Tucapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tucapel
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Town and Commune
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| Country | Chile | ||||
| Region | Bío Bío | ||||
| Province | Bío Bío | ||||
| Government | |||||
| • Type | Municipality | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 914.9 km2 (353.2 sq mi) | ||||
| Elevation | 331 m (1,086 ft) | ||||
| Population
(2012 Census)
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| • Total | 13,427 | ||||
| • Density | 14.6759/km2 (38.010/sq mi) | ||||
| • Urban | 8,827 | ||||
| • Rural | 3,950 | ||||
| Demonym(s) | Tucapelino | ||||
| Sex | |||||
| • Men | 6,403 | ||||
| • Women | 6,374 | ||||
| Time zone | UTC-4 (CLT) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (CLST) | ||||
| Area code(s) | 56 + 43 | ||||
| Website | Municipality of Tucapel | ||||
Tucapel is a town and a commune in the Bío Bío Province of Chile. A commune is like a local government area. Tucapel was once part of a larger historical region called Araucanía. This area was named after the Tucapel River.
The name Tucapel comes from the Moluche people. They lived between the Lebu and Lleulleu Rivers. These people were known for fighting bravely against the Spanish during the Arauco War. Tucapel is also the name of a famous leader from this region. He fought the Spanish and is mentioned in an old epic poem called La Araucana.
The capital of the Tucapel commune is the town of Huépil. The local government moved there in 1967. In the Mapudungun language, Huépil means "To seize or to take by force." The main ways people earn money in Tucapel are through shops, farming, and forestry.
Contents
History of Tucapel
Tucapel has a long history in Chile. It was originally part of the Rere Province. In this area, there were three important fortresses built by the Spanish. These were called Talcamávida, Yumbel, and San Diego de Tucapel.
Early Forts and Battles
The fortress of San Diego de Alcalá de Tucapel was built by Pedro de Valdivia in 1552. It was on a hill in the Tucapel River valley, where the city of Cañete is today. Near this spot, Valdivia was defeated and died in the Battle of Tucapel. This happened after he tried to help the fortress, which had already been destroyed by the Mapuche leader Lautaro in December 1553.
In 1557, the fortress and a new city called Cañete de la Frontera were rebuilt. This was done by García Hurtado de Mendoza. It was about three kilometers west of where Cañete is now. The fort survived an attack by the Mapuche leader Caupolicán. However, it was left empty again in January 1563 during another Mapuche uprising.
Later, Rodrigo de Quiroga rebuilt it in 1566. But it was finally abandoned after the Battle of Curalaba in 1598. This battle was part of a big Mapuche uprising. The current city of Cañete was founded much later, on November 12, 1868. This was part of a plan to bring peace to the Araucanía region.
New Fort and Town
In 1603, a new fort called Tucapel was built. It was on the same spot as Valdivia's old fort. This was part of a system of forts set up by Alonso de Ribera to protect the border. The fort was improved in 1668 by Governor Diego Dávila Coello. He brought people to live there and made it a mission site. He named it Plaza de San Diego de Tucapel.
This place was often attacked by the Mapuche. It was captured by Vilumilla in the Mapuche Uprising of 1723. The fort was then abandoned and torn down in 1724. Its soldiers and residents moved to the Laja River, closer to the Andes mountains. There, a new Plaza de San Diego de Tucapel was built. Later, the modern town of Tucapel grew up around this new fort.
People of Tucapel
According to a 2002 census, Tucapel covers an area of 914.9 square kilometers. It had 12,777 people living there at that time. Out of these, 6,403 were men and 6,374 were women.
Most people, about 8,827 (69.1%), lived in urban areas, which means towns or cities. The remaining 3,950 people (30.9%) lived in rural areas, which are countryside areas. The number of people living in Tucapel grew by 6.3% between 1992 and 2002.
How Tucapel is Governed
As a commune, Tucapel is a local government area in Chile. It is managed by a municipal council. The head of this council is the alcalde, which is like a mayor. The alcalde is chosen by the people in an election every four years. The alcalde from 2008 to 2012 was Jaime Sergio Veloso Jara.
Tucapel is also part of larger areas for national elections. For example, it is part of an electoral district that chooses members for the Chamber of Deputies. This is one of the two parts of Chile's national parliament. Tucapel also helps choose members for the Senate, which is the other part of the parliament.
See also
In Spanish: Tucapel para niños
