The **Arauco Province** (Spanish: *Provincia de Arauco*) is one of three provinces of the Chilean region of Bío Bío (VIII). The provincial capital Is the city of Lebu.

History
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In 1852, the old province of Arauco was created with the southern parts of the province of Concepción; it had three departments: Arauco, Laja and Nacimiento.

In 1927, Arauco was eliminated as a province and became again part of the province of Concepción but, in 1934, Arauco was made again a province with the departments Arauco, Cañete and Lebu. When the regions were created in 1975, the Bío Bío region was formed with the Arauco, Biobío, Concepción and Ñuble provinces.

Geography
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The Arauco province is in the southwest of the Bío Bío region along the Pacific Ocean, with an area of 5,643.3 sq mi (14,616 km2). The capital, Lebu, is on the coast about 90 km (56 mi) south of Concepción, the capital of the region.

Arauco is bordered to the north by the Concepción province, to the northeast by the Biobío province, to the east by the Malleco province (Araucanía region), to the south and southwest by the Cautín province (Araucanía region and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.

| Places next to Arauco Province |
| --- |
| 

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | Concepción province | Biobío province |
| Pacific Ocean | 
**Arauco province**
 | Malleco province |
| Cautín province | Cautín province | Malleco province |

 |

The **Mocha** island is a small island that is west of the Arauco province, in the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the *comuna* of Lebu. It has an area of about 48 km2 (18.5 sq mi).

Population
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As of 2002[update] (last national census), there were 157,255 people living in the province, giving it a population density of 27.9 inhabitants/km². The urban population was 117,569 persons (75% of the total).

The largest city in 2002 of the province is Curanilahue with 30,126 inhabitants. Its capital Lebu, has a population of 20,838 inhabitants. Other cities are Cañete (19,839 inhabitants), Arauco (16,291 inhabitants) and Los Álamos (13,035 inhabitants).

Administration
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As a province, Arauco is a second-level administrative division, consisting of 7 communes (*comunas*). The city of Lebu serves as the provincial capital. The province is administered by a governor.



Arauco province| Code | Comuna | Capital | Area(km²) | Population(2002) | Density |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 08201 | **5** Lebu | Lebu | 561.4 | 25,035 | 44.6 |
| 08202 | **1** Arauco | Arauco | 956.1 | 34,873 | 36.5 |
| 08203 | **2** Cañete | Cañete | 1,089.2 | 31,270 | 28.7 |
| 08204 | **3** Contulmo | Contulmo | 638.8 | 5,838 | 9.1 |
| 08205 | **4** Curanilahue | Curanilahue | 994.3 | 31,943 | 32.1 |
| 08206 | **6** Los Álamos | Los Álamos | 599.1 | 18,632 | 31.1 |
| 08207 | **7** Tirúa | Tirúa | 624.4 | 9,664 | 15.5 |
| **Total of the Arauco province** | **5,463.3** | **157,255** | **28.8** |

Gallery
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* Lebu by nightLebu by night
* Pablo Neruda school, CuranilahuePablo Neruda school, Curanilahue
* Central square of CañeteCentral square of Cañete
* Aerial view of TirúaAerial view of Tirúa

Related pages
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* Provinces of Chile

Other websites
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* Territorial division of Chile (in Spanish)
* Gobierno Regional del Bío Bío Official website (in Spanish)
* Province of Arauco website (in Spanish)