Linares is a Chilean city and commune located in the Maule Region and lies in the fertile Chilean Central Valley, 303km south of Santiago and 50km south of Talca, the regional capital. Linares is the capital city of the province of Linares.DemographicsAccording to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Linares spans an area of 1456.7sqkm and has 83,249 inhabitants (40,518 men and 42,731 women). Of these, 68,224 (82%) lived in urban areas and 15,025 (18%) in rural areas. The population grew by 7.7% (5,933 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.GeographyThe municipality covers an area of 1466sqkm and the city proper, 16sqkm. The rivers Ancoa, Putagán and Achibueno are the main rivers that pass through the municipality or form its natural borders.Most of the territory of the municipality is located within the central plain or "depresión intermedia" (Valle Central de Chile). Some low altitude hills are located in the westernmost part of the municipality, while its easternmost part is marked by the presence of the foothills of the Andes mountains. The municipality of Linares is bordered on the west by San Javier; on the north by Villa Alegre, Yerbas Buenas and Colbún; on the east, by Colbún, and on the south, by Longaví. The municipality of Colbún occupies the easternmost strip of the province, where some of the highest provincial peaks are located, as are the sources of several of the main rivers.