# Choapa Province

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Province in Coquimbo, Chile

Choapa Province Seal Location in the Coquimbo Region Choapa Location in Chile Coordinates: 31°40′S 71°00′W / 31.667°S 71.000°W / -31.667; -71.000 Country Chile Region Coquimbo Capital Illapel Communes List of 4: Illapel Salamanca, Chile Los Vilos Canela Government • Type Provincial Area [1] • Total 10,131.6 km2 (3,911.8 sq mi) Population (2024 Census) • Total 92,350 • Density 9.115/km2 (23.61/sq mi) Time zone UTC−4 (CLT[2]) • Summer (DST) UTC-3 (CLST[3]) Area code 56 + 53 Website Government of Choapa

**Choapa Province** is a [province](/source/Provinces_of_Chile) in the [Coquimbo Region](/source/Coquimbo_Region) of Chile. Its capital is [Illapel](/source/Illapel). Spread over an area of 10,136.6 km2 (3,913.8 sq mi), it had a population of 92,350 inhabitants as per the [2024 Chilean census](/source/2024_Chilean_census). The province was established by law on 1 August 1974. It is one of the major [wine](/source/Wine) producing regions in Chile.

## History

The [Coquimbo Region](/source/Coquimbo_Region) was established on 1 August 1974, from the erstwhile Intendency of Coquimbo, which had been established on 23 September 1811. It is divided into three provinces: Choapa, [Limarí](/source/Limar%C3%AD_Province) and [Elqui](/source/Elqui_Province), which are further divided into 18 [communes](/source/Communes_of_Chile).[4]

## Geography

Choapa Province is one of the provinces of the [Coquimbo Region](/source/Coquimbo_Region) in Chile.[4][5] It spans an area of 10,136.6 km2 (3,913.8 sq mi)[1] and has its capital at [Illapel](/source/Illapel).[6] The province is divided into four [communes](/source/Communes_of_Chile)–[Illapel](/source/Illapel), [Salamanca](/source/Salamanca%2C_Choapa), [Los Vilos](/source/Los_Vilos), and [Canela](/source/Canela%2C_Chile).[5]

The province is located in the Choapa Valley, which is one of the major [wine](/source/Wine) producing regions in Chile. It is located in the narrowest part of Chile, with less than 100 km (62 mi) width between the [Andes](/source/Andes) mountains in the east and the Pacific Ocean in the west.[6][7] The region has an arid climate with an average of only 10 cm (3.9 in) rainfall annually. The vineyards are planted on rocky, foothill soils and produce high quality [Syrah](/source/Syrah) and [Cabernet Sauvignon](/source/Cabernet_Sauvignon) grapes, which have a high acidity and low pH.[7]

The economy has been dependent on [agriculture](/source/Agriculture) and [mining](/source/Mining) previously. However, years of mining, has left huge toxic wastes, which have polluted the water bodies. The region faced severe drought in the 2010s due to increased [desertification](/source/Desertification), and shortage of water in the [Illapel](/source/Illapel_River) and [Choapa Rivers](/source/Choapa_River).[6]

## Demographics

According to the [2024 Chilean census](/source/2024_Chilean_census), the province had a population of 92,350 inhabitants. The population consisted of 46,880 females (50.8%) and 45,470 males (49.2%). About 18.2% of the population was below the age of 15 years, 64.7% belonged to the age group of 15–64 years, and 17.2% was aged 65 years or older. The province had an urban population of 55,845 inhabitants (60.5%) and a rural population of 36,505 inhabitants (39.5%). Most of the residents were born in Chile, accounting for 88,621 inhabitants (96%). Non-indigenous people formed the majority of the population with 83,603 inhabitants (90.5%), while 8,740 inhabitants (9.5%) identified themselves as belonging to indigenous groups. [Roman Catholics](/source/Roman_Catholics) formed the largest religious group with 48,519 adherents (64.4%), followed by 16,628 inhabitants (22.1%) indicating no religious affiliation, and [Evangelicals](/source/Evangelicals) or [Protestants](/source/Protestants) with 8,323 adherents (11%).[8][9]

## See also

- [Chilean wine](/source/Chilean_wine)

- [Elqui Valley](/source/Elqui_Valley_(wine_region))

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-INE_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-INE_1-1) ["Territorial division of Chile"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101114052159/http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_estadistico/territorio/division_politico_administrativa/pdf/DPA_COMPLETA.pdf) (PDF) (in Spanish). [National Statistics Institute](/source/National_Statistics_Institute_(Chile)). 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_estadistico/territorio/division_politico_administrativa/pdf/dpa_completa.pdf) (PDF) on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 18 March 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Chile Time"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070911130719/http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-time.htm). *World Time Zones*. Archived from [the original](http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-time.htm) on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Chile Summer Time"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070911130451/http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-summer-time.htm). *World Time Zones*. Archived from [the original](http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-summer-time.htm) on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hist_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hist_4-1) ["Region de Coquimbo"](https://www.descentralizachile.cl/region_de_coquimbo/) [Coquimbo region]. *[Ministry of the Interior (Chile)](/source/Ministry_of_the_Interior_(Chile))* (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 April 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Admin_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Admin_5-1) ["Administrative division of Chile"](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/chile/mun/admin/). *City Population.de*. Retrieved 1 April 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Water_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Water_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Water_6-2) ["Illapel: Chilean city caught in perfect storm of mega-drought and mining"](https://dialogue.earth/en/water/57035-illapel-chile-city-mega-drought-mining-perfect-storm/). *Dialogue Earth*. Retrieved 1 April 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Wine_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Wine_7-1) ["Choapa Valley"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140401035824/http://www.winesofchile.org/chilean-wine/wine-regions/choapa-valley/). *Wines of Chile*. Archived from [the original](http://www.winesofchile.org/chilean-wine/wine-regions/choapa-valley/) on 1 April 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CP_8-0)** ["Choapa Province"](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/chile/mun/admin/042__choapa/). *City Population.de*. Retrieved 1 April 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Chilean Census 2024, Results](https://storage.googleapis.com/bktdescargascenso2024/viviendas_censo2024.zip). *[National Statistics Institute (Chile)](/source/National_Statistics_Institute_(Chile))* (Report). Retrieved 1 April 2026.

v t e Provinces of Chile Aysén Antártica Chilena Antofagasta Arauco Arica Bío Bío Cachapoal Capitán Prat Cardenal Caro Cauquenes Cautín Chacabuco Chañaral Chiloé Choapa Coyhaique Colchagua Concepción Copiapó Cordillera Curicó Diguillín El Loa El Ranco Elqui General Carrera Huasco Iquique Itata Isla de Pascua Limarí Linares Llanquihue Los Andes Magallanes Maipo Malleco Marga Marga Melipilla Osorno Palena Parinacota Petorca Punilla Quillota San Antonio San Felipe de Aconcagua Santiago Talagante Talca Tamarugal Tierra del Fuego Tocopilla Última Esperanza Valdivia Valparaíso

v t e < Communes and municipalities in Coquimbo Region > Elqui Andacollo Coquimbo La Higuera La Serena Paihuano Vicuña Limarí Combarbalá Monte Patria Punitaqui Río Hurtado Ovalle Choapa Canela Illapel Los Vilos Salamanca

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Choapa Province](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choapa_Province) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choapa_Province?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.