| Santa Cruz | |||
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| — City and Commune — | |||
| Church of Santa Cruz | |||
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| Map of Santa Cruz commune in O'Higgins Region | |||
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Santa Cruz
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| Coordinates (city): | |||
| Country | Chile | ||
| Region | O'Higgins | ||
| Province | Colchagua | ||
| Government[1] | |||
| • Type | Municipality | ||
| • Alcalde | Héctor Valenzuela Valenzuela | ||
| Area[2] | |||
| • Total | 419.5 km2 (162 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2002 Census)[2] | |||
| • Total | 32,387 | ||
| • Density | 77.2/km2 (200/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 18,603 | ||
| • Rural | 13,784 | ||
| Sex[2] | |||
| • Men | 16,160 | ||
| • Women | 16,227 | ||
| Time zone | CLT [3] (UTC-4) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CLST [4] (UTC-3) | ||
| Website | Municipality of Santa Cruz | ||
Santa Cruz is a Chilean city and commune, located in the Colchagua valley, in the O'Higgins Region, placed in the southern shore of Tinguiririca river, 110 miles from Santiago, Chile's capital city and 27 miles from San Fernando[5]
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There is no exact data about the foundation of the city, although there is an official date when the city became a municipality in the year 1891,[6] the same year as Pichilemu.
From its beginnings, the town was a center of handcrafted artifacts and agriculture development, being the wheat, tomatoes and wine, the main products of the area. Because of the relation with countryside traditions from its starts, Santa Cruz offers an authentic view about the countryside traditions of Chilean culture expressed in the wine, the food and the traditional sport such as the rodeo.
The city was among those affected by the 2010 Chile earthquake.[7]
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Santa Cruz spans an area of 419.5 km2 (162 sq mi) and has 32,387 inhabitants (16,160 men and 16,227 women). Of these, 18,603 (57.4%) lived in urban areas and 13,784 (42.6%) in rural areas. The population grew by 10.7% (3,129 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[2]
In the last two decades, rural tourism has become an important source of revenues for the city, the development of this industry was due specially because of the vineyards placed in the valley joint in a project called "Wine Route"[8], that offers several tours in the area[5]
Template warm climate, with rains between June and November.[5].
As a commune, Santa Cruz 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 Héctor Valenzuela Valenzuela.[1]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Santa Cruz is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Mr. Ramón Barros (UDI) and Mr. Juan Carlos Latorre (PDC) as part of the 35th electoral district, (together with Placilla, Nancagua, Chépica, Lolol, Pumanque, Palmilla, Peralillo, Navidad, Litueche, La Estrella, Pichilemu, Marchihue and Paredones). The commune is represented in the Senate by Andrés Chadwick Piñera (UDI) and Juan Pablo Letelier Morel (PS) as part of the 9th senatorial constituency (O'Higgins Region).
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