Talagante facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Talagante
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Centre of Talagante
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| Country | Chile | ||||
| Region | Santiago Metro. | ||||
| Province | Talagante | ||||
| Founded | 1837 | ||||
| Government | |||||
| • Type | Municipality | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 321.7 km2 (124.2 sq mi) | ||||
| Area rank | 2 | ||||
| Elevation | 313 m (1,027 ft) | ||||
| Population
(2002 Census)
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| • Total | 59,805 | ||||
| • Rank | 2 | ||||
| • Density | 185.903/km2 (481.49/sq mi) | ||||
| • Urban | 49,957 | ||||
| • Rural | 9,848 | ||||
| Sex | |||||
| • Men | 29,468 | ||||
| • Women | 30,337 | ||||
| Time zone | UTC-4 (CLT) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (CLST) | ||||
| Area code(s) | 56 | ||||
| Website | Municipality of Talagante website | ||||
Talagante is a city and a commune in central Chile. A commune is like a local district or area. Talagante is the main city of the Talagante Province. It is part of the Santiago Metropolitan Region.
The name Talagante comes from the Quechua word talacanta. This word means "Sorcerer's Lasso". It was the name of a local ruler, called a curaca. This ruler governed the valley for the Inca empire when the Spanish arrived.
Contents
Where is Talagante Located?
Talagante is in the Chilean Central Valley. It sits at an elevation of 313 meters (about 1,027 feet) above sea level. The city is about 35 kilometers (22 miles) southwest of Santiago, Chile's capital. The entire commune covers an area of 125.5 square kilometers (48.5 square miles).
Who Lives in Talagante?
According to a census from 2002, Talagante had 59,805 people living there. This included 29,468 men and 30,337 women. Most people, about 49,957 (83.5%), lived in city areas. The rest, 9,848 people (16.5%), lived in the countryside. The population of Talagante grew a lot between 1992 and 2002.
How is Talagante Governed?
Talagante is a commune, which means it's a local government area in Chile. It is managed by a municipal council. This council is led by an alcalde, who is like a mayor. The alcalde is chosen by the people in an election every four years.
Local Leaders in Talagante
From 2012 to 2016, the alcalde was Raúl Leiva Carvajal. He was an independent leader, meaning he didn't belong to a specific political party. The council members who worked with him were:
- Luis Silva Pavez (from the Christian Democratic Party)
- Sebastián Rosas Guerrero (from the Socialist Party)
- Patricio Huerta Moraga (from the National Renewal party)
- María Eugenia Torres Miranda (from the Party for Democracy)
- Félix Donoso Gómez (from the Socialist Party)
- Juan Cartagena Diaz (from the Independent Democratic Union)
Talagante's Role in National Politics
Talagante is part of a larger area for national elections. For the Chamber of Deputies, which is like one part of Chile's parliament, Talagante is in the 31st electoral district. This district also includes other towns like Peñaflor and Melipilla. Denise Pascal (Socialist Party) and Gonzalo Uriarte (Independent Democratic Union) represented this district.
For the Senate, which is the other part of Chile's parliament, Talagante is in the 7th senatorial constituency. This area is known as Santiago-West. Guido Girardi Lavín (Party for Democracy) and Jovino Novoa Vásquez (Independent Democratic Union) represented this area.
