Atuntaqui is a city located in the Imbabura Province in the northern region of Ecuador. Situated at an altitude of 2,400 metres (7,900 ft), it lies approximately 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of the larger city of Ibarra along the Panamerican Highway. The city has a population of 25,115.
While the official sector name is Antonio Ante, the location is primarily identified as Atuntaqui. The name carries various historical interpretations: Father Juan de Velasco suggests it means "big drum" (from the words hatun and taqui), while González Suárez translates it as "big barn." Other historical meanings attributed to the name include "land rich in truth," "place of the inn," or "tightly closed town."