Provinces of Chile

A province is the second largest administrative division in Chile with 56 in total. The largest administrative division in Chile is that of a region with 16 in total.

Provinces of Chile Provincias de Chile (Spanish)
Category	Unitary unit
Location	Chile
Number	56
Populations	1,792 (Antártica Chilena) – 4,997,637 (Santiago Province)
Areas	164 km2 (63.2 sq mi) (Easter Island) - 1,265,854 km2 (488,748.8 sq mi) (Antártica Chilena)
Government	Provincial government, National government
Subdivisions	Communes

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Each provincial government (gobernación provincial) is headed by a governor (gobernador) appointed by the President. The governor exercises their powers in accordance with instructions from the regional intendant (intendente). The governor is advised by the Provincial Economic and Social Council (Consejo Económico y Social Provincial or CESPRO). The only exception is the Santiago Province, which makes no provision for provincial government in its regulations; the position corresponds to the intendant of the Santiago Metropolitan Region. In January 2001, the Provincial Delegation of Santiago was created with the position of a Provincial Delegate, who exercises the functions of a provincial governor on behalf of the respective intendant.

The country's provinces are further divided into 346 communes which are administered by an alcalde and municipal council.

Until the 1980s, a province was the main administrative division in Chile, with 25 provinces: Tarapacá, Antofagasta, Atacama, Coquimbo, Aconcagua, Valparaíso, Santiago, O'Higgins, Colchagua, Curicó, Talca, Maule, Linares, Ñuble, Concepción, Arauco, Biobío, Malleco, Cautín, Valdivia, Osorno (since 1940), Llanquihue, Chiloé, Aisén (since 1929), Magallanes (since 1929)