Pedro Vicente Maldonado. Investigador y Geógrafo

Abstract

Maldonado was considered one of the most important scientists of the 18th century; he was an astronomer, physicist, mathematician, geographer, topographer, naturalist and politician [1]. He was part of the delegation of researchers that went to study the route to the Amazon River. He discovered the rubber tree and the uses that the natives gave it. He was the creator of the Quito-Esmeraldas route. In 1736 the French Geodetic Mission arrived in Ecuador to establish the 00'00''00'' of the earth's latitude, where Quito was scientifically declared “half of the world” [2].

    In 1744 he traveled to several European countries such as Spain, France and England, where he shared his research work, causing a great impression among his scientific colleagues of the time [3]. “Map of the Kingdom of Quito” is considered his most representative work regarding the overseas possessions of Europeans.