Villa Alegre, Chile facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Villa Alegre
City and Commune
Flag Coat of arms Location of the Villa Alegre commune in the Maule Region Villa Alegre Location in Chile
Country	Chile
Region	Maule
Province	Linares
Founded	May 6, 1891
Government
• Type	Municipality
Area
• Total	189.8 km2 (73.3 sq mi)
Elevation	67 m (220 ft)
Population  (2012 Census)
• Total	14,695
• Density	77.424/km2 (200.53/sq mi)
• Urban	5,456
• Rural	9,269
Demonym(s)	Villalegrino
Sex
• Men	7,332
• Women	7,393
Time zone	UTC-4 (CLT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-3 (CLST)
Area code(s)	56 + 73

Villa Alegre (Spanish for "joyous town") a commune and city located in Linares Province, Maule Region of Chile. With 189.8 km² (73 sq mi), Villa Alegre is the smallest commune by area in the Maule Region. It sits 92 m (302 ft) above sea level.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Villa Alegre spans an area of 189.8 km² (73 sq mi) and has 14,725 inhabitants (7,332 men and 7,393 women). Of these, 5,456 (37.1%) lived in urban areas and 9,269 (62.9%) in rural areas. Between the 1992 and 2002 censuses, the population fell by 2.8% (425 persons).

History

Villa Alegre was founded on May 6, 1891, and was one of the first places in Chile to have an electric tramway service, in 1915.

Economy

Villa Alegre and its neighbor San Javier are traditional winemaking areas. The Loncomilla valley, which includes these two communes, is endowed with some of the better vineyards and quality wines of the bountiful Maule Valley, in the Chile's central valley viticultural regions or appellations.

Famous People born in Villa Alegre

• Juan Ignacio Molina, (Abate Molina): Jesuit priest, naturalist and scholar of the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Malaquías Concha Ortiz, politician and social reformer.
• Ismael Fuentes, footballer, current member of the Chile national football team

See also

In Spanish: Villa Alegre para niños