TALCA

formerly San Agustn De Talca, capital of Talca provincia and Maule regin, central Chile, in the Central Valley near the Maule River. Founded in 1692, it was destroyed by earthquakes in 1742 and 1928; completely rebuilt, it is now a major urban centre midway between Santiago, 160 miles (260 km) to the north-northeast, and Concepcin. It lies in the nation's greatest wine-making zone and contains Chile's largest match industry, as well as shoe, biscuit, bed, chocolate, and noodle factories; paper and flour mills; distilleries; foundries; and a tannery. The University of Talca was founded in 1981. A transportation hub, Talca is on the Pan-American Highway and the main north-south railroad. A branch railroad runs west from the city, and a road crosses the Andes into Argentina. Pop. (1992) mun., 171,467; (1995 est.) mun., 169,448.