Región de la Araucanía
Araucanía IX. Region of the
Araucanía |
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Basic data | |||
Country | Chile | ||
Capital | Temuco | ||
surface | 31,842.3 km² | ||
Residents | 957,224 (2017) | ||
density | 30 inhabitants per km² | ||
ISO 3166-2 | CL-AR | ||
Website | gorearaucania.cl | ||
politics | |||
Intendant | Miguel Hernández Saffirio | ||
In the Huerquehue National Park |
Coordinates: 38 ° 41 ′ S , 72 ° 37 ′ W
The Araucanian region is the IX. Region of Chile . It is located in the Little South , also known as Chilean Switzerland , about 600 kilometers south of Santiago de Chile . The capital of the region is Temuco .
geography
The region lies between the Pacific and the Argentine border. In the north it borders on the VIII. Region ( Región del Bío-Bío ), in the south on the XIV. Region ( Región de Los Ríos ). The Río Imperial is the main river in the region.
The region is named after the araucaria trees, which are an outstanding feature of the landscape of the Chilean south. The Chilean araucaria is native to this part of Chile as well as to neighboring Argentina.
The chessboard-like capital Temuco has 270,000 inhabitants (as of 2012) and is the location of the Catholic University of Temuco , next to Valdivia the most important university in southern Chile. Many Mapuche (whose ancestors were called Araucans ) live in and around the city . The region is also considered the center of Chileans of German descent .
In the mountains near Temuco there are large volcanoes , such as the Villarrica volcano at 2840 m and the Volcán Llaima at 3125 m. The last activity of the Volcán Llaima was between January 2008 and June 2009.
32 km west of the Pacific coast is the island of Mocha with the national reserve Isla Mocha .
The climate is comparable to that of western Central Europe (e.g. Germany ). It rains a lot, especially in winter; However, except in the high mountains, snowfalls are relatively rare.
history
In 1552 Pedro de Valdivia reached the area around Temuco, but the establishment of settlements in the Mapuche area turned out to be fatal. Many settlers and soldiers died as a result of the armed conflict; Pedro de Valdivia died in the Battle of Tucapel in 1553. When Pelantaro was elected the new Toki of the Mapuche in 1597 , all settlements south of the Biobio River were destroyed. From 1602 the Spaniards withdrew from the area.
After Chilean independence, the Temuco fortress was founded on around February 24, 1881, in order to better control the newly conquered Mapuche area. Chilean colonization of the region did not begin until 1883.
On May 22, 1960, the port city of Puerto Saavedra was completely destroyed by a very strong earthquake .
Administrative divisions and cities
The region consists of two provinces:
- Malleco Province , capital of Angol
- Province of Cautín , capital Temuco
Important cities:
- Temuco , capital, 270,000 inhabitants (2012)
- Angol , population 49,000 (2002)
- Pitrufquén
- Lautaro
- Puerto Saavedra
- Villarrica
- Pucón
economy
The region lives mainly from agriculture and tourism. The cultivation of fruit, maize and rapeseed play an important role here.