Map of Bío-Bío
Bío-Bío is a first-level division of Chile. Its largest mapped city is Concepción, with about 889,725 people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Bío-Bío, and the tables list its 8 mapped cities along with the ports nearest to them.
- Cities Mapped
- 8
- Largest City
- Concepción
- Country
- Chile
Interactive Map of Bío-Bío
About Bío-Bío
The Biobío Region (Spanish: Región del Biobío [ˌbi.oˈβi.o]) is one of Chile's sixteen regions (first-order administrative divisions). With a population of 1.5 million, thus being the third most populated region in Chile, it is divided into three provinces: Arauco, Biobío and Concepción. The latter contains its capital and largest city, Concepción, a major city and metro area in the country. Los Ángeles, capital of the Biobío Province, is another important city in the region.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Biobío Region (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Bío-Bío in Depth
History
This is an inland valley between the cities of Concepción and Los Angeles, and it felt the greatest impact of the earthquake of 27 February 2010. The Department of Rere was a vital settlement area of Chileans and the three-hundred-year struggle (until the 1870s) to defeat the strong indigenous tribe of the Mapuches.
Chilean settlers of Spanish California from the present Region of the Bio Bío (especially from Concepción, Talcahuano, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and the Department of Rere) may have played a part in the establishment of Los Angeles and the rest of southern California in the period between 1775 and 1820.
Geography
The Region of the Biobío is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the east by Argentina, on the north by the Chilean Ñuble Region, and on the south by the Araucanía Region.
The Region has been hit by many Chilean earthquakes, including the most powerful earthquake ever recorded (in 1960) and the great earthquake of 2010. Many communities in the region were greatly affected by the earthquake of 2010 and the subsequent tsunami. That earthquake damaged Talcahuano and Dichato; the tsunami destroyed much of what remained of the port town.
Economy
For decades, the characteristic feature of the Biobío Region has been its manufacturing industry, which contributes 35.6% of its GDP and operates mainly around the ports of Talcahuano, San Vicente, Lirquén, and Coronel, the greatest concentration of ports in Chile. The range of activities is broad, extending from iron and steel making to foodstuffs manufacture, petrochemicals, metalworking, oil refining, and shipyards.
The region's dynamism is also rooted in its large rivers. The important hydroelectric power complex on the Laja River is composed of the El Toro, Abanico, and Antuco power plants, and the Pangue and Ralco plants on the upper Biobío River. These facilities supply 26.6% of the energy used from Taltal in the north to Chiloé Archipelago 2,500 km (1,553 mi) to the south.
Demographics and cities
According to data from the 2017 census, the Region of the Biobío, with 2,018,803 inhabitants, is the second most populous region of Chile, after the Metropolitan Region of Santiago. In connection with the 1992 census, reflecting a total population of 1,734,305 inhabitants, there was a population growth of 7.3% in 10 years (1992–2002), the second lowest nationally, after the Region Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica. Taking into account their 37062.6 km ² in area, was in 2002, a density of 50.23 inhabitants per km2, the third highest nationally.
The 2002 census showed an urban population of 1,528,306 inhabitants, corresponding to 82.1% of regional population and a rural population of 333,256 inhabitants, equivalent to 17.9% of the population of the region.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Biobío Region (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Bío-Bío: Key Facts
| Population | 1,613,059 (2024) |
|---|---|
| Area | 23,890 km² |
| Capital | Concepción |
| Head of government | Sergio Giacaman García |
Facts from Wikidata Q2170 (CC0).
History of Bío-Bío: Empires and States
The atlas records 2 polities whose mapped territory included part of Bío-Bío, from The Spanish Empire in 1552 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| The Spanish Empire | 1552–1819 CE |
| Republic of Chile | 1812–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Bío-Bío
Bío-Bío on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Largest Cities in Bío-Bío
8 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concepción | 889,725 | Bío-Bío | Admin-1 capital |
| 2 | Talcahuano | 288,074 | Bío-Bío | Populated place |
| 3 | Chillán | 150,396 | Bío-Bío | Populated place |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 145,239 | Bío-Bío | Populated place |
| 5 | Coronel | 92,940 | Bío-Bío | Populated place |
| 6 | Lota | 49,763 | Bío-Bío | Populated place |
| 7 | Curanilahue | 30,611 | Bío-Bío | Populated place |
| 8 | Lebu | 22,345 | Bío-Bío | Populated place |
Ports in Bío-Bío
5 ports mapped. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lota | 34.7 m | Very Small | Pacific Coast of South America | medium vessels |
| 2 | Coronel | 20.1 m | Small | Pacific Coast of South America | large vessels |
| 3 | Bahia San Vicente | 5.5 m | Very Small | Pacific Coast of South America | large vessels |
| 4 | Lirquen | — | Very Small | Pacific Coast of South America | medium vessels |
| 5 | Penco | — | Very Small | Pacific Coast of South America | large vessels |
Bío-Bío: Quick Answers
- Where is Bío-Bío?
- Bío-Bío is a first-level division of Chile, in South America. Its mapped cities centre on 37.1020° S, 72.9928° W.
- What is the largest city in Bío-Bío?
- Concepción is the largest city mapped in Bío-Bío, with a metropolitan population of about 889,725.
- How many cities are in Bío-Bío?
- YearMaps maps 8 cities and towns in Bío-Bío, with a combined metropolitan population of about 1.67 million. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.