| Parral | |
| Native Name: | Villa Reina Luisa del Parral |
| Native Name Lang: | es |
| Settlement Type: | City and Commune |
| Flag Alt: | Flag |
| Shield Alt: | Coat of arms |
| Map Alt: | Location of the Parral commune in the Maule Region |
| Pushpin Map: | Chile |
| Pushpin Map Narrow: | yes |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location in Chile |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Chile |
| Coordinates: | -36.15°N -121°W |
| Coor Pinpoint: | city |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Chile |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Maule |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Linares |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1795 |
| Founder: | Ambrosio O'Higgins |
| Named For: | Maria Luisa of Parma |
| Seat Type: | <--Capital--> |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] [2] |
| Government Type: | Municipality |
| Leader Title: | Alcalde |
| Leader Party: | PDC |
| Leader Name: | Paula Retamal Urrutia |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Footnotes: | [3] |
| Area Total Km2: | 1638.4 |
| Elevation M: | 162 |
| Population Total: | 38922 |
| Population As Of: | 2012 Census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Urban |
| Population Blank1: | 26397 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Rural |
| Population Blank2: | 11425 |
| Demographics Type1: | Sex |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Men |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 18,963 |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Women |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 18,859 |
| Timezone: | CLT[4] |
| Utc Offset: | -4 |
| Timezone Dst: | CLST[5] |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -3 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 3630000 |
| Area Code: | 56 + 73 |
| Website: | Official website |
Parral is a city and commune in the Linares Province of Chile's Maule Region.
Parral is located 40km (30miles) south of Linares and 97 kilometers south of Talca, on the southern border of the Maule Region and Linares Province. Parral borders on the north with the communes of Longaví, Retiro and Colbún (with which it shares a short border in the cordillerana zone); on the west with the commune of Cauquenes (Cauquenes Province); on the south with the commune of Ñiquén and San Fabián and Ñuble Region); and on the east, with the commune of San Fabián.
The commune of Parral is 1638.4km2 in area.[3] The river Perquilauquén forms its southern border.
Parral was founded in 1795 by the Viceroy of Peru, Ambrosio O'Higgins. It was originally named Villa Reina Luisa del Parral in honor of the wife of Carlos IV, the King of Spain.
Parral is the birthplace of poet Pablo Neruda, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971.
The city of Parral is the second most populous city in Linares Province with a population of more than 26,000. According to the 2002 census, 26,397 (70.0%) live in urban areas and 11,425 (30.0%) in surrounding rural areas. The ratio of men to women is 101 to 100. Between the census of 1992 and that of 2002, the population of the municipality fell by 0.6% (245 people), exclusively in the rural population; the city of Parral grew by around 1,900 people (7.7%).[3] Parral has welcomed immigration from Italy and Germany.
As a commune, Parral is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Israel Urrutia Escobar (PDC).[1] [2]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Parral is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Guillermo Ceroni (PPD) and Ignacio Urrutia (UDI) as part of the 40th electoral district, together with Longaví, Retiro, Cauquenes, Pelluhue and Chanco. The commune is represented in the Senate by Hernán Larraín (UDI) and Ximena Rincón González (PDC) as part of the 11th senatorial constituency (Maule-South).
Natural and historical attractions in the area include: