Maule (Chile)
Encyclopedia
Maule is a town and commune in Talca Province
in central Chile
's Maule Region
. It takes its name from the Mapudungun
words for "valley" (mau) and "rainy" (len).
. The Maule commune spans an area of 238.2 sqkm.
.
On 30 December 1927, then-president
Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Mientras
renamed Peumo to Maule and established the commune with Supreme Decree 8583. At this time, the communal seat was moved from Duao to Maule where it remains to this day. In 1928, a year after its founding, the commune of Maule, which was at one time owned by the Lailhacar brothers, belonged to the municipality of Duao but was renamed to the municipality of Maule. Until 1927, the ancient city of Duao had been led by seven alcaldes. The current commune of Maule, since its first mayor Carlos Garcena to its present mayor, has been led by 39 alcaldes.
. The goldmine El Chavito can be found on the riverbank where El Águila hill, property of the Silva Neale family, was the area's main gold deposit in the 19th century.
The vineyard and garden La Vertientes (meaning "The Slopes") has become the premiere industrial flower garden that exports flowers and seeds to Europe, particularly to Germany. Their owner, Carlos Steinhoff von Bohlen, married Amalia Silva Neale and began work in the 1950s, becoming a pioneer in the commune in this non-traditional export trade. In the Maule Region, principle exports are wine and fruits such as apples and grapes.
s and 10,098 (60.0%) in rural areas. At that time, there were 8,691 men and 8,146 women. The population grew 22.3% (3,068 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. The demonym for a person from Maule is Maulino for a man or Maulina for a woman.
, headed by an alcalde
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Iván Riveros Cerda (ILE), and his council members are:
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Maule is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
by Pablo Lorenzini (PDC
) and Pedro Pablo Alvarez-Salamanca (UDI) as part of the 38th electoral district, (together with Curepto
, Constitución
, Empedrado, Pencahue
, San Clemente
, Pelarco
, Río Claro and San Rafael
). The commune is represented in the Senate
by Juan Antonio Coloma Correa (UDI) and Andrés Zaldívar Larraín (PDC) as part of the 10th senatorial constituency (Maule-North).
Talca Province
Talca Province is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . Its capital is the city of Talca.-Administration:As a province, Talca is a second-level administrative division of Chile, governed by a provincial governor who is appointed by the president.-Communes:The province...
in central Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
's Maule Region
Maule Region
The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...
. It takes its name from the Mapudungun
Mapudungun
The Mapuche language, Mapudungun is a language isolate spoken in south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people. It is also spelled Mapuzugun and sometimes called Mapudungu or Araucanian...
words for "valley" (mau) and "rainy" (len).
Geography
The town of Maule lies near the Maule RiverMaule river
The Maule river is one of the most important rivers of Chile and is inextricably linked to this country's pre-Hispanic times, the country's conquest, colonial period, wars of Independence, modern history, agriculture , culture , religion, economy and politics...
. The Maule commune spans an area of 238.2 sqkm.
History
Since the time of the Incas, the area that makes up the Maule commune today has been a place of strategic and communicative value due to its close proximity to the river of the same name. In this area, the city of Talca was originally founded as the Villa de San Agustín about 12 km (7 mi) to the north. In the mid 18th century, nearby Duao was founded as the communal seat. During the 19th century, many people were attracted to the mining activity in the area of El Chavito and settled here looking for a better future. They founded various towns, principally Peumo. Toward the west was the old river port of Linares de Perales which lies between the confluence of the Maule and Claro rivers, where barges transported agricultural products to their destination of ConstituciónConstitución, Chile
Constitución is a seaside resort, industrial city, minor port and commune in Chile, located in the Maule Region, Talca Province.-History:-8.8 magnitude 2010 earthquake:...
.
On 30 December 1927, then-president
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Mientras
Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo was a Chilean Army officer and political figure. He served as dictator between 1927 and 1931 and as constitutional President from 1952 to 1958.- The coups of 1924 and 1925 :...
renamed Peumo to Maule and established the commune with Supreme Decree 8583. At this time, the communal seat was moved from Duao to Maule where it remains to this day. In 1928, a year after its founding, the commune of Maule, which was at one time owned by the Lailhacar brothers, belonged to the municipality of Duao but was renamed to the municipality of Maule. Until 1927, the ancient city of Duao had been led by seven alcaldes. The current commune of Maule, since its first mayor Carlos Garcena to its present mayor, has been led by 39 alcaldes.
Economy
The economy of the commune is based primary on agriculture and stockbreedingAnimal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
. The goldmine El Chavito can be found on the riverbank where El Águila hill, property of the Silva Neale family, was the area's main gold deposit in the 19th century.
The vineyard and garden La Vertientes (meaning "The Slopes") has become the premiere industrial flower garden that exports flowers and seeds to Europe, particularly to Germany. Their owner, Carlos Steinhoff von Bohlen, married Amalia Silva Neale and began work in the 1950s, becoming a pioneer in the commune in this non-traditional export trade. In the Maule Region, principle exports are wine and fruits such as apples and grapes.
Demographics
According to data from the 2002 Census of Population and Housing, Maule had 16,837 inhabitants; of these, 6,739 (40.0%) lived in urban areaUrban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s and 10,098 (60.0%) in rural areas. At that time, there were 8,691 men and 8,146 women. The population grew 22.3% (3,068 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. The demonym for a person from Maule is Maulino for a man or Maulina for a woman.
Administration
As a commune, Maule is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal councilMunicipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
, headed by an alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Iván Riveros Cerda (ILE), and his council members are:
- Luis Vasquez Galvez (UDI)
- Sergio Jelvez Medina (PSSocialist Party of ChileThe Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973...
) - Pablo Opazo Encina (DCChristian Democratic PartyChristian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
) - Vladimir Albornoz Espina (ILD)
- Carlos Ovalle Rojas (ILF)
- Juan Gutierrez Moreno (RNNational Renewal (Chile)National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement...
)
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Maule is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Chile
The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
by Pablo Lorenzini (PDC
Christian Democratic Party
Christian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
) and Pedro Pablo Alvarez-Salamanca (UDI) as part of the 38th electoral district, (together with Curepto
Curepto
Curepto is a town and commune in the Chilean Province of Talca, located in the VII Maule Region. The commune spans an area of .-Culture:The town has many examples of Chilean rural colonial architecture. Its parish church is a quintessential example of a traditional religious building in the...
, Constitución
Constitución, Chile
Constitución is a seaside resort, industrial city, minor port and commune in Chile, located in the Maule Region, Talca Province.-History:-8.8 magnitude 2010 earthquake:...
, Empedrado, Pencahue
Pencahue
Pencahue is a town and commune in Chile, located in Talca Province, in the seventh region of Maule. The commune spans and area of .Also there are another three places called Pencahue, near to San Vicente de Tagua Tagua, Sexta Región, Chile...
, San Clemente
San Clemente, Chile
San Clemente is a city and commune administered by the municipality of San Clemente, located in the Talca Province of Chile's Maule Region.-Demographics:...
, Pelarco
Pelarco
Pelarco is a town and commune in Talca Province, Maule Region of Chile. The commune spans an area of .-Demographics:According to data from the 2002 Census of Population and Housing, Pelarco had 7,266 inhabitants; of these, 1,822 lived in urban areas and 5,444 in rural areas. At that time, there...
, Río Claro and San Rafael
San Rafael, Chile
San Rafael is a town and commune of the Talca Province in the Maule Region of Chile. The town serves as the communal capital.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, San Rafael spans an area of and has 7,674 inhabitants . Of these, 3,482 lived in urban...
). The commune is represented in the Senate
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
by Juan Antonio Coloma Correa (UDI) and Andrés Zaldívar Larraín (PDC) as part of the 10th senatorial constituency (Maule-North).