Provinces of Chile

Provinces of Chile Provincias de Chile (Spanish)
Category	Unitary unit
Location	Chile
Number	56
Populations	3,156 (Parinacota) – 4,997,637 (Santiago Province)
Areas	164 km2 (63.2 sq mi) (Easter Island) - 67,813 km2 (26,182.9 sq mi) (Antofagasta)
Government	Provincial government, National government
Subdivisions	Communes

Politics of Chile
Executive President (list) Gabriel Boric Ministries
National Congress Senate Chamber of Deputies
Judiciary Supreme Court Election Certification Court
Law Constitution Constitutional Convention
Administrative divisions Regions Provinces Communes
Recent elections Political parties Recent elections and referendums General: 2013 2017 2021 Presidential: 2005–06 2009–10 Legislative: 2005 2009 Local: 2008 2012 Referendums: 1989 2020 2022 Constitutional convention: 2021 2023
Independent institutions Comptroller General Public Ministry Constitutional Court
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Teodoro Ribera Diplomatic missions of / in Chile Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Chile portal Other countries
v t e

A province is a second-level administrative division in Chile. There are 56 in total. The top-level administrative division in Chile is the region. There are 16 in total.

Each provincial presidential delegation (delegación presidencial provincial) is headed by a provincial presidential delegate (delegado presidencial provincial) appointed by the President. The governor exercises their powers in accordance with instructions from the regional presidential delegate (delegado presidencial regional). The provincial delegate is advised by the Provincial Economic and Social Council (Consejo Económico y Social Provincial or CESPRO). No provincial presidential delegations exist in those provinces where the regional capital is located; its functions were merged with those of the regional presidential delegate.

The country's provinces are further divided into 346 communes which are administered by an alcalde and municipal council.

Until 1976, the 25 provinces were the broadest administrative division in Chile. They were: Aconcagua, Aysén (since 1929), Antofagasta, Arauco, Atacama, Biobío, Cautín, Chiloé, Colchagua, Concepción, Coquimbo, Curicó, Linares, Llanquihue, Magallanes (since 1929), Malleco, Maule, Ñuble, O'Higgins, Osorno (since 1940), Santiago, Talca, Tarapacá, Valdivia, and Valparaíso. Despite being claimed by Chile, Antártica Chilena is not generally recognized as part of Chile due to being located in Antarctica.