Linares is a Chilean city and commune located in the Maule Region and lies in the fertile Chilean Central Valley, south of Santiago and south of Talca, the regional capital. Linares is the capital city of the province of Linares. Demographics According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Linares spans an area of and has 83,249 inhabitants (40,518 men and 42,731 women). Of these, 68,224 (82%) lived in urban areas and 15,025 (18%) in rural areas. The population grew by 7.7% (5,933 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. Geography The municipality covers an area of and the city proper, . The rivers Ancoa, Putagán and Achibueno are the main rivers that pass through the municipality or form its natural borders. Most of the territory of the municipality is located within the central plain or "depresión intermedia" (Valle Central de Chile). Some low altitude hills are located in the westernmost part of the municipality, while its easternmost part is marked by the presence of the foothills of the Andes mountains. The municipality of Linares is bordered on the west by San Javier; on the north by Villa Alegre, Yerbas Buenas and Colbún; on the east, by Colbún, and on the south, by Longaví. The municipality of Colbún occupies the easternmost strip of the province, where some of the highest provincial peaks are located, as are the sources of several of the main rivers. Climate Linares has a mild mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb). The summers are hot and mainly dry (November to March) with temperatures reaching up to 32 -33 degrees Celsius on the hottest days. The winters (late May to mid September) tend to be rather humid and rainy, with typical maximum daily temperatures of 14-15 degrees Celsius, and minimum just above freezing. History and current status Linares was founded on May 23, 1794, as the "Villa de San Ambrosio de Linares" by Ambrosio O'Higgins, the then Viceroy of Peru and Bernardo O'Higgins's father. The city counts among its natives important statesmen, politicians, poets, writers, and musicians and is an active commercial, agricultural, industrial, and service center. The city of Linares houses the artillery school of the Chilean Army. From 1913 to 1954 Linares had a station on the narrow gauge Putagán—Colbún railway line between Linares and Colbún. Religion According to the 2002 census of the municipality of Linares, 75.41% (or 45,987 persons) of the total population