Arica Province (Spanish: Provincia de Arica) is one of two provinces of Chile's northernmost region, Arica y Parinacota. The province is bordered on the north by the Tacna Province of Peru, on the south by the Tamarugal Province in the Tarapacá Region, on the east the Parinacota Province and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Its capital is the port city of Arica.

Arica Province
Provincia de Arica
Morro de Arica
Official seal of Arica Province
Location in Arica y Parinacota Region
Location in Arica y Parinacota Region
Arica Province is located in Chile
Arica Province
Arica Province
Location in Chile
Coordinates: 18°28′30″S 70°18′52″W / 18.47500°S 70.31444°W / -18.47500; -70.31444
Country Chile
Region Arica y Parinacota
CapitalArica
CommunesArica
Camarones
Government
 • TypeProvincial
 • Presidential Provincial DelegateNone
Area
 • Total8,726.4 km2 (3,369.3 sq mi)
Population
 (2002 Census)[2]
 • Total186,488
 • Density21/km2 (55/sq mi)
 • Urban
175,441
 • Rural
11,047
Sex
 • Men92,487
 • Women94,001
Time zoneUTC-4 (CLT[3])
 • Summer (DST)UTC-3 (CLST[4])
Area code56 + 58
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

History

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Founded as Villa de San Marcos de Arica in 1541 on the site of a pre-Columbian settlement, it belonged to Peru until 1879, when it was captured by the Chileans, who gained control of the locality under the Treaty of Ancón (1883)

Geography and demography

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According to the 2002 census by the National Statistics Institute (INE), the province spans an area of 8,726.4 km2 (3,369 sq mi) and had a population of 186,488 inhabitants (92,487 men and 94,001 women), giving it a population density of 21.4/km2 (55/sq mi). Between the 1992 and 2002 censuses, the population grew by 9.5% (16,184 persons).[2]

Administration

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As a province, Arica is a second-level administrative division of Chile, consisting of two communes (comunas): Arica in the northern portion and Camarones in the south. The coastal city of Arica serves as the provincial capital. The province is administered by the presidentially appointed regional delegate of Arica y Parinacota.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Gobierno de Chile: Gobernadores". Government of Chile (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d "Territorial division of Chile" (PDF) (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Chile Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Archived from the original on 13 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
  4. ^ "Chile Summer Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Archived from the original on 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
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