María Elena is a Chilean ceety an commune in Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region. Accordin tae the 2012 census, the commune population wis 4,593 an haes a aurie o 12,197.2 km2 (4,709 sq mi).[3]

María Elena
Coat of arms
Coat airms
Map o María Elena in Antofagasta Region
Map o María Elena in Antofagasta Region
Location in Chile
Location in Chile
María Elena
Location in Chile
Coordinates: 22°10′S 69°25′W / 22.167°S 69.417°W / -22.167; -69.417Coordinates: 22°10′S 69°25′W / 22.167°S 69.417°W / -22.167; -69.417
Kintra Chile
Region Antofagasta
ProvinceTocopilla
Settledapprox. 1920
Govrenment
 • TeepMunicipality
 • AlcaldeJorge Godoy Bolvarán (PS)
Area
 • Total12197.2 km2 (4,709.4 sq mi)
Elevation
1155 m (3,789 ft)
Population
 (2012)[3]
 • Total4,543
 • Density0.37/km2 (0.96/sq mi)
 • Urban
7412
 • Landwart
118
Sex
 • Male7,298
 • Female3,232
Time zoneUTC−4 (CLT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−3 (CLST)
Area code(s)56 + 55
WebsiteMunicipality of María Elena

History eedit

Maria Elena is namit efter Mary Ellen Comdon, wife o the first saltpeter refinery office (oficina salitre) manager, Elias Cappelens. Oreeginally, the name o the office wis "Coya Norte". Situatit on laund purchased frae the Treasury in 1924, the plant wis inauguratit in 1926 wi the sodium nitrate extraction seestem patentit bi the Guggenheim Brothers, which replacit the Shanks seestem. Its layoot wis made on the basis of the Banner o the Unitit Kinrick. Thegither wi the umwhile refinery at Pedro de Valdivia built in 1931, they wur the lairgest saltpeter refineries wi a combined ootput o ower ane million tons per year.

In 1965 baith wur taken ower bi the state, throu Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM or "Chemistry an Minin Society", which wis privatisit in 1980. This privatization explains why maist fowk's laund an biggins are awned bi SQM an no the Chilean state.

In 1996, it became the anerly active minin commonty in the kintra efter the closur o the saltpeter office at Pedro de Valdivia. Efter the closur o the latter office, mony wirkers an their faimilies wur relocatit tae Maria Elena.

On 14 November 2007, the 7.7 Mw Tocopilla yirdquauk wi a epicenter 80 km (50 mi) north o Maria Elena, devastatit the aurie. Amaist aw the toun's auld hooses collapsed or wur rendered uninhabitable, an the local hospital amaist completely collapsed wi nae loss of life or injuries[4]

Demographics eedit

Accordin tae the 2002 census o the Naitional Statistics Institute María Elena haed 7,530 inhabitants; o these, 7,412 (98.4%) livit in urban auries an 118 (1.6%) in landwart auries. At that time, thare wur 4,298 men an 3,232 weemen. Bi 2002, the population haed fawen 44.9% (124,130 fowk) syne the 1992 census o 13,660.[3]

The commune o María Elena is componit o sax census destricts.

Census destrict 1992 Census 2002 Census
# Destrict Aurie (km2) Total Urban Landwart Total Urban Landwart
1 Quillagua 4,014.7 103 0 103 127 0 127
2 Rica Aventura 1,480.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Toco 1,937.5 11 0 11 4 0 4
4 María Elena 1,475.0 7,413 7,412 1 2,556 2,553 3
5 Francisco Vergara 805.0 1 0 1 1 0 1
6 Pedro de Valdivia 2,485.0 2 0 2 1 0 1
Total 12,197.2 7,530 7,412 118 2,689 2,553 136

Source: INE 2007 report, "Territorial division of Chile"[5]

Admeenistration eedit

As a commune, María Elena 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 Jorge Godoy Bolvarán (PS), and the council has the following members:[1][2]

  • Carlos Hidalgo Marfull
  • Nelson Avendaño Véliz
  • Jaqueline Godoy Soto
  • Jorge Ramirez Plaza
  • Carlos Ardiles Aceituno
  • Andrés Concha F.

athin the electoral diveesions o Chile, María Elena is representit in the Chamber o Deputies bi Marcos Espinosa (PRSD) an Felipe Ward (UDI) as pairt o the 3rd electoral destrict, (thegither wi Tocopilla, Calama, Ollagüe an San Pedro de Atacama). The commune is representit in the Senate bi Carlos Cantero Ojeda (Ind.) an José Antonio Gómez (PRSD) as pairt o the 2nt senatorial constituency (Antofagasta Region).

References eedit

  1. a b "Municipality of María Elena" (in Spainish). Archived frae the original on 15 September 2007. Retrieved 27 Januar 2011.
  2. a b "Asociación Chilena de Municipalidades" (in Spainish). Archived frae the original on 15 September 2007. Retrieved 27 Januar 2011.
  3. a b c d e (in Spaingie) Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas
  4. "El hospital se vino abajo" (in Spainish). 15 November 2007. Archived frae the original on 7 Julie 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  5. "Territorial division of Chile" (PDF). Retrieved 11 September 2010.

Freemit airtins eedit

Template:Communes in Antofagasta Region