CHILLN

capital of uble provincia, Bo-Bo regin, central Chile, lying in the fertile Central Valley. Founded in 1580 on what is now the site of Chilln Viejo (birthplace of the Chilean liberator Bernardo O'Higgins), the town was moved in 1835 to the north and rebuilt after destruction by earthquake. Chilln experienced such disasters several times, most heavily in 1939, when the death toll in the area reached 28,000. The town is now the commercial centre for the surrounding agricultural region, the products of which include wine grapes, fruits, grains, vegetables, and livestock. Processing industries include shoe factories, flour mills, and lumberyards. Chilln is also a transportation hub on the Pan-American Highway and the main north-south railroad line. Pop. (1992 prelim.) 145,972.