for a Space Elevator. The elevation of the city center is 2,850 m, making Quito the second-highest administrative capital city on Earth.