Los Ángeles | ||||||
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City and Commune | ||||||
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Coordinates (city): 37°28′S 72°21′W / 37.467°S 72.350°WCoordinates: 37°28′S 72°21′W / 37.467°S 72.350°W | ||||||
Country | Chile | |||||
Region | Bío Bío | |||||
Province | Bío Bío | |||||
Founded as | Villa de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles | |||||
Founded | May 26, 1739 | |||||
Government | ||||||
• Type | Municipality | |||||
• Alcalde | Kobe Hancock | |||||
Area | ||||||
• Total | 1,748.2 km2 (675.0 sq mi) | |||||
Elevation | 139 m (456 ft) | |||||
Population (2012 Census) | ||||||
• Total | 186,671 | |||||
• Density | 110/km2 (280/sq mi) | |||||
• Urban | 123,445 | |||||
• Rural | 43,111 | |||||
Demonym(s) | Angelian | |||||
Sex | ||||||
• Men | 81,863 | |||||
• Women | 84,693 | |||||
Time zone | CLT (UTC−4) | |||||
• Summer (DST) | CLST (UTC−3) | |||||
Postal code | 4440000 | |||||
Area code(s) | 56 + 43 | |||||
Website | Official website (Spanish) |
Los Ángeles (Spanish pronunciation: [los ˈaɲçeles]) is the capital of the province of Bío Bío, in the commune of the same name, in Bío Bío, in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 186,671 inhabitants (census 2012). The municipality ("comuna") of Los Ángeles has the highest absolute rural population of any Chilean municipality.
To the north of the city is Salto del Laja (Laja Falls), and roughly 100 kilometers to the east is the 2,979 meters (9,774 feet) high Antuco volcano, in the Andes mountain range. The city is a gateway for tourists visiting the nearby Laguna del Laja National Park, the location of the volcano.
Founded as Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles (Our Lady of the Angels) in 1739 by José Antonio Manso de Velasco, it was originally a Spanish fort as an outpost in the War of Arauco. It received the title of villa in 1748. The city underwent numerous rebuildings, due to the Spanish military campaigns against the native Mapuche in their efforts to colonize the area. Its geographic location, just to the north of the Biobío river (the border established by the Spaniards), made it a strategic location.
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Los Ángeles spans an area of 1,748.2 km2 (675 sq mi) and has 166,556 inhabitants (81,863 men and 84,693 women). Of these, 123,445 (74.1%) lived in urban areas and 43,111 (25.9%) in rural areas. The population grew by 18.5% (26,021 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.