| Linares | |||
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| — City and Commune — | |||
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| Location in the Maule Region | |||
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Linares
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Chile | ||
| Region | Maule | ||
| Province | Linares | ||
| Founded | May 23, 1794 | ||
| Founded as | Villa de San Ambrosio de Linares | ||
| Government[1] | |||
| • Type | Municipality | ||
| • Alcalde | Rolando Rentería Möller | ||
| Area[2] | |||
| • Total | 1,456.7 km2 (562.4 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2002 Census)[2] | |||
| • Total | 83,249 | ||
| • Density | 57.1/km2 (148/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 68,224 | ||
| • Rural | 15,025 | ||
| Demonym | Linarense | ||
| Sex[2] | |||
| • Men | 40,518 | ||
| • Women | 42,731 | ||
| Time zone | CLT [3] (UTC-4) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CLST [4] (UTC-3) | ||
| Area code(s) | 56 + 73 | ||
| Website | Municipality of Linares | ||
Linares is a Chilean city and commune located in the Maule Region and lies in the fertile Chilean Central Valley, 303 km (188 mi) south of Santiago and 50 km (31 mi) south of Talca, the regional capital. Linares is the capital city of the province of Linares.
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According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Linares spans an area of 1,456.7 km2 (562 sq mi) and has 83,249 inhabitants (40,518 men and 42,731 women). Of these, 68,224 (82%) lived in urban areas and 15,025 (18%) in rural areas. The population grew by 7.7% (5,933 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[2]
The municipality covers an area of 1.466 km2 (1 sq mi) and the city proper, 16 km2 (6 sq mi). The rivers Ancoa, Putagán and Achibueno are the main rivers that pass through the municipality or form its natural borders.
Most of the territory of the municipality is located within the central plain or "depresión intermedia" (Valle Central de Chile). Some low altitude hills are located in the westernmost part of the municipality, while its easternmost part is marked by the presence of the foothills of the Andes mountains. The municipality of Linares is bordered on the west by San Javier; on the north by Villa Alegre, Yerbas Buenas and Colbún; on the east, by Colbún, and on the south, by Longaví. The municipality of Colbún occupies the easternmost strip of the province, where some of the highest provincial peaks are located, as are the sources of several of the main rivers.
Linares has a mild Mediterranean climate. The summers are hot and mainly dry (November to March) with temperatures reaching up to 32 -33 degrees Celsius on the hottest days. The winters (late May to mid September) tend to be rather humid and rainy, with typical maximum daily temperatures of 14-15 degrees Celsius, and minimum just above freezing.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg temp. °F (°C) | 70 (21) |
69 (21) |
63 (17) |
57 (14) |
52 (11) |
48 (9) |
47 (8) |
49 (9) |
52 (11) |
57 (14) |
62 (17) |
68 (20) |
58 (14) |
| Avg high °F (°C) | 87 (31) |
85 (29) |
78 (26) |
70 (21) |
61 (16) |
55 (13) |
55 (13) |
58 (14) |
63 (17) |
69 (21) |
76 (24) |
83 (28) |
70 (21) |
| Avg low temperature °F (°C) | 54 (12) |
54 (12) |
49 (9) |
44 (7) |
44 (7) |
42 (6) |
39 (4) |
40 (4) |
42 (6) |
46 (8) |
49 (9) |
54 (12) |
46 (8) |
| Rainfall inches (millimeters) | 0.4 (10) |
0.1 (3) |
0.8 (20) |
1.8 (45) |
6.4 (163) |
7.3 (187) |
8.1 (206) |
4.0 (61) |
3.3 (83) |
0,8 (20) |
0,5 (13) |
0,3 (8) |
27.4 (694.13) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Linares was founded on May 23, 1794, as the "Villa de San Ambrosio de Linares" by Ambrosio O'Higgins, the then Viceroy of Peru and Bernardo O'Higgins's father. The city counts among its natives important statesmen, politicians, poets, writers, and musicians and is an active commercial, agricultural, industrial, and service center.
The city of Linares houses the artillery school of the Chilean Army.
According to the 2002 census of the municipality of Linares, 75.41% (or 45,987 persons) of the total population aged 15 and older identified themselves as Roman Catholic; 15.74% described themselves as evangelical Protestants; and 0.61% as Jehovah's Witnesses. Additionally, 0.70% of the total population aged 15 and older identified themselves as Mormons, approximately 2.59% declared themselves followers of other religions, and 4.95% of the population declared themselves atheist or agnostic.
Linares is a see of a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, with nine active parishes and many chapels in the comuna. There are also many churches that serve the various Protestant denominations and places of worship for Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons.
The city and its surroundings have many attractions, for example:
Some natural attractions in the surrounding area include the piedmont of the Andes mountains, with forests of pines and other trees; lakes (the artificial Colbún lake); rivers, and good camping and hiking areas.
Other cities and towns in the province include: Colbún, Panimávida, Longaví, Parral, Retiro, San Javier, Villa Alegre and Yerbas Buenas.
As a commune, Linares is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Rolando Rentería Möller.[1]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Linares is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Jorge Tarud (PPD) and Romilio Gutiérrez (UDI) as part of the 39th electoral district, (together with Colbún, San Javier, Villa Alegre and Yerbas Buenas). The commune is represented in the Senate by Hernán Larraín (UDI) and Ximena Rincón González (PDC) as part of the 11th senatorial constituency (Maule-South).
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