Francisco de Orellana (Spanish pronunciation: [fɾanˈθisko ðe oɾeˈʎana]; 1511 – November 1546) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador significant to the Spanish exploration and conquests in South America. In one of the most improbably successful voyages in known history, Orellana managed to sail the length of the Amazon, arriving at the river's mouth on 24 August 1542. He and his party sailed along the Atlantic coast until reaching Cubagua Island, near the coast of Venezuela.
Orellana founded the city of Guayaquil in what is now Ecuador, and died during a second expedition on the Amazon.
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