Arauco Province

Arauco Province stretches along the Pacific coast in the Biobío Region with Lebu as its administrative center. The territory combines fishing communities, coastal settlements, and rural areas that together form the provincial landscape.

The province emerged from Spanish settlement in the 17th century and gradually became an important administrative territory in southern Chile. Mining later shaped economic growth and transformed how the region developed.

The community here maintains strong ties to Mapuche customs through markets, celebrations, and gatherings that shape daily life throughout the year. Traditional crafts and practices remain visible in how people gather and trade together.

The province is best explored by car since settlements are spread across the coastal and rural areas with limited connections between them. Most visitors base themselves in Lebu to access different parts of the territory.

The National Coal Museum in Lebu holds machinery and artifacts from the region's mining era, revealing decades of industrial work that shaped local life. Visitors can see how deeply mining influenced the community and its daily rhythms.

Location: Biobío Region

Capital city: Lebu

Elevation above the sea: 125 m

Shares border with: Concepción Province, Bío Bío province, Malleco Province, Cautín Province

Website: http://gobernacionarauco.gov.cl

GPS coordinates: -37.76667,-73.33333

Latest update: December 22, 2025 15:35