Penco

Penco
Center of Penco
Center of Penco


Coat of arms
Location of Penco commune in the Bío Bío Region
Location in Chile
Location in Chile
Penco
Location in Chile
Coordinates (city): 36°44′S 72°59′W / 36.733°S 72.983°W / -36.733; -72.983
CountryChile
RegionBío Bío
ProvinceConcepción
FoundedFebruary 12, 1550
Founded asConcepción del Nuevo Extremo
Founded byPedro de Valdivia
Government
 • TypeMunicipality
 • AlcaldeVíctor Figueroa Rebolledo (ILE)
Area
 • Total
107.6 km2 (41.5 sq mi)
Elevation
115 m (377 ft)
Population
 (2012 Census)[3]
 • Total
46,176
 • Density430/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
 • Urban
45,361
 • Rural
655
DemonymPencones
Sex
 • Men22,366
 • Women23,650
Time zoneUTC−4 (CLT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−3 (CLST)
Area code56 + 41
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

Penco (Mapudungun: See (Pen), Water (Ko)), is a Chilean city and commune in Concepción Province, Bío Bío Region on the Bay of Concepción. Founded as the city of Concepción del Nuevo Extremo ('beginning of the new extreme') on February 12, 1550 by Pedro de Valdivia, it is the third oldest city in Chile, after capital Santiago founded first in 1541 and La Serena second in 1544.

As there may be confusion between the demonyms of the inhabitants of Concepción and Penco. Due to the previous location of Concepción, inhabitants of that city are called penquistas while inhabitants of Penco are known as pencones.

  1. ^ "Asociación Chilena de Municipalidades" (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  2. ^ "Municipality of Penco" (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  3. ^ a b c "National Statistics Institute" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2010.