Los Ángeles
Encyclopedia
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío
, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII (the Biobío region), in the center-south of Chile
. It is located between the Laja
and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants (census
2002). The municipality ("comuna") of Los Ángeles has the highest absolute rural population of any Chilean municipality.
To the north of the city is Salto del Laja (Laja Falls
), and roughly 100 kilometers to the east is the 2,979 meter high (9,774 ft) Antuco
volcano, in the Andes
mountain range. The city is a major gateway for tourists visiting nearby Laguna del Laja National Park
, home to the mentioned volcano.
, it was originally a Spanish
fort as an outpost in the War of Arauco. It received the title of villa in 1748. The city underwent numerous rebuildings, due to the Spanish military campaigns against the native Mapuche
in their efforts to colonize the area. Its geographic location, just to the north of the Biobío river (the border established by the Spaniards), made it a strategic location.
of the National Statistics Institute
, Los Ángeles spans an area of 1748.2 sqkm and has 166,556 inhabitants (81,863 men and 84,693 women). Of these, 123,445 (74.1%) lived in urban area
s and 43,111 (25.9%) in rural areas. The population grew by 18.5% (26,021 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
, headed by an alcalde
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Joel Rosales Guzmán (UDI).
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Los Ángeles is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
by Juan Lobos (UDI) and José Pérez (PRSD
) as part of the 47th electoral district, (together with Tucapel
, Antuco, Quilleco
, Santa Bárbara
, Quilaco
, Mulchén
, Negrete
, Nacimiento
, San Rosendo
, Laja
and Alto Biobío
). The commune is represented in the Senate
by Victor Pérez Varela (UDI) and Mariano Ruiz -Esquide Jara (PDC
) as part of the 13th senatorial constituency (Biobío-Coast).
by the American rock musician Frank Black, AKA Black Francis.
Biobío Province
Biobío Province is one of four provinces of the Chilean region of Biobío . Its capital is Los Ángeles . It is bounded on the north, west and south by the provinces of Concepción, Arauco and Malleco, respectively, and on the east by Argentina. It has an area of of well-wooded and mountainous...
, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII (the Biobío region), in the center-south of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. It is located between the Laja
Laja River (Chile)
Laja River is a river in Chile, along which can be found the Laja Falls. It is located in the Bío-Bío Region. The source of the river is Laguna del Laja in the Andes, then flows westward through the Chilean Central Valley and terminates into the Bío-Bío River, being an important tributary of...
and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants (census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
2002). The municipality ("comuna") of Los Ángeles has the highest absolute rural population of any Chilean municipality.
To the north of the city is Salto del Laja (Laja Falls
Laja Falls
The Laja Falls is a waterfall located in the Laja River in southcentral Chile. It lies next to the old Pan-American Highway, between the cities of Los Ángeles and Chillán. It flows into a rocky canyon which has become very commercialized because of its location.-External links:*...
), and roughly 100 kilometers to the east is the 2,979 meter high (9,774 ft) Antuco
Antuco (volcano)
Antuco Volcano is a stratovolcano located in the Bío-Bío Region of Chile, near Sierra Velluda and on the shore of Laguna del Laja.- In literature :* The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin* Les Enfants du capitaine Grant by Jules Verne...
volcano, in the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
mountain range. The city is a major gateway for tourists visiting nearby Laguna del Laja National Park
Laguna del Laja National Park
Laguna del Laja National Park is a national park of Chile located in the Andes, between 37°22’ and 37°28’ south latitude and 71°16’ and 71°26’ west longitude.-Geography:...
, home to the mentioned volcano.
History
Founded as Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles in 1739 by José Antonio Manso de VelascoJosé Antonio Manso de Velasco
José Antonio Manso de Velasco y Sánchez de Samaniego, 1st Count of Superunda was a Spanish soldier and politician who served as governor of Chile and viceroy of Peru.-As Governor of Chile:...
, it was originally a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
fort as an outpost in the War of Arauco. It received the title of villa in 1748. The city underwent numerous rebuildings, due to the Spanish military campaigns against the native Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
in their efforts to colonize the area. Its geographic location, just to the north of the Biobío river (the border established by the Spaniards), made it a strategic location.
Demographics
According to the 2002 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of the National Statistics Institute
National Statistics Institute (Chile)
The National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
, Los Ángeles spans an area of 1748.2 sqkm and has 166,556 inhabitants (81,863 men and 84,693 women). Of these, 123,445 (74.1%) lived in urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s and 43,111 (25.9%) in rural areas. The population grew by 18.5% (26,021 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
Administration
As a commune, Los Ángeles is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal councilMunicipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
, headed by an alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Joel Rosales Guzmán (UDI).
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Los Ángeles is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Chile
The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
by Juan Lobos (UDI) and José Pérez (PRSD
Social Democrat Radical Party
The Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International....
) as part of the 47th electoral district, (together with Tucapel
Tucapel
Tucapel is a town and commune in the Arauco Province, Biobío Region, Chile. It was once a region of Araucanía named for the Tucapel River. The name of the region derived from the rehue and aillarehue of the Moluche people of the area between the Lebu and the Lleulleu Rivers, who were famed for...
, Antuco, Quilleco
Quilleco
Quilleco is a Chilean town and commune located in the Biobío Province, Biobío Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Quilleco spans an area of and has 10,428 inhabitants . Of these, 5,486 lived in urban areas and 4,942 in rural areas...
, Santa Bárbara
Santa Bárbara, Chile
Santa Bárbara is a Chilean city and commune in Biobío Province, Biobío Region. In 2004 a great portion of its territory was taken off to form the new commune of Alto Biobío.-History:...
, Quilaco
Quilaco
Quilaco is a Chilean town and commune located in the Biobío Province, Biobío Region. The commune spans an area of .-History:Quilaco has two accepted meanings: "Three waters" or "Quila in the water". The town has its roots in the Mapuche and Spanish races, as produced with the arrival of Franciscan...
, Mulchén
Mulchén
Mulchén is a city and commune in Biobío Province of Biobío Region, Chile. It was first settled in 1871 by soldiers during the so called Pacification of the Araucania. In 1875 Mulchén was officially founded....
, Negrete
Negrete
Negrete is a Chilean town and commune in Biobío Province, Biobío Region. It is bordered by the commune of Los Ángeles to the north, Renaico to the south, Mulchén to the east and Nacimiento to the west....
, Nacimiento
Nacimiento, Chile
Nacimiento is a Chilean city situated in the Biobío Province, Biobío Region, south of Santiago, and from the closest major city in the region, Concepción....
, San Rosendo
San Rosendo
San Rosendo is a Chilean city and commune in Biobío Province, Biobío Region.The city of San Rosendo lies on the gentle slopes of a hill overlooking the confluence of the rivers Biobío and Laja, which respectively bound the city to the west and south...
, Laja
Laja
Laja is a location in the La Paz Department in Bolivia. It is the seat of the Laja Municipality, the second municipal section of the Los Andes Province.- References :*...
and Alto Biobío
Alto Biobío
Alto Biobío is a Chilean commune located in the Biobío Province, Biobío Region. The commune spans an area of .-History:The commune was created 25 August 2003, separating the southeast portion from the existing Santa Bárbara commune.-Demographics:...
). The commune is represented in the Senate
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
by Victor Pérez Varela (UDI) and Mariano Ruiz -Esquide Jara (PDC
Christian Democratic Party
Christian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
) as part of the 13th senatorial constituency (Biobío-Coast).
Popular Culture
The city was referenced in song titled Los AngelesLos Angeles (Frank Black song)
"Los Angeles" is a single written and performed by Black Francis, it was the first track on his solo debut album Frank Black, released in 1992. It served as the main theme song for the short lived but cult phenomenon VH1 talk show Late World with Zach. It was also featured in the soundtrack of Tony...
by the American rock musician Frank Black, AKA Black Francis.