Hualqui

City and Commune

Mirador of Hualqui, formerly the colonial fortress

Flag

Coat of arms

Location of Hualqui commune in the Bío Bío Region

Hualqui

Location in Chile

Coordinates (city): 36°57′36″S 72°55′48″W / 36.96000°S 72.93000°WCoordinates: 36°57′36″S 72°55′48″W / 36.96000°S 72.93000°W

Government

• Type

Municipality

• Alcalde

Ricardo Fuentes Palma (Ind.)

Area

• Total

530.5 km² (204.8 sq mi)

Elevation

39 m (128 ft)

Population (2012 Census)

• Total

22,892

• Density

43/km² (110/sq mi)

• Urban

14,756

• Rural

4,012

Sex

• Men

9,293

• Women

9,475

Time zone

CLT (UTC−4)

• Summer (DST)

CLST (UTC−3)

Area code(s)

56 + 41

Website

Municipality of Hualqui

Hualqui (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈwalki]) is a Chilean city and commune in the Concepción Province, Biobio Region. It is also part of the Greater Concepcion conurbation, although it maintains a rural profile. It had a population of 22,892 inhabitants according to the 2012 census.

Its name comes from the Moluche Aillarehue and rehue of Hualqui that existed there at the beginning of the Conquest of Chile. In 1577, the Royal Governor of Chile Rodrigo de Quiroga erected a small fort of Hualqui on the Biobío River 23 km (14 mi) from the city of Concepcion and 24 km (15 mi) to the northwest of Talcamávida at the site of the modern city and over time a small settlement grew around it. In the beginning of 1756 Governor Manuel de Amat y Juniet erected a town there, named San Juan Bautista de Gualqui. It served as capital to the Corregimiento de Puchacay and then Partido de Puchacay until 1799.

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Hualqui spans an area of 530.5 km² (205 sq mi) and has 18,768 inhabitants (9,293 men and 9,475 women). Of these, 14,756 (78.6%) lived in urban areas and 4,012 (21.4%) in rural areas. The population grew by 16.2% (2,612 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.

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Wikipedia