LINARES

linares, an inland province of central chile, between talca on the n. and nuble on the s., bounded e. by argentina and w. by the province of maule. pop. (1895) 101,858; area, 3942 sq. m. the river maule forms its northern boundary and drains its northern and north-eastern regions. the province belongs partly to the great central valley of chile and partly to the western slopes of the andes, the s. pedro volcano rising to a height of 11,800 ft. not far from the sources of the maule. the northern part is fertile, as are the valleys of the andean foothills, but arid conditions prevail throughout the central districts, and irrigation is necessary for the production of crops. the vine is cultivated to some extent, and good pasturage is found on the andean slopes. the province is traversed from n. to s. by the chilean central railway, and the river maule gives access to the small port of constitucion, at its mouth. from parral, near the southern boundary, a branch railway extends westward to cauquenes, the capital of maule. the capital, linares, is centrally situated, on an open plain, about 20 m. s. of the river maule. it had a population of 7331 in 1895 (which an official estimate of 1902 reduced to 7256). parral (pop. 8586 in 1895; est. 10,219 in 1902) is a railway junction and manufacturing town.