Concepción

**Concepción** is the second city in importance of the Republic of Chile with 889,725 inhabitants (2002 census).

## History
Concepción was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1550 north of the Bío-Bío River, at the site which is today known as Penco. At that time it was given the name *Concepción del Nuevo Extremo*. The new settlement of Concepción was just a few kilometers north of **La Frontera** (The Frontier), the boundary between Spanish territory and the land of the Mapuche, an American Indian ethnic group that remained independent until the 1870s. The settlement was formally recognized by the Spanish authorities as a town two years later by a royal decree. It was given a coat-of-arms that is still in use today.

Earthquakes and tsunamis, which razed the town in 1570, 1657, 1687, 1730 and 1751, led the authorities to move the town to its current site in the Valle de la Mocha, alongside the Bío-Bío River.

### February 27, 2010 earthquake
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On February 27, 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Concepción, killing more than 700 people and injuring thousands nationwide. Following the earthquake, geologists relying on global positioning satellite (GPS) data concluded that the city had been displaced roughly 3&nbsp;meters (10&nbsp;feet) to the west as a result of the event.  Fortunately, the city avoided the tsunami that followed the earthquake.

## Climate
The climate of Concepción is classified as Köppen climate classification *csb*, with a dry summer nadir in February. It has an oceanic influence which keeps temperatures mild throughout the year. Wet snows are possible in winter, but snow does not remain for long. The chart at right provides a climate summary for Concepción.

## Cultural life
To an outsider, there may be confusion between the demonyms of the inhabitants of Concepción and the nearby city of Penco. Due to the previous location of Concepción being where Penco currently stands, inhabitants of Concepción are called *penquistas* while inhabitants of Penco are known as *pencones*.

Concepción is one of the most active cities in Chilean rock music and many famous rock groups in Chile started up in Concepción. It has the second largest concentration of universities in Chile, and is home to three major universities. Concepción currently has four traditional universities:
* Universidad de Concepción
* Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción
* Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María
* Universidad del Bío-Bío.

## Gallery 

File:Arco de Medicina UdeC.jpg|*Arco de Medicina* ("Arch of Medicine") on the campus of the Universidad de Concepción
File:Moderno Edificio en Concepción.jpg|Andes Tower
File:Desembocadura del Biobío.jpg|Mouth of the Bio-Bio emptying into the Pacific Ocean
File:Ex Catedral de Concepción.jpg|Cathedral of Concepción; it was demolished after an earthquake on 1939.
File:Biobus01.jpg|BioBus, transport to a train station
File:Hotel El Araucano.JPG|Hotel Araucano
File:Plaza de Armas Concepción.jpg|*Plaza de la Independencia*, the Plaza de Armas of Concepcion

## Twin towns 
*  La Plata, Argentina
*  Monterrey, Mexico
*  Auckland, New Zealand
*  Bethlehem, Palestine
*  Guayaquil, Ecuador
*  Cuenca, Ecuador
*  Cascavel, Brazil
*  Minnesota, United States

## Bibliography 
* Ida Stevenson Weldon Vernon (1969) *Pedro de Valdivia, Conquistador of Chile*, Greenwood Press
* John Milton Nickles, Marie Siegrist (1965) *Bibliography and Index of Geology Exclusive of North America*, Geological Society of America, v.28

### References
## Other websites
* Concepción municipality 
* *El Sur*, newspaper of Concepción 
* *Viveconce*, Event schedule of Concepción  
* *Octava*, Website directory  
* *HelloChile - Spanish tutoring and tourism in and around the city of Concepción*, Information in English about the Chilean life and places to visit 
* *Municipal Library of Concepción* 
* WorldFlicks in Concepción (Chile): Photos and places on Google Maps 
* *Concepción* in the Encyclopedia Britannica