Vallenar

Vallenar


Coat of arms
Vallenar's urban hinterland
Vallenar is located in Chile
Vallenar
Vallenar
Location in Chile
Coordinates: 28°34′15″S 70°45′29″W / 28.57083°S 70.75806°W / -28.57083; -70.75806
Country Chile
Region Atacama
ProvinceHuasco
Founded1789
Founded asSan Ambrosio de Ballenary
Founded byAmbrose O'Higgins
Government
 • TypeMunicipality
 • AlcaldeCristian Tapia Ramos
Area
 • Total7,083.7 km2 (2,735.0 sq mi)
Elevation
441 m (1,447 ft)
Population
 (2012 Census)[2]
 • Total52,096
 • Density7.4/km2 (19/sq mi)
 • Urban
48,040
 • Rural
4,290
DemonymVallenarino
Sex
 • Men23,284
 • Women24,765
Time zoneUTC−4 (CLT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−3 (CLST)
Area code56 + 51
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

Vallenar is a city and commune in Atacama Region, Chile. It is the capital of the Huasco Province and is located in the valley of the Huasco River. Vallenar has 52,000 inhabitants. Its main activities are farming and mining. It was founded as San Ambrosio de Ballenary by Ambrose O'Higgins in 1789, after his birthplace in Ballynary in County Sligo, Ireland.

Llanos de Challe National Park is located 60 km (37 mi) northwest of the city of Vallenar.

  1. ^ "Municipality of Vallenar" (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "National Statistics Institute" (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 September 2010.