Maule Region

The VII Maule Region () is one of Chile's 16 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca.

The region is named after its main river: the Maule river.

History
The city of Talca was founded in 1692 by General Governor Tomás Marín de Poveda. On 17 February 1742 it got the name of Villa San Agustín de Talca by Governor José Antonio Manso de Velasco. Curicó followed in 1743, Linares and Parral in 1794.

In Talca is the house where Bernardo O'Higgins signed the proclamation of the independence of Chile on 12 February 1818. It is now a museum.

Geography
The Maule region borders the Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins region to the north, Argentina to the east, the Ñuble region to the south and the Pacific Ocean on the west.

The two main rivers in the region are the Maule and the Mataquito rivers.

Population
, there were (estimated) 1,042,989 persons living in the region, for a population density of  inhabitants/km².

People from this region are known as Maulinos (women: Maulinas).

The largest city in the region is Talca, with 189,505 inhabitants (2002 census).

Administration
The Maule region is further subdivided into four provinces: Talca, Curicó, Linares and Cauquenes.


+ Maule Region - Provinces and comunas Province Capital Code Comuna Area(km²) Population(2002) Talca (071)  Talca 07101 30 Talca 231.5 201,797 07102 21 Constitución 1,343.6 46,081 07103 22 Curepto 1,073.8 10,812 07104 23 Empedrado 564.9 4,225 07105 24 Maule 238.2 16,837 07106 25 Pelarco 331.5 7,266 07107 26 Pencahue 956.8 8,315 07108 27 Río Claro 430.5 12,698 07109 28 San Clemente 4,503.6 37,261 07110 29 San Rafael 263.5 7,674 Total of Talca province 9,937.8 352,966 Cauquenes (072) Cauquenes 07201 1 Cauquenes 2,126.3 41,217  07202 2 Chanco 529.5 9,457 07203 3 Pelluhue 371.4 6,414 Total of Cauquenes province 3,027.2 57,088 Curicó (073) Curicó 07301 4 Curicó 1,328.4 119,585 07302 5 Hualañé 629.0 9,741 07303 6 Licantén 273.3 6,902 07304 7 Molina 1,551.6 38,521 07305 8 Rauco 308.6 8,566 07306 9 Romeral 1,597.1 12,707 07307 10 Sagrada Familia 548.8 17,519 07308 11 Teno 618.4 25,596 07309 12 Vichuquén 425.7 4,916 Total of Curicó province 7,280.9 244,053 Linares (074) Linares 07401 14 Linares 1,465.7 83,249 07402 13 Colbún 2,899.9 17,619 07403 15 Longaví 1,453.8 28,161 07404 16 Parral 1,638.4 37,822 07405 17 Retiro 827.1 18,487 07406 18 San Javier 1,313.4 37,793 07407 19 Villa Alegre 189.8 14,725 07408 20 Yerbas Buenas 262.1 16,134 Total of Linares province 10,050.2 253,990 Total of the region 30,296.1 908,097

Related pages
Regions of Chile

References

Other websites

 Territorial division of Chile 
Gobierno Regional del Maule  Official website