Tarapacá Province

Tarapacá
Province of Chile
1884–1974

Map of Tarapacá Province (1895)
CapitalIquique
DemonymTarapaqueño, a
Area 
• 1884
50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi)
• 1929
58,072 km2 (22,422 sq mi)
Historical eraWar of the Pacific
20 October 1883
• Established
31 October 1884
1974
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Tarapacá Department
Tarapacá Region
Today part ofChile

Tarapacá (Aymara: Tarapaka)[1] was a province in Chile. Ceded to Chile by Peru following the War of the Pacific through the 1883 Treaty of Ancón,[2] it existed from 1884 to 1976. It capital was Iquique.

The Treaty of Ancón, which put an end to the war, was signed on October 20, 1883. The following year, the province was formally created on October 31, incorporating the former Peruvian department of the same name. At the time, the provinces were the first-level administrative divisions of Chile. In 1974, the government of Chile reorganised its administrative organisation, replacing the provinces with regions. Tarapacá was consequently reorganised into a region of the same name, which also incorporated some territory belonging to Antofagasta Province.

Etymology

The province's name is of pre-Columbian origin, originally used to describe Viracocha, a local deity adored both by the Incans and their predecessors.[3] It was first used by Diego de Almagro as a geographical term in 1536.[4]

History

The territory was awarded to Chile under the Treaty of Ancón, signed on October 20, 1883. Unlike Tacna, the former Peruvian department was perpetually ceded by the treaty. One year later, the province was officially created on October 31, with its territory subdivided into the departments of Pisagua and Tarapacá.

After the Treaty of Lima, in 1929, Tacna Province, along with Tacna Department, were dissolved and returned to Peru, with Arica Department being incorporated to Tarapacá Province, with a new area of 58.072 km².

In 1974, Tarapacá Region was created out of the former province, as well parts of Antofagasta Province.

Politics

At the time, the provinces were Chile's first-level administrative division, each administered by an intendant.

List of intendants

Mayor Party Term
Begin End
Antonio Alfonso Cavada N/a 1880 1881
Rafael Sotomayor Gaete Radical 1881 1882
José de Mendoza y Jaraquemada N/a October 18, 1881 June 1882
Anfión Muñoz y Muñoz Radical February 19, 1886 September 13, 1887
Francisco Freire Caldera Liberal 1898 1899
Recaredo Amengual Novajas N/a 1916

Subdivisions

The province was divided into three departments, themselves divided into communes:

Department Capital Sub-delegations Districts
Arica[a] Arica 7
Pisagua Pisagua 5 18
Iquique[b] Iquique 13 34

Geography

The province was located to the south of the ravine of Camarones River.

Boundaries

The province was bordered to the north by Arica, a subdivision of Tacna Province, to the south by Antofagasta Province, to the east by Bolivia, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Incorporated into the province in 1930 following the 1929 Treaty of Lima.
  2. ^ Named "Tarapacá" from 1884 to December 30, 1927.

References

  1. ^ Castro Mamani, Edith (2019). Diccionario Ilustrado de la Lengua Aymara (in Spanish) (2nd ed.). Ministerio de Educación de Chile. p. 47.
  2. ^ Cohoon, William (2013). "Constructing the Norte Grande: Chilean Infrastructure in the Northern Border Region, 1915-1929".
  3. ^ González Miranda, Sergio (1997-12-01). "Tarapacá: el, dios cautivo. Reflexiones en torno al regionalismo de los tarapaqueños del Callao". Debates En Sociología (in Spanish). 22 (22): 143–151. doi:10.18800/debatesensociologia.199701.006.
  4. ^ Urbina Araya, Simón; Uribe Rodríguez, Mauricio (2016-10-04). "Tarapacá: aportes a la historia andina desde una perspectiva regional (s. XV-XVI)". Boletín De Arqueología PUCP (in Spanish). 20: 167–185. doi:10.18800/boletindearqueologiapucp.201601.008.