Valparaíso Region
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| See other Chilean regions | |
| Capital | Valparaíso |
| Provinces | Petorca Los Andes |
| Area - Total |
Ranked 11th 16,396.1 km² |
| Population |
Ranked 3rd 1,539,852 |
| ISO 3166-2 | CL-VS |
Valparaíso is Chile's fifth administrative region and is formally known as "Quinta Región de Valparaiso", following the traditional naming of regions from north to south.
[edit] Geography
It is west, but on the same latitude as the "Región Metropolitana de Santiago".
Its capital is Valparaíso, also site for Chilean Legislative power and an important commercial port.
In this region is Chile's main port, Valparaíso and the top resort city of Viña del Mar. Administratively, Pacific Easter Island (Isla de Pascua), Juan Fernandez Islands and the Desventuradas Islands also fall under the Valparaíso Region's administration.
[edit] Economics and industry
The Valparaiso region is host of agricultural lands, wine producers, and industrial activity such as copper mining and cement. Chile's largest oil refinery is located in Con-Con (on the mouth of the Aconcagua river and about 20 km north of Valparaiso) and there are two important copper ore refineries: the state owned Ventanas (on the coast and north of Con Con) and the private works in Chagres, about 55 miles (90 km) inland.
The region also is a hub for chemicals and gas storage near the port of Quinteros. In the interior valleys there is a booming export industry mainly around the avocado (palta), chirimoyas and flowers as the most important products. The most striking recent development has been the cultivation of hill sides using high tech drip feed irrigation. This has allowed otherwise dry and unproductive land to bear high yields.
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