Lebu, Chile

Lebu is a port city and commune in central Chile administered by the Municipality of Lebu. Lebu is also the capital of Arauco Province in Bío Bío Region. It lies on the south bank of the mouth of the Lebu River.

Lebu
City and Commune
Panoramical view of Lebu
Coat of arms
Location of the Lebu commune in Bío Bío Region
Lebu
Location in Chile
Coordinates (city): 37°36′S 73°40′W
CountryChile
RegionBío Bío
ProvinceArauco
Founded8 October 1862
Government
 • TypeMunicipality
 • AlcaldeCristián Abel Peña Morales (Ind.)
Area
 • Total561.4 km2 (216.8 sq mi)
Elevation
74 m (243 ft)
Population
 (2012 Census)[3]
 • Total23,722
 • Density42/km2 (110/sq mi)
 • Urban
21,991
 • Rural
3,044
Demonym(s)Lebulense
Sex
 • Men12,416
 • Women12,619
Time zoneUTC−4 (CLT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−3 (CLST)
Area code(s)56 + 41
ClimateCsb
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

The commune includes Mocha Island.

History

Lebu was first settled a little up the Lebu River from the site of the current city at Fort Santa Margarita built by García Hurtado de Mendoza at the beginning of 1557 on the north bank of the Lebu River by the salto de Gualgalén, to the west of the ford of Cupaño.[4] In 1566 Governor Rodrigo de Quiroga built a fort almost in the same place as the present city of Lebu under the command of captain Agustín de Ahumada. Besieged here by the Mapuche it was finally abandoned in 1569.

Fort Santa Margarita was destroyed in 1599, in 1603 it was rebuilt as Fort Santa Margarita de Austria by the Governor Alonso de Ribera.[5]

In the 20th century the town developed as coal mining centre. The 1960 Valdivia earthquake destroyed numerous houses in the town.[6]

Climate
Lebu
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
26
 
 
18
11
 
 
17
 
 
18
10
 
 
21
 
 
16
9
 
 
76
 
 
15
8
 
 
194
 
 
14
8
 
 
161
 
 
12
6
 
 
173
 
 
12
7
 
 
132
 
 
12
6
 
 
75
 
 
13
7
 
 
47
 
 
15
7
 
 
42
 
 
16
9
 
 
23
 
 
17
10
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: Weather 2[7] and  World Weather Online[8] average

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as warm-summer Mediterranean (Csb).

Demographics

As a commune, Lebu is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Carlos González Anjari (PS).[1][2] Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Lebu is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Manuel Monsalve (PS) and Iván Norambuena (UDI) as part of the 46th electoral district, (together with Lota, Arauco, Curanilahue, Los Álamos, Cañete, Contulmo and Tirúa). The commune is represented in the Senate by Victor Pérez Varela (UDI) and Mariano Ruiz -Esquide Jara (PDC) as part of the 13th senatorial constituency (Biobío-Coast).

Administration

As a commune, Lebu is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Carlos González Anjari (PS).[1][2]

Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Lebu is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Manuel Monsalve (PS) and Iván Norambuena (UDI) as part of the 46th electoral district, (together with Lota, Arauco, Curanilahue, Los Álamos, Cañete, Contulmo and Tirúa). The commune is represented in the Senate by Victor Pérez Varela (UDI) and Mariano Ruiz -Esquide Jara (PDC) as part of the 13th senatorial constituency (Biobío-Coast).

See also

References
  1. "Asociación Chilena de Municipalidades" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  2. "Municipality of Lebu" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  3. "National Statistics Institute" (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  4. Francisco Solano Asta-Buruaga y Cienfuegos (1899). "Santa Margarita". Geographical Dictionary of the Republic of Chile (in Spanish). New York: D. Appleton & Company. p. 744. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  5. FUERTE SANTA MARGARITA DE AUSTRIA
  6. Davis, Eliodoro Martín (1990). "Breves recuerdos de algunas actividades mineras del carbón". Actas. Segundo Simposio sobre el Terciario de Chile (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile: Departamento de Geociencias, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Concepción. pp. 189–203.
  7. "Climate History for Lebu". Weather 2. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  8. "Lebu, Chile Weather Averages". World Weather Online. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
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