Talagante
Encyclopedia
Talagante is a commune and the capital city of the province of the same name
in the Santiago Metropolitan Region
of central Chile
. The word Talagante in Quechua
comes from talacanta, meaning "Lazo de Hechicero", which was the proper name of the curaca
, or ruler, who dominated this central valley on behalf of the Inca empire
during the arrival of the Spaniards.
at an elevation of 313 m (1,027 ft), 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) to the southwest of the national capital of Santiago
. The commune spans an area of 125.5 sqkm.
of the National Statistics Institute
, Talagante spans an area of 125.5 sqkm and has 59,805 inhabitants (29,468 men and 30,337 women). Of these, 49,957 (83.5%) lived in urban area
s and 9,848 (16.5%) in rural areas. The population grew by 132800% (59,760 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
, headed by an alcalde
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Raúl Leiva Carvajal (ILC), and his council members are:
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Talagante is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
by Denise Pascal (PS
) and Gonzalo Uriarte (UDI) as part of the 31st electoral district, (together with Peñaflor
, El Monte, Isla de Maipo
, Melipilla
, María Pinto
, Curacaví
, Alhué
, San Pedro
and Padre Hurtado
). The commune is represented in the Senate
by Guido Girardi Lavín (PPD
) and Jovino Novoa Vásquez (UDI) as part of the 7th senatorial constituency (Santiago-West).
Talagante Province
Talagante Province is one of six provinces of the Santiago Metropolitan Region in central Chile. The capital is the city of Talagante, located approximately southwest of the national capital of Santiago...
in the Santiago Metropolitan Region
Santiago Metropolitan Region
Santiago Metropolitan Region or simply Metropolitan Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is the country's only landlocked administrative region and contains the nation's capital, Santiago...
of 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...
. The word Talagante in Quechua
Quechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
comes from talacanta, meaning "Lazo de Hechicero", which was the proper name of the curaca
Curaca
A curaca was an official of the Inca Empire, who held the role of magistrate, about 4 levels down from the Sapa Inca, the head of the Empire. The curacas were the heads of the ayllus . They served as tax collector, and held religious authority, in that they mediated between the supernatural sphere...
, or ruler, who dominated this central valley on behalf of the Inca empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
during the arrival of the Spaniards.
Geography
Talagante can be found in the Chilean Central ValleyChilean Central Valley
The Central Valley , Intermediate Depression or Longitudinal Valley is the depression between the Chilean Costal Range and the Andes Mountains. The central valley should not be confused with Central Chile that encompasses part of the valley...
at an elevation of 313 m (1,027 ft), 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) to the southwest of the national capital of Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
. The commune spans an area of 125.5 sqkm.
Demographics
According to the 2002 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of the National Statistics Institute
National Statistics Institute (Chile)
The National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
, Talagante spans an area of 125.5 sqkm and has 59,805 inhabitants (29,468 men and 30,337 women). Of these, 49,957 (83.5%) lived in urban area
Urban 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 9,848 (16.5%) in rural areas. The population grew by 132800% (59,760 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
Administration
As a commune, Talagante 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 Raúl Leiva Carvajal (ILC), and his council members are:
- Patricio Huerta Moraga (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...
) - Felipe Barrios Tocomal (UDI)
- Juan Cartegena Díaz
- María E. Torres Miranda (PPDParty for DemocracyThe Party for Democracy is a political party in Chile; it is social democratic in its political orientation. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social democratic party . The party continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet...
) - Rafael Calderón Olivares (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...
) - Santiago Margozzini R. (RN)
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Talagante 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 Denise Pascal (PS
Socialist Party of Chile
The 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...
) and Gonzalo Uriarte (UDI) as part of the 31st electoral district, (together with Peñaflor
Peñaflor, Chile
Peñaflor is a city and commune of the Talagante Province in central Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Geography:It can be found in the Chilean Central Valley approximately southwest of the metropolitan area of Santiago...
, El Monte, Isla de Maipo
Isla de Maipo
Isla de Maipo is a commune of the Talagante Province in central Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Geography:Isla de Maipo can be found in the Chilean Central Valley approximately southwest of the metropolitan area of Santiago and about from the city of Talagante. The commune spans an area of...
, Melipilla
Melipilla
Melipilla is a Chilean commune and capital city of the province of the same name, located in the Santiago Metropolitan Region southwest of the nation's capital...
, María Pinto
María Pinto
María Pinto is a town and commune of the Melipilla Province in central Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, María Pinto spans an area of and has 10,343 inhabitants . Of these, 1,654 lived in urban areas and 8,689 in...
, Curacaví
Curacaví
Curacaví is a city and commune in the Melipilla Province of central Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Geography and climate:Immersed among the hills of the coastal mountain range, Curacaví occupies an area of and borders the following communes: Casablanca, Quilpué, Lampa, Pudahuel, Maipú,...
, Alhué
Alhué
Alhué is a Chilean town and commune located in Melipilla Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Alhué spans an area of and has 4,435 inhabitants . Of these, 2,593 lived in urban areas and 1,842 in rural areas...
, San Pedro
San Pedro, Chile
San Pedro is a commune of the Melipilla Province in central Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, San Pedro spans an area of and has 7,549 inhabitants , making the commune an entirely rural area...
and Padre Hurtado
Padre Hurtado
Padre Hurtado is a Chilean city and commune in Talagante Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region. A portion of the commune belongs to the Greater Santiago conurbation...
). 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 Guido Girardi Lavín (PPD
Party for Democracy
The Party for Democracy is a political party in Chile; it is social democratic in its political orientation. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social democratic party . The party continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet...
) and Jovino Novoa Vásquez (UDI) as part of the 7th senatorial constituency (Santiago-West).