La Cruz, Chile facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Cruz
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Plaza de Armas in La Cruz
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| Country | Chile | |||
| Region | Valparaíso | |||
| Province | Quillota | |||
| Government | ||||
| • Type | Municipality | |||
| Area | ||||
| • Total | 78.2 km2 (30.2 sq mi) | |||
| As of 2002 | ||||
| Elevation | 543 m (1,781 ft) | |||
| Population
(2012 Census)
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| • Total | 17,310 | |||
| • Density | 221.36/km2 (573.3/sq mi) | |||
| • Urban | 10,611 | |||
| • Rural | 2,240 | |||
| Sex | ||||
| • Men | 6,348 | |||
| • Women | 6,503 | |||
| Time zone | UTC-4 (CLT) | |||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (CLST) | |||
| Area code(s) | country 56 + city 33 | |||
| Website | Municipality of La Cruz | |||
La Cruz (pronounced "la kroos") is a city and a commune in Quillota Province, Valparaíso Region, Chile. It's a place known for its rich plant life and delicious fruits.
Contents
Exploring La Cruz's Geography
La Cruz is located in the Central Zone of Chile. This area has a special climate, similar to the Mediterranean. This climate helps many different kinds of plants (flora) and animals (fauna) to grow and thrive here.
Plants and Animals in La Cruz
Thanks to its climate, La Cruz is a great place for farming. The city is especially famous for its fruits and vegetables. It's even called the "National Capital of the Avocado" because so many avocados are grown here! Another important fruit grown in La Cruz is the chirimoya. This fruit has a green skin and sweet white flesh inside.
Size of La Cruz
The entire area of the La Cruz commune covers about 78.2 square kilometers. That's roughly 30 square miles.
People and Culture of La Cruz
In 2002, a study showed that La Cruz had 12,851 people living there. This included 6,348 men and 6,503 women. Most of the people, about 10,611 (82.6%), lived in the city areas. The rest, 2,240 people (17.4%), lived in the countryside. The number of people living in La Cruz grew by 19.3% between 1992 and 2002.
La Cruz's Library
The Camilo Henríquez Municipal Library is an important part of the community. It was started in 1954 and has over 9,000 books and other media for people to enjoy and learn from.
La Cruz's Economy
The main way people in La Cruz make a living is through farming. Growing avocados, chirimoyas, and flowers are very important to the local economy.
City Improvements
Since 2001, La Cruz has seen many improvements. Roads have been changed and made better. The city areas have been improved, and there have been big steps forward in health and education services for everyone.
How La Cruz is Governed
As a commune, La Cruz is a local government area in Chile. It is managed by a group called the communal council (consejo comunal). This council is led by an alcalde, who is like a mayor and is chosen by the people. The current alcalde is Maite Larrondo Laborde.
Local Leaders
The communal council helps the alcalde make decisions for the city. The members of the council are:
- Amaia Arrazota Larrondo
- Edmundo Olivares Perez
- Alejandra Espinoza Díaz
- Filomena Navia Hevia
- Brenda Cataldo Gaete
- Hector Cerda Vergara
Education in La Cruz
Education in La Cruz has changed a lot in recent years. There have been many improvements to school buildings and how students learn.
School Facilities
New classrooms and restrooms have been built. Playgrounds have been added, and sports courts have been covered. Old furniture has been replaced, and new interactive whiteboards are now used in classes.
Early Childhood Education
La Cruz has also included municipal gardens for children aged 3 to 5 years old. There are also three nurseries for even younger children. These nurseries are located at the Leonardo da Vinci School, Bologna, and Mary Alonso Chacón.
Modern Learning Programs
Since 2007, students have been taking computer classes, physical education, and English. These classes are taught by special teachers, starting from kindergarten all the way to high school. This was a new and advanced program for municipal education. Students also get extra help with workshops for important tests like SIMCE and PSU.
Beyond the Classroom
Besides regular school subjects, students can join many fun workshops. These include instrumental rock band, handball, table tennis, catechesis, dance, chess, folklore, football, volleyball, and basketball. The former alcalde, Maite Larrondo Laborde, believed that education "must be comprehensive." This means it should help students grow in many different ways.
Schools in La Cruz
Here are some of the municipal schools in La Cruz:
- College Bologna (CITY): This school has nursery, garden, prekindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, and adult education programs.
- Wilson College Domingo Santa Cruz: Located in the Pocochay sector, this municipal school offers garden, prekindergarten, kindergarten, and elementary education.
- School Leonardo da Vinci (CITY): This school provides nursery, garden, prekindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, secondary, and adult education.
- The College Rojas (CITY): This school has garden, prekindergarten, kindergarten, and elementary levels.
- Colegio María Alonso Chacon (CITY): This school offers nursery, garden, prekindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, and adult education (both primary and secondary).
- Liceo San Isidro: This is a private school that receives government help. It has preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and secondary levels.
- School High School: This is a private school for basic education.
- Agricultural technical school Bishop Rafael Infante Lira: This is a private school that receives government help. It focuses on technical education for high school students.
Images for kids
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Plaza de Armas in La Cruz, a central gathering place.
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Map showing the location of La Cruz in the Valparaíso Region of Chile.
