Maule Region
Encyclopedia
The VII Maule Region is one of Chile
's 15 first order administrative division
s. Its capital is Talca
. The region takes its name from the Maule River
which, running westward from the Andes
, bisects the region and spans a basin
of about 20,600 km2. The Maule river is of considerable historic interest because, among other reasons, it marked the southern limits of the Inca Empire
.
; on the east by the Argentine Republic; on the north by the O'Higgins Region
, and on the south by the Bío-Bío Region
. There are a number of flora and fauna species present in Maule. For example, the endangered Chilean Wine Palm (Jubaea chilensis) is found in a very limited distribution that includes the Maule Region. The limited distribution Nothofagus allesandri is also found in the region.
the population of the region was 908,097. With one third of its population living in rural
areas, Maule has a greater proportion of rural inhabitants than any other region of Chile.
.
and agriculture
, led by wine grape plantations, are the main economic activities. The Maule region is Chile’s leading wine-making region, producing 50% of all the country’s fine export wines, and a number of the largest vineyards are located here. Owing to its high concentration of vineyards, the Curicó valley, which means "black water" in Mapudungun
– is considered the core of Chile’s wine industry. Wine-making is a traditional activity, some vineyards dating back to 1830. The increased wine-growing area is matched by the development of the industry’s infrastructure, technology, and equipment.
In addition to wine, two export-oriented agricultural items have emerged dynamically: fruit, vegetables and flowers.
Electricity, gas and water are the second most important economic activity. The Maule River feeds five hydroelectric power plants, including the Colbún-Machicura complex.
of the Maule Region are divided into 30 communes.
s, churchmen, musicians and folklorists, journalists and historians. Thus, the Maule river, the long and wide artery that runs through the region, has been considered Chile's literary
river par excellence. Many novels and short stories have had the river as their main background or protagonist. Several anthologies, author's dictionaries and essay
s have given their account of the wealth of culture
that the region has generated.
The region can boast many small towns and villages with well-preserved colonial rural architecture both in the religious as well as the civil fields. The Talca and Linares
dioceses (the two Roman Catholic
diocese
s in the Maule region) have several parish church
es of particular beauty and architectural and historic value.
(06:34 UTC), an 8.8 magnitude earthquake
occurred off the Maule coast approximately 11 km (7 mi) southwest of Curanipe
and 100 km (62 mi) north-northeast of Chile's second largest city, Concepción
. The earthquake lasted nearly four minutes, severely affected the region through its action and the resultant tsunami
. Cauquenes
was damaged by the earthquake. Constitución
was damaged by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Restoring power in both cities in the immediate aftermath was impossible because of damage from the tsunami.
The table shows the district number, the municipalities encompassed in each district and the names (and party) of the respective members of parliament.
The table shows the circumscription name, the municipalities encompassed in each district and the names (and party) of the respective senators.
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...
's 15 first order administrative division
Administrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
s. Its capital is Talca
Talca
Talca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755....
. The region takes its name from the Maule River
Maule river
The Maule river is one of the most important rivers of Chile and is inextricably linked to this country's pre-Hispanic times, the country's conquest, colonial period, wars of Independence, modern history, agriculture , culture , religion, economy and politics...
which, running westward from 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...
, bisects the region and spans a basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of about 20,600 km2. The Maule river is of considerable historic interest because, among other reasons, it marked the southern limits of the Inca Empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
.
Geography and ecology
The region covers an area of 30296 sqkm and is bordered on the west by the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
; on the east by the Argentine Republic; on the north by the O'Higgins Region
O'Higgins Region
The VI O'Higgins Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is subdivided into three provinces. It is named in honour of Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, one of Chile's founding fathers....
, and on the south by the Bío-Bío Region
Bío-Bío Region
The VIII Biobío Region , one of the fifteen first-order administrative divisions in Chile, comprises four provinces: Arauco, Biobio, Concepción, and Ñuble.The capital of the Region is Concepción...
. There are a number of flora and fauna species present in Maule. For example, the endangered Chilean Wine Palm (Jubaea chilensis) is found in a very limited distribution that includes the Maule Region. The limited distribution Nothofagus allesandri is also found in the region.
Demography
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...
the population of the region was 908,097. With one third of its population living in rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
areas, Maule has a greater proportion of rural inhabitants than any other region of Chile.
Population
According to 2009 estimates by the Chilean National Service of Statistics (INE), the Maule Region has a population of 1,000,000 inhabitants. Its most populated city is the regional capital, Talca, with 235,000 inhabitants, followed by Curicó (120,700) and Linares (92,000). Other important cities are: Constitución (50,914), Parral (47,000), Cauquenes (43,000), Molina (42,000), San Javier (40,000).Population Density
The average density of the Maule Region is 32 inhabitants per km2, with less dense areas towards the mountains, and dense areas in the central valleyChilean Central Valley
The Central Valley , Intermediate Depression or Longitudinal Valley is the depression between the Chilean Costal Range and the Andes Mountains. The central valley should not be confused with Central Chile that encompasses part of the valley...
.
Composition by age and sex
According to the composition pyramid of the population of the Region, those younger than fifteen years old are becoming greater in number than the adult population. The annual growth rate of the population of the Maule Region is 1.06%; this comparatively low figure arises from the low birth rate in the Region. The average life expectancy in the Region is 76.3 years.Economy
ForestryForestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, led by wine grape plantations, are the main economic activities. The Maule region is Chile’s leading wine-making region, producing 50% of all the country’s fine export wines, and a number of the largest vineyards are located here. Owing to its high concentration of vineyards, the Curicó valley, which means "black water" in Mapudungun
Mapudungun
The Mapuche language, Mapudungun is a language isolate spoken in south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people. It is also spelled Mapuzugun and sometimes called Mapudungu or Araucanian...
– is considered the core of Chile’s wine industry. Wine-making is a traditional activity, some vineyards dating back to 1830. The increased wine-growing area is matched by the development of the industry’s infrastructure, technology, and equipment.
In addition to wine, two export-oriented agricultural items have emerged dynamically: fruit, vegetables and flowers.
Electricity, gas and water are the second most important economic activity. The Maule River feeds five hydroelectric power plants, including the Colbún-Machicura complex.
Political divisions
The 4 provincesProvinces of Chile
A province is the second largest administrative division in Chile, after a region. Each region is divided into provinces. There are 54 provinces in total....
of the Maule Region are divided into 30 communes.
| Political and administrative divisions of Maule Region, Chile |
| Province Provinces of Chile A province is the second largest administrative division in Chile, after a region. Each region is divided into provinces. There are 54 provinces in total.... |
Area in km2 | Population | Capital | Communes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curicó Curicó Province Curicó Province is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . Its capital is the city of Curicó. It lies between the provinces of Colchagua and Talca and extends from the Pacific to the Argentine frontier, spanning an area of... |
7,281 | 244,053 | Curicó Curicó Curicó , meaning "Black Waters" in Mapudungun , is the capital city of the Curicó Province, part of the Maule Region in Chile's central valley.... |
|
| Talca Talca Province Talca Province is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . Its capital is the city of Talca.-Administration:As a province, Talca is a second-level administrative division of Chile, governed by a provincial governor who is appointed by the president.-Communes:The province... |
9,961 | 352,966 | Talca Talca Talca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755.... |
|
| Linares Linares Province Linares is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . The provincial capital and most populous center is the city of Linares.-Administration:... |
10,050 | 253,990 | Linares |
Colbún Colbún is a Chilean town and commune in Linares Province, Maule Region. The commune has a population of over 17,000 inhabitants and covers an area of , making it the province's largest. Its capital, the town of Colbún, has 3,679 inhabitants... Longaví Longaví is a Chilean city and commune located in Linares Province, one of the four provinces that make up the Maule Region, in the geographical center of Chile.-Geography:... Parral, Chile Parral is a city and commune and in the Linares Province of central Chile's seventh region of Maule.-History:Parral was founded in 1795 by the Viceroy of Peru, Ambrosio O'Higgins... Retiro, Chile Retiro is a town and commune in Chile, located in Linares Province, in the seventh region of Maule.-Geography:Retiro is located to the south of Santiago, to the south of the city of Linares , and 15 km to the north of the city of Parral... San Javier, Chile San Javier is a Chilean city and commune located in the Province of Linares, Maule Region. The city lies in the geographical center of the country, some south of Santiago, to the northwest of the provincial capital, Linares, and to the south of Talca, the regional capital... Villa Alegre, Chile Villa Alegre a commune and city located in Linares Province, Maule Region of Chile. With , Villa Alegre is the smallest commune by area in the Maule Region. It sits above sea level.-Demographics:... Yerbas Buenas Yerbas Buenas is a Chilean town and commune in Linares Province, Maule Region. It lies in the geographical center of the country, on the fertile central plain, some south of the national capital of Santiago, south of Talca, the regional capital and north of Linares, the provincial... |
| Cauquenes Cauquenes Province Cauquenes Province is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . The provincial capital is the city of Cauquenes.-Geography and demography:The provincial capital, Cauquenes, lies approximately southwest of Santiago... |
3,027 | 57,088 | Cauquenes Cauquenes Cauquenes, a city and commune in Chile, is the capital of the Cauquenes Province and is located in the Maule Region.-History:According to the historical records of Alonso de Ercilla, Cauquenes was originally inhabited by an indigenous community of the Promaucaes, known as the Cauqui by the Inca or... |
|
Heritage
The Maule Region has produced a remarkable number of famous men and women, in particular writers and poets but also, statesmen and presidents, scientists and naturalistNatural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
s, churchmen, musicians and folklorists, journalists and historians. Thus, the Maule river, the long and wide artery that runs through the region, has been considered Chile's literary
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
river par excellence. Many novels and short stories have had the river as their main background or protagonist. Several anthologies, author's dictionaries and essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s have given their account of the wealth of culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
that the region has generated.
The region can boast many small towns and villages with well-preserved colonial rural architecture both in the religious as well as the civil fields. The Talca and Linares
Diocese of Linares, Chile
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Linares, or "Diócesis de San Ambrosio de Linares", was established in Linares, Chile by Pope Pius XI on October 18, 1925 by means of the Bulla Notabiliter Aucto....
dioceses (the two Roman Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s in the Maule region) have several parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
es of particular beauty and architectural and historic value.
27 February 2010 earthquake and aftermath
At 03:34 local timeTime in Chile
Continental Chile is situated geographically in UTC−05.Currently, Chile uses 2 different UTC offsets at any given point in the calendar year. Since it practices daylight saving time, in total 4 time zones are used...
(06:34 UTC), an 8.8 magnitude earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
occurred off the Maule coast approximately 11 km (7 mi) southwest of Curanipe
Curanipe
Curanipe is a town and seat of the municipality of Pelluhue, Province of Cauquenes, in VII Maule Region of Chile....
and 100 km (62 mi) north-northeast of Chile's second largest city, Concepción
Concepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
. The earthquake lasted nearly four minutes, severely affected the region through its action and the resultant tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
. Cauquenes
Cauquenes
Cauquenes, a city and commune in Chile, is the capital of the Cauquenes Province and is located in the Maule Region.-History:According to the historical records of Alonso de Ercilla, Cauquenes was originally inhabited by an indigenous community of the Promaucaes, known as the Cauqui by the Inca or...
was damaged by the earthquake. Constitución
Constitución, Chile
Constitución is a seaside resort, industrial city, minor port and commune in Chile, located in the Maule Region, Talca Province.-History:-8.8 magnitude 2010 earthquake:...
was damaged by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Restoring power in both cities in the immediate aftermath was impossible because of damage from the tsunami.
Provincial Governors
- Curicó ProvinceCuricó ProvinceCuricó Province is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . Its capital is the city of Curicó. It lies between the provinces of Colchagua and Talca and extends from the Pacific to the Argentine frontier, spanning an area of...
: Gloria Rojas - Talca ProvinceTalca ProvinceTalca Province is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . Its capital is the city of Talca.-Administration:As a province, Talca is a second-level administrative division of Chile, governed by a provincial governor who is appointed by the president.-Communes:The province...
: María Elena Villagrán - Linares ProvinceLinares ProvinceLinares is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . The provincial capital and most populous center is the city of Linares.-Administration:...
: Luis Suazo - Cauquenes ProvinceCauquenes ProvinceCauquenes Province is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . The provincial capital is the city of Cauquenes.-Geography and demography:The provincial capital, Cauquenes, lies approximately southwest of Santiago...
: María Angélica Sáez
Members of Parliament (Diputados)
The Maule Region is divided into five parliamentary districts. Each one of these returns two members of parliament or deputies.The table shows the district number, the municipalities encompassed in each district and the names (and party) of the respective members of parliament.
Senators (Senadores)
The Maule Region is divided into two senatorial circumscriptions. One (Circumscription North) is composed of the provinces of Curicó and Talca and the other by the provinces of Linares and Cauquenes. Thus, senatorial circumscription North encompasses parliamentary districts 36, 37 and 38, and senatorial circumscription South encompasses parliamentary districts 39 and 40. Each circumscription elects two senators.The table shows the circumscription name, the municipalities encompassed in each district and the names (and party) of the respective senators.
Sources
- C. Michael Hogan (2008) Chilean Wine Palm: Jubaea chilensis, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg
- Julian Evans. 2001. The Forests Handbook: Applying forest science for sustainable management. 816 pages
External links
- Gobierno Regional del Maule Official website