San Fernando, Chile
{{Infobox settlement
| name = San Fernando
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = es
| settlement_type = City and Commune
| image_skyline = Plaza San Fernando (Chile).jpg
| image_alt = San Fernando's central plaza.
| image_caption = San Fernando's central plaza.
| image_flag =
| flag_alt = Flag
| image_shield = Escudo de San Fernando (Chile).svg
| shield_alt = Coat of arms
| image_map = Comuna de San Fernando.svg
| map_alt = Map of San Fernando commune in O'Higgins Region
| map_caption = Map of San Fernando commune in O'Higgins Region
| pushpin_map = Chile
| pushpin_map_narrow = yes
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_map_alt = Location in Chile
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Chile
| coordinates_footnotes =
| coor_pinpoint = city
| coordinates = {{coord|34|35|S|70|59|W|region:CL-LI|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flagicon|Chile}} Chile
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = {{flagicon|O'Higgins}} O'Higgins
| subdivision_type2 = Province
| subdivision_name2 = {{flagicon|Colchagua}} Colchagua
| established_title = Founded
| established_date = 1742
| founder = José Antonio Manso de Velasco
| seat_type =
| seat =
| government_footnotes = {{Cite web |url = http://www.municipalidadsanfernando.cl/ |title=Municipality of San Fernando | accessdate=13 December 2010|language=es}}
| government_type = Municipality
| leader_party = Independent
| leader_title = mayor
| leader_name = Pablo Silva Pérez
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_total_km2 = 2441.3
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 89
| population_total = 73,973
| population_as_of = 2017 Census
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = Sanfernandino/a
| demographics_type1 = Sex
| demographics1_title1 = Men
| demographics1_info1 = 36,077
| demographics1_title2 = Women
| demographics1_info2 = 37,896
| timezone = CLT{{cite web |url=http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-time.htm |accessdate=2010-07-28 |title=Chile Time |publisher=WorldTimeZones.org |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911130719/http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-time.htm |archivedate=2007-09-11 }}
| utc_offset = -4
| timezone_DST = CLST{{cite web |url=http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-summer-time.htm |accessdate=2010-07-28 |title=Chile Summer Time |publisher=WorldTimeZones.org |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911130451/http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-summer-time.htm |archivedate=2007-09-11 }}
| utc_offset_DST = -3
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = 3070000
| area_code_type =
| area_code = +56 72
| website = [https://www.munisanfernando.cl/ Official website] {{in lang|es}}
| footnotes =
}}
San Fernando is the capital of the province of Colchagua, in central Chile, and the second most populated urban center of the O'Higgins Region. Located close to the Tinguiririca River (a tributary of the Rapel) in a fertile valley, San Fernando sits 339 m (1,112 feet) above sea level. Founded in 1742, it became the provincial capital in 1840.
Culture
San Fernando is famous for its rodeos, thanks to its location at the heart of the country. The surrounding area yields wheat, forage crops, rice, legumes and grapes. There is also a brand of Chilean wine called San Fernando.
Both the Pan-American Highway and Chile's main longitudinal railroad run through San Fernando.
San Fernando is located at the northern tip of Chile's Colchagua Valley. This region is popularly known as the heart of chilean agriculture. Here you can find the "wine route" which will take visitors on a journey from San Fernando to Santa Cruz, visiting some of Chile's most traditional vineyards.
Some major attractions in and around San Fernando include Casa Silva, a hotel, vineyard, and winery. Hacienda Los Lingues, a traditional chilean-style, colonial home of an hacienda "patrón" or owner that has been turned into a hotel and restaurant. The hacienda offers horseback riding adventures into the precordillera of the Andes.
Most major producers of fresh fruit for export are located in and around San Fernando. These include: Frusan, Unifruti, and Agricola Panagro. Within the orchards and farms of the region one can find almost every type of fresh produce; from citrus to premium quality fresh cherries.
San Fernando is also the point of departure to begin a trip to "Las Termas Del Flaco" (The thermal baths of Flaco). Flaco can be reached by travelling east of ruta 5 on the road to Puente Negro. "Las Termas" baths are open from mid-December to April and are located in an area famous for its large populations of Tricahues, a type of native parrot,{{cite web |url=http://www.turismovillarrica.cl/english/birds.html#loro |title = Anacondaweb - Servicio Suspendido}} and fossilized dinosaur footprints.
Demographics
According to the 2017 census of the National Statistics Institute, San Fernando spans an area of {{convert|2441.3|sqkm|0|abbr=on}} and has 73,973 inhabitants (36,077 men and 37,896 women). The population grew by 16.1% (11,881 persons) between the 2002 and 2017 censuses.
Administration
As a commune, San Fernando is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by a mayor who is democratically elected every four years. The current administration is run by Pablo Silva Pérez (right-wing independent) who was elected in the 2021 Chilean municipal elections.
Climate
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|collapsed = Y
|location = Rengo
|Jan high C = 29.8
|Feb high C = 28.8
|Mar high C = 26.2
|Apr high C = 22.1
|May high C = 18.8
|Jun high C = 14.0
|Jul high C = 13.8
|Aug high C = 14.2
|Sep high C = 18.4
|Oct high C = 21.7
|Nov high C = 24.0
|Dec high C = 28.3
| year high C =
|Jan mean C = 21.4
|Feb mean C = 20.2
|Mar mean C = 17.0
|Apr mean C = 13.6
|May mean C = 10.5
|Jun mean C = 7.6
|Jul mean C = 7.9
|Aug mean C = 8.5
|Sep mean C = 11.3
|Oct mean C = 14.4
|Nov mean C = 16.7
|Dec mean C = 20.1
| year mean C =
|Jan low C = 12.8
|Feb low C = 11.6
|Mar low C = 9.0
|Apr low C = 6.7
|May low C = 5.4
|Jun low C = 2.5
|Jul low C = 3.2
|Aug low C = 3.6
|Sep low C = 5.0
|Oct low C = 7.7
|Nov low C = 9.5
|Dec low C = 11.5
| year low C =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 5.4
|Feb precipitation mm = 9.3
|Mar precipitation mm = 9.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 16.6
|May precipitation mm = 98.7
|Jun precipitation mm = 157.6
|Jul precipitation mm = 118.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 100.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 38.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 24.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 18.7
|Dec precipitation mm = 3.4
|year precipitation mm =
| Jan humidity = 61
| Feb humidity = 62
| Mar humidity = 70
| Apr humidity = 76
| May humidity = 84
| Jun humidity = 85
| Jul humidity = 84
| Aug humidity = 84
| Sep humidity = 77
| Oct humidity = 74
| Nov humidity = 69
| Dec humidity = 60
| year humidity =
|source 1 = Bioclimatografia de Chile{{cite web
| first1 = Ernst
| last1 = Hajek
| first2 = Francesco
| url = http://www.ecolyma.cl/documentos/bioclimatografia_de_chile.pdf
| title = Bioclimatografia de Chile
| access-date = 27 May 2024
| last2 = Castri
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091122225453/http://www.ecolyma.cl/documentos/bioclimatografia_de_chile.pdf
|archive-date = 22 November 2009
| language = es
| year = 1975}}
}}
Gallery
Image:SanFco SanFernando.JPG|San Francisco Church.
Image:Gobernación Provincial de Colchagua (Ex Intendencia), 2005.jpg|Gobernación de Colchagua.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|San Fernando, Chile}}
- {{in lang|es}} [http://www.municipalidadsanfernando.cl/ Municipality of San Fernando]
- {{in lang|es}} [http://www.vi.cl Information about San Fernando]
- {{Cite NIE|wstitle=San Fernando (Chile)|display=San Fernando. The capital of the Province of Colchagua, Chile|short=x}}
{{Communes in O'Higgins Region}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places established in 1742
Category:Populated places in Colchagua Province