{{Infobox settlement <!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions --> | name = Punilla Province | official_name = | native_name = Provincia de Punilla | native_name_lang = es | settlement_type = Province | image_skyline = | image_alt = | image_caption = | nickname = | motto = |image_seal=Logo de la DPP Punilla.svg | image_map = Provincia de Punilla.svg | mapsize = 250px | map_alt = Location in the Ñuble Region | map_caption = Location in the Ñuble Region | pushpin_map = Chile | pushpin_mapsize = 175<!--omit "px"--> | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Chile | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Chile | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Ñuble | parts_type = Communes | parts = List of 5 | established_title = | established_date = | seat_type = Capital | seat = San Carlos | government_footnotes = | leader_title = Governor | leader_name = Cristóbal Martínez | leader_party = | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 5249.83 | area_rank = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_max_footnotes = | elevation_max_m = | elevation_max_ft = | population_footnotes = | population_total = 118,754 | population_as_of = 2024 | population_rank = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_blank1_title = | population_blank1 = | population_blank2_title = | population_blank2 = | demographics_type1 = | demographics1_footnotes = | demographics1_title1 = | demographics1_info1 = | demographics1_title2 = | demographics1_info2 = | timezone = CLT | utc_offset = −4 | timezone_DST = CLST | utc_offset_DST = −3 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Punilla Province''' is one of the three provinces of the Ñuble Region in Chile. Its capital is San Carlos. Spread over an area of {{cvt|5,249.83|km2}}, it had a population of 118,754 inhabitants as per the 2024 Chilean census. The province was established by law on 5 September 2017 and came into effect from 6 September 2018.
==History== The Ñuble Region was established by Law 21.033 enacted on 5 September 2017 and came into effect on 6 September 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1107597|work=Chilean National Congress|date=5 September 2017|title=Crea la xvi región de Nuble y las provincias de Diguillín, Punilla e Itata|trans-title=law 21033 creates the 16th region of Nuble and the provinces of Diguillín, Punilla and Itata |access-date=1 April 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latercera.com/noticia/senado-aprueba-proyecto-crea-region-nuble/|work=La Tercera|title=Senado aprueba proyecto que crea la Región de Ñuble|trans-title=Senate approves project creating the Ñuble Region|language=es|access-date=1 April 2026}}</ref><ref name="Hist">{{cite web|url=https://www.descentralizachile.cl/region_del_nuble/?|lang=es|title=Region del Nuble|trans-title=Nuble region|work=Ministry of the Interior (Chile)|access-date=1 April 2026}}</ref> It is divided into three provinces: Diguillín, Punilla, and Itata Provinces, which are further divided into 21 communes.<ref name="Hist"/>
The name Punila means "place in elevated territory or in the heights", derived from Mapuche language.<ref name="Det">{{cite web|url=https://goredenuble.cl/nuble/datosnuble/datospunilla/|title=Datos Punilla|trans-title=Data of Punilla|lang=es|work=Government of Nuble|access-date=1 April 2026}}</ref>
==Geography== Itata Province is one of the three provinces of the Ñuble Region in Chile.<ref name="Hist"/><ref name="Admin">{{cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/chile/mun/admin/|title=Administrative division of Chile|work=City Population.de|access-date=1 April 2026}}</ref> It is spread over an area of {{cvt|2758.4|km2}},<ref name="MI2">{{cite web|url=https://simbio.mma.gob.cl/DPA/DetailsProvincia/29|lang=es|title=Provincia details, Punilla Provincia|trans-title=Details of the Province, Punilla Province|work=Ministry of the Interior (Chile)|access-date=1 April 2026}}</ref> and has its capital at San Carlos.<ref name="Det"/> About 82% of the land area is part of the Itata River basin, and the remaining area forms part of the Maule River basin.<ref name="MI2"/> The province extends from the foothills of the Andes mountains to the central valleys of Chile. Its economy is mainly based on agriculture.<ref name="Det"/>
The province is divided into five communes–San Carlos, San Nicolás, San Fabián, Coihueco, and Ñiquén.<ref name="Det"/><ref name="MI2"/>
===Climate=== Located at an altitude of {{cvt|177.91|m}}, San Carlos has a Mediterranean climate (Classification: Csb) with an average annual temperature of {{cvt|16.87|C}}. It receives an average of {{cvt|125.75|mm}} of precipitation annually.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://weatherandclimate.com/chile/nuble/san-carlos|title=San Carlos|work=Weather and Climate|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>
==Demographics== According to the 2024 Chilean census, Punilla Province had a population of 118,754 inhabitants. The population consisted of 60,827 females (51.2%) and 57,927 males (48.8%). About 17.3% of the population was below the age of 15 years, 65.8% belonged to the age group of 15–64 years, and 16.9% was aged 65 years or older. The province had a rural population of 67,141 inhabitants (56.5%) and an urban population of 51,613 inhabitants (43.5%). Most of the residents were born in Chile, accounting for 117,284 inhabitants (98.8%). Non-indigenous people formed the majority of the population with 114,433 inhabitants (96.4%), while 4,314 inhabitants (3.6%) identified themselves as belonging to indigenous groups. Roman Catholics formed the largest religious group with 52,015 adherents (53.1%), followed by Evangelicals or Protestants with 25,359 adherents (25.9%), and 18,569 inhabitants (19%) indicating no religious affiliation.<ref name="CP">{{cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/chile/mun/admin/163__punilla/|title=Punilla Province|work=City Population.de|access-date=1 April 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|url= https://storage.googleapis.com/bktdescargascenso2024/viviendas_censo2024.zip|title=Chilean Census 2024, Results|work=National Statistics Institute (Chile)|access-date=1 April 2026}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{coord missing|Chile}}
{{Provinces of Chile}} Category:Punilla Category:Provinces of Chile Category:Provinces of Ñuble Region Punilla Category:2018 establishments in Chile Category:2018 in Chilean law