Linares
Linarense
City and Commune
Cathedral of Linares
Cathedral of Linares
Flag
Flag
Coat of arms
Coat of arms
Location in the Maule Region
Location in the Maule Region
Location in Chile
Location in Chile
Linares
Location in Chile
Coordinates: 35°51′S 71°36′W / 35.850°S 71.600°W / -35.850; -71.600
CountryChile
RegionMaule
ProvinceLinares
FoundedMay 23, 1794
Founded asVilla de San Ambrosio de Linares
Government
[1]
 • TypeMunicipality
 • AlcaldeRolando Rentería Molina
Area
[2]
 • Total1,456.7 km2 (562.4 sq mi)
Elevation
165 m (541 ft)
Population
 (2012 census).[2]
 • Total120,716
 • Density83/km2 (210/sq mi)
 • Urban
10,000
 • Rural
20,716
DemonymLinarense
Sex
[2]
 • Men55000
 • Women65000
Time zoneUTC-4 (CLT[3])
 • Summer (DST)UTC-3 (CLST[4])
Postal code
3580000
Area code56 + 73
ClimateCsb
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

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.

Demographics

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]

Geography

The municipality covers an area of 1,466 km2 (566 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.

The city of Linares contains a large urban wetland known as Ayüwün, of which 1.1 hectares are protected under the Urban Wetlands Law.[5][6]

Climate

Linares has a mild mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb). 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

History and current status

Main Square, Linares, Chile

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.

From 1913 to 1954 Linares had a station on the narrow gauge Putagán—Colbún railway line between Linares and Colbún.

Religion

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, 2.00% 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.

Main sights

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.

Administration

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 2021-2025 alcalde is Mario Meza.[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).

Corruption under investigation

In August 2021 the Brigade against Economic Crime PDI in investigating embezzlement and fraud.[7]

In August 2021 the Comptroller General of the Republic indicated disproportional costs for over CLP$73million, currently under investigation for chlorine and rapid antigen test during the Covid pandemic.[8]

Economy

Linares is an important agricultural, industrial and financial center of the region.[1]

Notable natives and residents of Linares (city and province)

Artists and intellectuals

Sports

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Linares, Chile.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Municipality of Linares" (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "National Statistics Institute" (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  3. ↑ "Chile Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Archived from the original on 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
  4. ↑ "Chile Summer Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Archived from the original on 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
  5. ↑ Humedal Urbano de Linares (PDF) (Report) (in Spanish). Ministerio del Medio Ambiente. 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  6. ↑ Parra, María del Mar (2023-04-17). "Comunidad se organiza para salvar humedal inserto en ciudad de Linares". El Desconcierto (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  7. ↑ "Fraude al fisco, malversación de caudales y falsificación de instrumento público es lo que investiga la Fiscalía en la Municipalidad de Linares..." (in Spanish). Linares. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021..
  8. ↑ "Sin cotizar: Municipio de Linares pagó $73,6 millones de más en compras por pandemia" (in Spanish). Linares. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  9. ↑ "Samuel Maldonado Silva".
  10. ↑ "Samy Silva".
  11. ↑ "Vida de Pedro Olmos".
  12. ↑ "PPGQ | Pós-Graduação em Química".
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