Navidad, Chile

**Navidad** () is ane o the six communes in Cardenal Caro Province, O'Higgins Region, Chile.
It borders the commune o Santo Domingo (Valparaíso Region) an San Pedro (Santiago Metropolitan Region) in the north, the commune o Litueche tae the east an sooth, an the Pacific Ocean tae the west. The commune haes approximately 20 kilometres o coastline.

## Demographics

According tae the 2002 census o the Chilean National Statistics Institute, Navidad spans an aurie o  an haes 5,422 inhabitants (2,878 men an 2,544 weemen). o these, 712 (13.1%) lived in urban auries an 4,710 (86.9%) in landwart auries. The population fell bi only 1 person atween the 1992 an 2002 censuses.

## Geography

The landscape o the commune is predominantly plateau, rolling hills an ravines, common features o the central coastline o Chile. The Rapel River is the main water source, though there are also some small streams an lagoons, such as *El Culenar*.

Navidad haes attractit visitors due tae its unusual geological feature, the Navidad Formation, marine rock strata containing fossilised marine life dating frae the late Miocene tae the early Pliocene eras, approximately 5 million years ago. The formations were studied bi the English naturalist Charles Darwin in the 19t century.
The French scientist an painter Claudio Gay wis also commissioned bi the Chilean government tae study the aurie, as wis the German geologist Rodolfo Philippi.

## Origin an history

The modern toun an commune boundaries were established on September 28, 1936, wi the municipality authorities placed in the toun o Navidad, the lairgest in the commune. In 1585, the Franciscan monk Diego de Medellín, third bishop o Santiago,  wis concerned aboot the o the local fowk an wrote tae the King o Spain aboot Navidad, Rapel, Matanzas an other settlements in the aurie, providing proof o the early origins o the name.

One tradition holds that ane Christenmas Eve in the sixteent century, the first Franciscan monks came tae the port o Matanzas an celebratit Christenmas there, staying in the valley for several days. They called the place *Navidad*, the Spanish wird for Christenmas.

Other versions o the story claim that the name *Navidad* originatit wi the Jesuits an the Jesuit convent locatit in Bucalemu. Jesuits played an important role in the conversion an education o the native fowk, teaching no just religion but also various artisan skills.

None o this versions is confirmed.

## Administration

As a commune, Navidad is a third-level admeenistrative diveesion o Chile administered bi a municipal cooncil an led bi an alcalde, who is directly electit every four years.

The current alcalde is Horacio Maldonado Mondaca.
 
Athin the electoral divisions o Chile, Navidad is representit in the Chamber o Deputies bi Mr. Ramón Barros (UDI) an Mr. Juan Carlos Latorre (PDC) as pairt o the 35t electoral district, (thegither wi Placilla, Nancagua, Chépica, Santa Cruz, Lolol, Pumanque, Palmilla, Peralillo, Litueche, La Estrella, Pichilemu, Marchihue an Paredones). The commune is representit in the Senate bi Andrés Chadwick Piñera (UDI) an Juan Pablo Letelier Morel (PS) as pairt o the 9t senatorial constituency (O'Higgins Region).

## Tourism

The climate o Navidad is Mediterranean, wi rain frae April tae October an a dry summer. The coastline is very windy wi big waves, makkin it a popular location for surfing.

Navidad haes a strong farming tradition, an ane interesting activity that can be observed here is the *([[:es:Trilla a yegua suelta|Trilla a yegua suelta]])* festival, where mares are driven loose ower harvestit wheat tae separate the grain frae the chaff.

## See also
* Puertecillo
* Chilean horse
* Matanzas, Chile

## References


## Freemit airtins
*  Municipality o Navidad
*  - Online community TV channel