Retiro, Chile facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Retiro
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Town and Commune
|
|||||
|
|||||
| Country | Chile | ||||
| Region | Maule | ||||
| Province | Linares | ||||
| Founded | 1937 | ||||
| Government | |||||
| • Type | Municipality | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 827.1 km2 (319.3 sq mi) | ||||
| Elevation | 143 m (469 ft) | ||||
| Population
(2012 Census)
|
|||||
| • Total | 18,754 | ||||
| • Density | 22.6744/km2 (58.726/sq mi) | ||||
| • Urban | 4,708 | ||||
| • Rural | 13,779 | ||||
| Sex | |||||
| • Men | 9,451 | ||||
| • Women | 9,036 | ||||
| Time zone | UTC-4 (CLT) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (CLST) | ||||
| Postal code |
3640000
|
||||
| Area code(s) | 56 + 73 | ||||
Retiro is a small town and a commune (which is like a local area or district) in Chile. It is located in the Linares Province, which is part of the Maule region.
Contents
Where is Retiro Located?
Retiro is about 335 kilometers (208 miles) south of Santiago, the capital city of Chile. It is also 27 kilometers (17 miles) south of Linares, which is the main city of the province. The town of Parral is just 15 kilometers (9 miles) to the north.
The commune of Retiro covers an area of 827.1 square kilometers (319.3 square miles). It shares borders with several other communes:
- To the north: San Javier and Longaví
- To the south: Parral
- To the west: Cauquenes (in the Cauquenes Province)
- To the east: Longaví
The History of Retiro
The commune of Retiro was officially founded on December 22, 1891. The name "Retiro" means "Retirement" or "Leisure" in Spanish. This name was given because a former president of Chile, Ramón Barros Luco, owned a large house in this area.
President Barros Luco often visited his manor house in Retiro. Because of this, many important politicians and leaders of the time would also come to Retiro. They would discuss important country matters here. So, the name "Retiro" truly reflected that it was a place for leaders to relax and make big decisions.
People Living in Retiro
According to a census taken in 2002, the commune of Retiro had 18,487 people living there.
- About 4,708 people (25.4%) lived in urban areas, which are towns or cities.
- The remaining 13,779 people (74.5%) lived in rural areas, which are countryside areas.
The census also showed that there were slightly more men than women:
- 9,451 men
- 9,036 women
The main town of Retiro itself had about 3,300 residents. Copihue was the second largest place in the commune with 1,300 people, and the village of Villaseca had just over 300 residents.
Between 1992 and 2002, the total population of the commune went down by 6.2%. This means 1,216 fewer people lived there. However, the population of the town of Retiro itself grew a little bit, with 70 more people.
Retiro's Economy
The main way people in Retiro make a living is through agriculture. This means farming!
- One important activity is wine production. Retiro is located in the Maule Valley subregion, which is part of the Central Valley of Chile. This area is famous for growing grapes and making wine.
- Another key activity is growing cereals, like wheat or corn.
So, farming, especially wine and cereals, is very important to the economy of Retiro.
Interesting Places in Retiro
In an area called Copihue, which is on the southern edge of the commune near the Pan-American Highway (Ruta 5 Sur), you can find the largest poplar tree forest in Chile. This huge forest is owned by a company called "Compañía Chilena de Fósforos."
How Retiro is Governed
As a commune, Retiro is a local administrative area in Chile. It is managed by a municipal council. The leader of this council is called an alcalde (which is like a mayor). The alcalde is chosen by the people in an election every four years.
From 2008 to 2012, the alcalde of Retiro was Patricio Contreras Contreras, who belonged to the PDC.
See also
In Spanish: Retiro (Chile) para niños
