View source for Concepción, Chile

{{Other uses|Concepción (disambiguation){{!}}Concepción}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Concepción
| other_name         = La Concepción de María Purísima<br/>del Nuevo Extremo (original name)
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in Chile|City]] and [[Communes of Chile|Commune]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image | border = infobox | | perrow = 1/2/2/ | total_width = 300 | align = center
| image1 = Concepcion_Centro.jpg
| caption1 = Concepción skyline
| image2 = Arco_de_medicina_Udec.JPG
| caption2 = [[University of Concepción]]
| image3 = Catedral_de_la_Santísima_Concepción,_Concepción,_2016-10-15.jpg
| caption3 = [[Cathedral of the Most Holy Conception, Chile|Cathedral of the Most Holy Conception]]
| image4 = UT_440_MC_en_Hualqui.jpg
| caption4 = [[Biotren]]
| image5 = Plaza_Peru_2.JPG
| caption5 = [[Plaza Perú (Concepción)|Plaza Perú]]
}}
| imagesize          = 300px
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Flag of Concepcion, Chile.svg
| flag_size          = 130px
| flag_alt           = Flag of Concepcion
| seal_size          = 70px
| seal_alt           = Coat of arms
| image_shield       = Coat of arms of Concepcion, Chile.svg
| nicknames          = Biobío's Pearl, The University City, The cradle of Chilean rock
| motto = {{force singular}} ''La Capital del Sur de Chile''<br/>The Capital of Southern Chile
| image_map          = Txu-oclc-224571178-sj18-04.jpg
| map_alt            = Location in the Bío Bío Region
| map_caption        = Location in the Bío Bío Region
| pushpin_map_narrow = yes
| pushpin_map        = Chile
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_map_alt    = Location in Chile
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Chile
| coordinates        = {{coord|36|49|41.50|S|73|03|04.93|W|region:CL-BI|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint      = Alcalde's office
| coordinates_footnotes = 
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Chile]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[Regions of Chile|Region]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Bío Bío Region|Bío Bío]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Provinces of Chile|Province]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Concepción Province, Chile|Concepción]]
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = October 5, 1550 {{Disputed inline|Founding date: March 3 or October 5 of 1550?|talk=Talk:Concepción, Chile|date=August 2021}}
| founder            = [[Pedro de Valdivia]]
| government_type    = Municipality
| government_footnotes = <ref name="Official">{{Cite web |title=Municipality of Concepción |url=http://www.concepcion.cl/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211124604/http://www.concepcion.cl/ |archive-date=February 11, 2010 |access-date=September 3, 2010 |language=es}}</ref>
| leader_party       = [[Christian Social Party (Chile)|PSC]]
| leader_title       = [[Alcalde]]
| leader_name        = Héctor Muñoz Uribe
| area_total_km2     = 222
| area_metro_footnotes = City proper
| elevation_m        = 12
| population_total   = 223,574
| population_as_of   = 2017<ref>{{Cite web |last=National Statistics Institute of Chile |author-link=National Statistics Institute (Chile) |date=January 2009 |title=Ciudades, Pueblos, Aldeas y Caseríos 2019 |url=http://geoine-ine-chile.opendata.arcgis.com/pages/publicaciones |access-date=August 9, 2020 |website=INE.cl}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = 1318
| population_urban   = 719,944
| population_metro   = 971,285
| population_demonym = Penquista
<!-- GDP --------------->| demographics_type1 = [[GDP|GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values)]]
| demographics1_footnotes = 
| demographics1_title1 = Year
| demographics1_info1 = 2023
| demographics1_title2 = Total
| demographics1_info2 = $22.0&nbsp;billion<ref name="TelluBase">{{cite web|url=https://tellusant.com/repo/tb/tellubase_factsheet_chl.pdf|publisher=Tellusant|title=TelluBase—Chile Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)| access-date = 2024-01-11}}</ref>
| timezone           = [[Time in Chile|CLT]]
| utc_offset         = −4
| timezone_DST       = [[Time in Chile|CLST]]
| utc_offset_DST     = −3
| postal_code_type   = Post code
| postal_code        = 3349001
| area_code_type     = Telephone prefix
| area_code          = 56 + 41
| blank_name         = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank_info         = [[Warm-summer mediterranean climate|Csb]]
| website            = {{URL|www.concepcion.cl/}} {{in lang|es}}
| official_name      = 
}}
'''Concepción''' ({{IPA|es|konseβˈsjon|-|Es-Concepción.ogg}}; originally: ''Concepción de la Madre Santísima de la Luz'', "Conception of the Blessed Mother of Light") is a city and [[Communes of Chile|commune]] in south-central [[Chile]], and the geographical and demographic core of the [[Greater Concepción]] [[metropolitan area]], it is the second largest city in Chile by urban area and one of the three major conurbations in the country.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rojas Quezada |first1=Carolina Alejandra |last2=Muñiz Olivera |first2=Iván |last3=García-López |first3=Miguel Ángel |date=August 2009 |title=Estructura urbana y policentrismo en el Área Metropolitana de Concepción |trans-title=Urban structure and polycentrism in the Metropolitan Area of Concepción |journal=EURE |language=es |location=Santiago |volume=35 |issue=105 |doi=10.4067/S0250-71612009000200003 |doi-access=free|url=https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/196/19611768003.pdf }}</ref> It has a significant impact on domestic trade<ref>{{Cite web |title=Concepción: la nueva capital de negocios del sur de Chile – soyconcepcion.cl |url=http://www.soychile.cl/Concepcion/Economia-y-Negocios/2011/04/15/8751/Concepcion-la-nueva-capital-de-negocios-del-sur-de-Chile.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203014545/http://www.soychile.cl/Concepcion/Economia-y-Negocios/2011/04/15/8751/Concepcion-la-nueva-capital-de-negocios-del-sur-de-Chile.aspx |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |website=soychile.cl}}</ref> being part of the most heavily industrialized region in the country.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Riffo Pérez |first=Luis |year=2004 |title=Crecimiento y disparidades regionales en Chile, una visión de largo plazo |url=http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_estadistico/territorio/publicaciones/pdf/crecimiento_y_disparidad_regionales.pdf |url-status=dead |journal=Estadística Económica |location=México |publisher=Instituto Nacional de Estadística Geográfica, INEG, Censos Económicos |pages=129–152 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126155101/http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_estadistico/territorio/publicaciones/pdf/crecimiento_y_disparidad_regionales.pdf |archive-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> It is the seat of the [[Concepción Province, Chile|Concepción Province]] and the capital of the [[Biobío Region]]. It sits about 500&nbsp;km south of the nation's capital, [[Santiago]].

The city was first settled in the [[Bay of Concepción]], in the zone that would later become the commune of [[Penco]], now part of the [[Greater Concepción|Concepción conurbation]]. The city's demonym, {{lang|es|[[wikt:penquista|penquista]]}}, comes from the place of its original foundation. The city center and historic district is located in the [[Valle de la Mocha]] (La Mocha Valley), where it relocated after serious damage left by [[1751 Concepción earthquake|an earthquake]] in 1751.

The origin of Concepción dates back to 1550, when it was founded by Pedro de Valdivia as part of the [[Spanish Empire]], under the name of ''Concepción de María Purísima del Nuevo Extremo'', and was the capital of the [[Kingdom of Chile]] between 1565 and 1573, retaining the unofficial position of military capital<ref name=encicloreg2006>{{cite book|title=Enciclopedia regional del Bío Bío|page=44|language=es|date=2006|isbn=956-16-0404-3|publisher=[[Pehuén Editores]]}}</ref> for the rest of the [[Colonial Chile|colonial period]]. The city was an important site in the [[independence of Chile|struggle for Chile's independence]], with the Chilean declaration of Independence being held at Concepción's ''Plaza de la Independencia''. Until the election of [[Manuel Montt]] in 1851 as president, executive power in independent Chile was dominated by Concepción elites.<ref>{{Cite book <!-- Citation for entire book is at {{Cite isbn|978956111163}} -->
 | isbn         = 978-956-11-1163-9
 | lccn         = 75527429
 | title        = Historia de Chile
 | language     = es
 | trans-title  = History of Chile
 | last1        = Silva V.
 | first1       = Fernando
 | editor-last1  = Villalobos R.
 | editor-first1 = Sergio
 | editor-link1  = Sergio Villalobos
 | editor-last2  = Silva G.
 | editor-first2 = Osvaldo
 | editor-link2  = Osvaldo Silva
 | editor-last3  = Silva V.
 | editor-first3 = Fernando
 | editor-last4  = Patricio
 | editor-first4 = Estelle M.
 | year         = 1974
 | publisher    = [[Editorial Universitaria]]
 | location     = [[Santiago de Chile]]
 | edition      = 14th
 | chapter      = La Organización Nacional
 | trans-chapter = National Organization
 | oclc         = 1259676
}}</ref>

The city is a known [[college town]] in Chile,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carta Abierta |date=March 2016 |title=Sernatur y Concepción: La ciudad universitaria por excelencia del sur de Chile |url=https://cartaabierta.cl/sernatur-y-concepcion-la-ciudad-universitaria-por-excelencia-del-sur-de-chile/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313072600/https://cartaabierta.cl/sernatur-y-concepcion-la-ciudad-universitaria-por-excelencia-del-sur-de-chile/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 13, 2022 |access-date=August 11, 2020 |website=cartaabierta.cl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Radio Usach |date=July 10, 2020 |title=Álvaro Ortiz, alcalde de Concepción por coronavirus: "Hay que terminar con los discursos triunfalistas" |url=https://www.radiousach.cl/alvaro-ortiz-alcalde-de-concepcion-por-coronavirus-hay-que-terminar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804191653/https://www.radiousach.cl/alvaro-ortiz-alcalde-de-concepcion-por-coronavirus-hay-que-terminar |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 4, 2020 |access-date=August 11, 2020 |website=radiousach.cl}}</ref> as it is home to numerous educational institutions, including the [[University of Concepción]], the [[University of the Bío Bío]], and the [[Catholic University of the Most Holy Conception]]. The commune also contains various historical bridges, murals, parks and lakes, as well as important cultural venues such as the ''Teatro Biobío'', the ''[[Casa del Arte]]'', the local Natural History Museum, and the ''Teatro Universidad de Concepción''.

==History==
[[File:Plano de la Bahía de Concepción del Reino de Chile en 1744 - AHG.jpg|thumb|left|Plan from 1744 showing the [[Bay of Concepción]] before the [[1751 Concepción earthquake|1751 earthquake]]]]
[[File:Habillement des habitants de la Conception, Chile.jpg|thumb|left|Clothing of the inhabitants of Concepción in the early 19th century]]
[[File:Atlas pittoresque pl 036.jpg|right|thumb|220x220px|House of a [[Mapuche]] ''[[cacique]]'' in Concepción in 1846]]
Concepción was founded by Don [[Pedro de Valdivia]]<ref>Ida Stevenson Weldon Vernon (1969) ''Pedro de Valdivia, Conquistador of Chile'', Greenwood Press</ref> in 1550 north of the [[Bío Bío River]], at the site which is today known as [[Penco]]. At that time it was given the name ''Concepción de María Purísima del Nuevo Extremo'' (Mary Immaculate Conception of the New End). The new settlement of Concepción was just a few kilometers north of ''[[La Frontera (geographical region)|La Frontera]]'' (The Frontier), the boundary between Spanish territory and the land of the [[Mapuche]], an American Indian ethnic group that remained independent until the 1870s. The settlement was formally recognized by the Spanish authorities as a town two years later by a royal decree. It was given a coat-of-arms that is still in use today.

At the time of the Spanish arrival to the Concepción area chronicler [[Jerónimo de Vivar]] noted local Mapuches wore gold and silver [[bracelet]]s and "sort of crowns". This is interpreted either as [[Incas in Central Chile|Incan]] gifts, war spoils from defeated Incas, or the adoption of Incan [[metallurgy]].<ref name="Silva1983">{{Cite journal |last=Silva Galdames |first=Osvaldo |date=1983 |title=¿Detuvo la batalla del Maule la expansión inca hacia el sur de Chile? |url=https://revistas.uchile.cl/index.php/CDH/article/download/46464/48492 |url-status=dead |journal=Cuadernos de Historia |language=es |volume=3 |pages=7–25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201013520/https://revistas.uchile.cl/index.php/CDH/article/download/46464/48492 |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |access-date=January 10, 2019}}</ref>

Although Concepción was a significant military settlement for the [[Captaincy General of Chile]], it was overrun and destroyed by [[Arauco War|Mapuche armies]] in 1554, and once again after being refounded in 1555. Concepción was restored during the governorship of [[García Hurtado de Mendoza, 5th Marquis of Cañete|García Hurtado de Mendoza]] when he landed there and built a fort on the Alto de Pinto in 1557. The town was refounded once more on January 6, 1558, by captain Jerónimo de Villegas. It became the headquarters of the military forces engaged against the [[Mapuche]] in [[Araucanía (historic region)|La Araucanía]] over the next two centuries, growing to a population of 10,000 despite a [[siege]] in 1564 and other attacks by the Mapuche. Concepción was the home of the [[Audiencia Real|Real Audiencia]] from 1565 to 1575.

[[Earthquakes]] and [[tsunamis]], which razed the town in [[1570 Concepción earthquake|1570]], 1657, 1687, 1730 and 1751, led the authorities to move the town to its current site in the [[Valle de la Mocha]], alongside the [[Bío Bío River]]; the old site lay empty until March 29, 1842, when the present town of [[Penco]] was founded.

The new site for the town of Concepción became the main town of the Intendancy of Concepción, whose jurisdiction extended from the [[Maule River]] to La Frontera. The first Intendant of Concepción was the Irishman [[Ambrose O'Higgins, Marquis of Osorno]], who later became [[Royal Governor of Chile]] and [[List of Viceroys of Peru|Viceroy of Peru]].

When the First National Government Board met in [[Santiago]] on September 18, 1810, citizens of Concepción joined up. Concepción was used as the point of entry by the Spanish Army in the attempt by the [[Viceroyalty of Peru]] to re-conquer Chile. Concepción politicians and soldiers became a significant political force in the newly independent country.

On January 1, 1818, Ambrose O'Higgins's son, [[Bernardo O'Higgins]], proclaimed and took the oath of the [[Chilean War of Independence]] in the main square of Concepción, which since then has been known as "Plaza de la Independencia". Until the moment of independence, the city had been the scene of [[Battle of Concepción, Chile (disambiguation)|various engagements]] in its old and new settlements.

On February 20, 1835, the town again was largely destroyed by [[1835 Concepción earthquake|an earthquake]] and had to be rebuilt.

By 1875, a key British community and German colony existed within the province. By 1895, there was an even larger Spanish presence.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Edmundson |first=William |url=https://archive.org/details/historybritishpr00edmu |title=A History of the British Presence in Chile: From Bloody Mary to Charles Darwin and the Decline of British Influence |date=2009 |publisher=Palgrave MacMillan |isbn=9780230114838 |location=New York |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historybritishpr00edmu/page/n138 126] |url-access=limited}}</ref>

The [[Universidad de Concepción]], founded in 1919, became the first secular private university in Chile. The neighboring harbor of Talcahuano is the site of the largest naval base in Chile.

On February 27, 2010, an [[2010 Chile earthquake|8.8 magnitude earthquake]] struck the city of Concepción, killing more than 521 people and injuring thousands nationwide. Following the earthquake, geologists relying on global positioning satellite (GPS) data concluded that the city had been displaced roughly {{convert|3|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} to the west as a result of the event.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/03/09/chile.earth.shifts/index.html?hpt=T2 |title=Chile quake moves city more than 10 feet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100312141611/http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/03/09/chile.earth.shifts/index.html?hpt=T2 |archive-date=March 12, 2010 |date=March 9, 2010 |access-date=March 10, 2010}}</ref> The tsunami that followed missed the city.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1969570,00.html |title=Quake Response Doesn't Live Up to Chile's Self-Image |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100306092346/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1969570,00.html |archive-date=March 6, 2010 |first=Eben |last=Harrell |date=March 4, 2010 |access-date=March 4, 2010}}</ref>

After the [[2010 Chile earthquake]], a [[prison riot]] began in Concepción's [[El Manzano (prison)|El Manzano]] prison following a failed escape attempt by the inmates. Different parts of the prison were set on fire and the riot was controlled only after the guards shot into the air and received help from military units.<ref>[[El Mercurio]], March 1. Cuerpo C, page C13</ref> As of March 5, 2010, a Peruvian field hospital has been deployed to the city.<ref name="UKPA-2010-03-06">UKPA, [https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iBff_XdP-pA7r-utFKQZ9iV3hxiA "Foreign hospitals help out Chile"]{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''March 6, 2010'' (accessed March 6, 2010)</ref>

==Seismology==
Like most of the Chilean territory, the Concepción region is [[Seismology|seismically active]], with much of Concepción destroyed by a violent [[1939 Chillán earthquake|earthquake in 1939]]. An [[1953 Concepción earthquake|earthquake in 1953]] damaged 15% of the town's buildings. Another major [[1960 Concepción earthquake|earthquake in 1960]] had a nearby epicenter.<ref>John Milton Nickles, Marie Siegrist (1965) ''Bibliography and Index of Geology Exclusive of North America'', Geological Society of America, v.28</ref>

On February 27, 2010, [[2010 Chile earthquake|a magnitude 8.8 earthquake]] struck at 35.846°S, 72.719°W, {{convert|115|km|mi|abbr=on}} NNE of the city. The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at 0334 GMT on Saturday at a depth of {{convert|35|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The effects were felt as far away as [[São Paulo]], Brazil—{{convert|2870|mi|km|order=flip}} away.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

==Education==
Concepción is known as "the university city"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Concepción |url=http://www.bblatinamerica.com/es/chile/20-biobio/56-concepcion.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019014107/http://www.bblatinamerica.com/es/chile/20-biobio/56-concepcion.html |archive-date=October 19, 2012 |website=bblatinamerica.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Turismo en Concepción 2017: Vacaciones de verano en Concepción |url=http://www.welcomechile.com/concepcion/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203114648/http://www.welcomechile.com/concepcion/ |archive-date=February 3, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |website=welcomechile.com}}</ref> thanks to the numerous universities within the urban agglomeration,<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.universia.cl |title=MAPA GEOGRAFICO DE LAS UNIVERSIDADES SOCIAS DE UNIVERSIA |url=http://servicios.universia.cl/contenidos/mapas/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204094950/http://servicios.universia.cl/contenidos/mapas/ |archive-date=December 4, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |website=universia.cl}}</ref> such as the [[Universidad de Concepción]], [[Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción]] and [[Universidad del Biobío]]. This city also has numerous headquarters for many other universities. In addition, this metropolis has a large educational offer, focused on institutes, centers of technical formation and the universities aforementioned.
[[File:Campanil udec.jpg|thumb|180px|The campanile of the [[Universidad de Concepción]]]]
[[File:San andres ucsc.JPG|thumb|180px|[[Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción]]]]
[[File:Siglo XXI de la Universidad del Bío-Bío.jpg|thumb|180px|Siglo XXI at the [[University of the Bío Bío]]]]
[[File:Uss.jpg|thumb|180px|The [[Universidad San Sebastián]], Concepción headquarters, located at the [[Laguna Las Tres Pascualas]]]]

===Universities===
The University Pencopolitana whose name was '''Pontificia Universidad Pencopolitana de La Concepción''' (Pontifical Pencopolitana University of The Conception) was an old university founded through a decree of the Bishop of Concepción, delivered to the administration of the [[Society of Jesus]] which functioned between the years 1724 and 1767. On May 24, 1751, an [[1751 Concepción earthquake|earthquake]] followed by a [[tsunami]], ravaged the city causing serious damage, including the destruction of the library of the university and all of its funds. As a product of the fury of the waters, a rich collection of texts of the governance of southern Chile were lost, which resulted in a disaster for the culture and collective memory of the city. Due to the natural disasters, it was decided to relocate the city to the called [[Valle de la Mocha]], location where it is currently situated. Slowly the seminary was revived in the new location, in a period of decline in academic activity in Chilean monastic universities after the creation of the [[Universidad de San Felipe]], yet some degrees continued to be granted before the [[Suppression of the Society of Jesus]] in 1767.
The aforementioned University is considered to be the natural and legitimate predecessor of the [[Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción]] (UCSC), erected by the Archbishop of Concepción in 1991, from the [[Talcahuano]] Regional Headquarters of the [[Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile]].

The image of the Pontifical University of Concepción Pencopolitana, is still valid, for His Majesty [[Juan Carlos I of Spain|King Juan Carlos I of Spain]] in his 1990 speech on the occasion of his inauguration as Doctor Honoris Causa in the [[University of Chile]], in Santiago de Chile, said: "The work of the Pontifical University Pencopolitana should not be ignored, even before the creation of the University of San Felipe" (Juan Carlos's account fails to acknowledge the existence of San Felipe's predecessor, the Dominican Universidad de Santo Tomás de Aquino, from the sixteenth century in Santiago).

Meanwhile, the University of Chile allowed schools in the city to teach courses in law which allowed men to obtain a law degree. Among its students was Henry Urrutia Manzano, who decades later became president of the Supreme Court of Chile.

The [[Universidad de Concepción]] was created in 1919 by a group of citizens including [[Enrique Molina Garmendia]], its first rector.

Eventually, the university began to receive state support, becoming part of the [[Chilean Traditional Universities|traditional universities]], becoming one of the three most important universities in the country, and the most important at the regional level.

====Traditional universities====
* [[Universidad de Concepción]]
* [[Universidad del Bío-Bío]]
* [[Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción]]
* [[Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María]]

====Private universities====
* [[Universidad del Desarrollo]]
* [[Universidad Andrés Bello]]
* [[Universidad de Artes y Ciencias Sociales|Universidad Arcis]]
* [[Universidad San Sebastián]]
* [[Universidad Santo Tomás (Chile)|Universidad Santo Tomás]]
* [[University of the Pacific (Chile)]]
* [[Universidad de las Américas (Chile)|Universidad de Las Américas]]
* [[Universidad Bolivariana]]
* [[Universidad Pedro de Valdivia]]
* [[Universidad La República]]
* [[Universidad de Aconcagua]]
* [[:es:Inacap|Universidad Tecnológica de Chile INACAP]]

===Professional institutes===
* [[Instituto Profesional DuocUC]], of the [[Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile]]
* [[Instituto Profesional Virginio Gómez]], of the [[Universidad de Concepción]]
* [[Instituto Tecnológico de la Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción|Instituto Tecnológico]], of the [[Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción]]
* [[Instituto Profesional Santo Tomás]], of the [[Universidad Santo Tomás (Chile)|Universidad Santo Tomás]]
* [[Instituto Profesional AIEP]], of the [[Universidad Andrés Bello]]
* [[Instituto Profesional La Araucana]]
* [[Instituto Profesional Providencia]]
* [[Instituto de Estudios Bancarios Guillermo Subercaseaux]]
* [[Instituto Profesional Diego Portales]]
* [[Instituto Profesional Crecic]]
* [[Instituto Profesional Placex]]
* [[:es:Inacap|Instituto Profesional INACAP]]

===Primary and secondary schools===
{{expand section|date=April 2015}}
The city has a French international school, the ''[[Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle (Chile)|Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle]]'' and a German school, the Colegio Alemán de Concepción, and two British schools, the Saint John's School and the Wessex School. The French school is located in the city downtown, the Wessex in Concepcion (nearer to Penco) and the German school and the Saint John's both in the San Pedro de la Paz area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DSC Colegio Alemán de Concepción - DSC |url=https://www.dsc.cl/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805104650/http://www.dsc.cl/ |archive-date=August 5, 2018 |access-date=June 28, 2018}}</ref>

The defunct [[Concepción College (Concepción, Chile)|Concepción College]] was a parochial girls' day school and boarding school, established in 1878 by the [[Methodist Episcopal Church]].<ref name="Anuario-1893">{{cite book |title=Anuario de la prensa chilena 1892 |date=1893 |publisher=Biblioteca Nacional |location=Santiago de Chile |page=41 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T6xAAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA41 |access-date=27 July 2022 |language=es}}</ref><ref name="Annual-1908">{{cite book |author1=Methodist Episcopal Church Missionary Society |title=Annual Report of the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church |date=1908 |publisher=The Society |page=461 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6VUxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA461 |access-date=27 July 2022 |language=en}} {{Source-attribution}}</ref>

*[[Liceo Comercial Femenino Concepción]]

==Transportation==
The city is served by [[Carriel Sur International Airport]] in Talcahuano. The metro area's public transportation comprises a number of bus lines that run through several avenues and streets of the communes belonging to the agglomeration, as well as the [[commuter rail]] system known as [[Biotrén]].

==Climate==
The climate of Concepción is classified as [[Köppen climate classification|Köppen:]] ''[[warm-summer Mediterranean climate|Csb]], [[Warm-summer Mediterranean|warm summer mediterranean]]'', with a dry mild summer. The cool waters of the Pacific Ocean help to maintain mild temperatures throughout the year. Temperatures rarely exceed {{convert|30|C|F}} or fall below {{convert|0|C|F|1}}. In the six-month period between May and October, the city receives approximately 83% of its total annual precipitation, which totals {{convert|1130|mm|in|abbr=on}}. The wettest month since records began in 1912 was June 2000 with {{convert|565.7|mm|in|1}}, whilst all months from November to April have been rainless on occasions.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120709074020/http://climexp.knmi.nl/data/tspa85682.txt Climate explorer for Concepción]</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Concepción, Chile ([[Carriel Sur International Airport]]) 1991–2020, extremes 1966–present
|metric first = yes
|single line  = yes
|Jan record high C = 34.1
|Feb record high C = 34.4
|Mar record high C = 30.9
|Apr record high C = 27.2
|May record high C = 25.8
|Jun record high C = 22.0
|Jul record high C = 21.7
|Aug record high C = 25.0
|Sep record high C = 28.8
|Oct record high C = 27.6
|Nov record high C = 32.5
|Dec record high C = 33.4
|year record high C = 34.4
|Jan high C = 23.0
|Feb high C = 22.5
|Mar high C = 21.3
|Apr high C = 18.4
|May high C = 15.7
|Jun high C = 13.8
|Jul high C = 13.3
|Aug high C = 14.0
|Sep high C = 15.6
|Oct high C = 17.2
|Nov high C = 19.5
|Dec high C = 21.5
|year high C = 18.0
|Jan mean C = 17.1
|Feb mean C = 16.7
|Mar mean C = 15.6
|Apr mean C = 13.3
|May mean C = 11.7
|Jun mean C = 10.2
|Jul mean C = 9.5
|Aug mean C = 10.0
|Sep mean C = 10.9
|Oct mean C = 12.3
|Nov mean C = 14.2
|Dec mean C = 15.9
|year mean C = 13.1
|Jan low C = 11.2
|Feb low C = 10.9
|Mar low C = 10.0
|Apr low C = 8.3
|May low C = 7.7
|Jun low C = 6.7
|Jul low C = 5.7
|Aug low C = 6.0
|Sep low C = 6.2
|Oct low C = 7.4
|Nov low C = 8.8
|Dec low C = 10.3
|year low C = 8.3
|Jan record low C = 4.6
|Feb record low C = 3.6
|Mar record low C = 1.6
|Apr record low C = -1.0
|May record low C = -2.1
|Jun record low C = -2.2
|Jul record low C = -3.8
|Aug record low C = -2.5
|Sep record low C = -1.4
|Oct record low C = -0.8
|Nov record low C = 1.6
|Dec record low C = 3.4
|year record low C = -3.8
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 9.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 14.9
|Mar precipitation mm = 22.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 68.8
|May precipitation mm = 151.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 221.2
|Jul precipitation mm = 168.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 148.9
|Sep precipitation mm = 77.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 53.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 27.2
|Dec precipitation mm = 21.1
|year precipitation mm = 984.3
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 1.2
|Feb precipitation days = 1.7
|Mar precipitation days = 2.5
|Apr precipitation days = 5.5
|May precipitation days = 9.7
|Jun precipitation days = 13.9
|Jul precipitation days = 12.4
|Aug precipitation days = 11.5
|Sep precipitation days = 7.2
|Oct precipitation days = 5.9
|Nov precipitation days = 3.9
|Dec precipitation days = 2.6
|year precipitation days = 78.0
|Jan humidity = 74
|Feb humidity = 76
|Mar humidity = 79
|Apr humidity = 83
|May humidity = 87
|Jun humidity = 87
|Jul humidity = 85
|Aug humidity = 83
|Sep humidity = 81
|Oct humidity = 79
|Nov humidity = 77
|Dec humidity = 75
|year humidity = 81
|Jan sun = 327.6
|Feb sun = 279.3
|Mar sun = 252.3
|Apr sun = 185.4
|May sun = 131.0
|Jun sun = 111.9
|Jul sun = 133.6
|Aug sun = 154.3
|Sep sun = 196.2
|Oct sun = 244.6
|Nov sun = 286.2
|Dec sun = 317.0
|year sun = 2619.4
|source 1 = Dirección Meteorológica de Chile<ref name="climatenormals">{{Cite web |title=Datos Normales y Promedios Históricos Promedios de 30 años o menos |url=https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/datosNormales/360019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523170723/https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/datosNormales/360019 |archive-date=23 May 2023 |access-date=23 May 2023 |publisher=Dirección Meteorológica de Chile |language=es}}</ref><ref name="records">{{Cite web |title=Temperatura Histórica de la Estación Carriel Sur, Concepción. (360019) |url=https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/temperaturaHistoricaAnual/360019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523170910/https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/temperaturaHistoricaAnual/360019 |archive-date=23 May 2023 |access-date=23 May 2023 |publisher=Dirección Meteorológica de Chile |language=es}}</ref><ref name="DMC">{{Cite web |date=March 2001 |title=Estadistica Climatologica Tomo II |url=http://164.77.222.61/climatologia/publicaciones/Estadistica_ClimatologicaII.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303180012/http://164.77.222.61/climatologia/publicaciones/Estadistica_ClimatologicaII.pdf |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=March 17, 2014 |publisher=Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil |pages=89–161 |language=es |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[NOAA]] (precipitation days 1991–2020)<ref>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230804191636/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-3-WMO-Normals-9120/Chile/CSV/Carrielsuraeropuertoconcepcion_85682.csv
| archive-date = 4 August 2023
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-3-WMO-Normals-9120/Chile/CSV/Carrielsuraeropuertoconcepcion_85682.csv
| title = Carriel Sur Aeropuerto Concepción Climate Normals 1991–2020
| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = 4 August 2023}}</ref>
|date = December 2013}}

As might be expected for such a large urban area heavily dependent on wood-burning for heat and diesel for transport, the air in Concepción is third-most polluted in Chile, after Santiago and [[Temuco]].<ref>[http://en.mercopress.com/2007/06/29/severe-air-pollution-plagues-chilean-cities Severe air pollution plagues Chilean cities] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525232346/http://en.mercopress.com/2007/06/29/severe-air-pollution-plagues-chilean-cities |date=May 25, 2014}} Friday, June 29, 2007 – 21:00 UTC</ref>

==Demographics==
{{historical populations
|percentages = pagr
|1970 |161,006
|1982 |267,891
|1992 |326,784
|2002 |216,061
|2017 |223,574
|source = 1970–1992,<ref name="cenanti">According to [https://web.archive.org/web/20070320040225/http://www.censo2002.cl/menu_superior/ultimos/index.htm Last 5 census], the [[National Institute of Statistics (Chile)|INE]]</ref> 2002,<ref name="autogenerated2">According to Census 2002, operated by the [[National Institute of Statistics (Chile)|INE]]. Note that the population decreased in number due to the areas that by then were no longer part of the commune.</ref> 2017<ref name="autogenerated1">[https://www.ine.cl/estadisticas/sociales/censos-de-poblacion-y-vivienda/poblacion-y-vivienda 2017 census].</ref>
}}

According to data collected in 2002 in the Census of the [[National Institute of Statistics (Chile)|National Institute of Statistics]], the township has an area of {{convert|221.6|sqkm|0|abbr=on}} and a population of 216,061 inhabitants, of whom 103,860 are men and 112,201 are women.

As a commune, Concepcion is home to 14.35% of the total population of the region. 1.88% (4,058 persons) is for the rural population and 98.12% (212,003) for the urban population. Moreover, 5.5% of the country's population lives in the Greater Concepción metro area.

Between 1970 and 1982 there is a large increase in the population. One reason is the inclusion of [[San Pedro de la Paz|San Pedro]], segregated from the municipality of [[Coronel, Chile|Coronel]].

The Concepción commune population sharply declined in 1996 as its territory was divided, creating [[Chiguayante]] and [[San Pedro de la Paz]]. The number of people living in these communes has grown quickly since they have become [[bedroom communities]] of ''Concepción'', i.e. residential cities that do not have a center with many shops, as is the case of Concepcion.

There is a significant percentage of foreign residents in the city, the most numerous are the Spanish, Italian and US expatriate communities. There are also smaller segments of German, French, British, [[Dutch people|Dutch]], [[Greek people|Greek]], [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]], [[Croats|Croatian]], Scandinavian, [[Arab]] and Australian descendants in a city settled by waves of immigration.

==Cultural life==
[[File:Año nuevo en Concepción.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Fireworks in celebration for the arrival of 2007 in Concepción]]
To an outsider, there may be confusion between the [[demonym]]s of the inhabitants of Concepción and the nearby city of Penco. Due to the previous location of Concepción being where Penco currently stands, inhabitants of Concepción are called ''penquistas'' while inhabitants of Penco are known as ''pencones''. Additionally, the unofficial term ''pencopolitano'' has been coined to refer to locals of any commune belonging to the [[Greater Concepción|metropolis]] or, in a wider definition, to the [[Concepcion Province, Chile|Concepción province]], although the term penquista can technically be used in this case as well.
[[File:REC_2020.jpg|thumb|220px|left|''Rock en Conce'' festival, 2020.]]

In 2014, the ''Rock en Conce'' festival began to take shape. It would be held outdoors, in the city's ''Parque Bicentenario'' (Bicentennial Park), and access to it would be free. The aim of the festival would be to restore the musical spotlight that the city embodied and that earned it the reputation of being the ''cradle of Chilean rock'' and, at the same time, to establish itself as a major tourist attraction for the city.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 31, 2014 |title=Festival "Rock en Conce" ya tiene fecha y lugar |url=https://www.tvn.cl/especiales/musica/noticias/festival-rock-en-conce-ya-tiene-fecha-y-lugar-1543128 |website=Televisión Nacional de Chile |last1=Chile |first1=Televisión Nacional de }}</ref> Its first edition took place on Saturday, March 7, 2015, and since then it has been held with great success every year at the end of each summer, bringing together emerging local bands with major and renowned artists from the national and international scene.<ref>{{Cite web |last=María Ignacia Inostroza |date=March 19, 2019 |title=#FotosRP: ¡Todo un éxito Rock En Conce 2019! |url=https://www.rockandpop.cl/2019/03/fotosrp-todo-un-exito-rock-en-conce-2019/ |website=Rock & Pop}}</ref>
[[File:Lostres.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Los Tres]] band was born in the city of Concepción]]

===Music===
Concepción has been described as the "Chilean capital of rock",<ref>{{Cite web |last=Biobiochile.cl |title=Inauguran hito "Concepción: Capital del Rock" en antesala de festival REC 2018 |work=BioBioChile - La Red de Prensa Más Grande de Chile |date=March 2018 |url=https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/region-del-bio-bio/2018/03/01/inauguran-hito-concepcion-capital-del-rock-en-antesala-de-festival-rec-2018.shtml |access-date=11 August 2020 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ricardo Mahnke |title=Concepción, ¿cuna del rock? - Documentary |url=https://vimeo.com/178375701 |access-date=11 August 2020 |language=es}}</ref> since numerous bands of this [[Rock music|genre]] have started their careers in the city, such as [[Los Tres]], [[Los Bunkers]], Emociones Clandestinas, Santos Dumont, [[De Saloon]], Machuca and Julius Popper, among others. Numerous bands have played their first major concerts in the city, such as [[Los Prisioneros]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nuestro.cl |title=El sorprendente sonido penquista |url=http://www.nuestro.cl/notas/rescate/sonido_penquista1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204154854/http://www.nuestro.cl/notas/rescate/sonido_penquista1.htm |archive-date=4 February 2012 |access-date=20 January 2013 |language=es}}</ref>

The city's music venues are a main feature of the [[Scenic route|tourist route]], ''La Ruta de la Música'', a project driven by the National Service of Tourism (SERNATUR), where besides the rock scene, the local jazz and folk scenes are also shown.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ThisisChile.cl |title=La "Ruta de la Música" por Concepción |url=https://www.thisischile.cl/la-ruta-de-la-musica-por-concepcion/ |access-date=11 August 2020 |language=es |archive-date=February 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227180021/https://www.thisischile.cl/la-ruta-de-la-musica-por-concepcion/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Sports==
Concepción was one of the host cities of the official [[1959 Basketball World Cup]], where [[Chile national basketball team|Chile]] won the bronze medal.

Today, Concepción is home to three professional [[Association football|football]] teams:
* [[Club Deportivo Universidad de Concepción]], currently in the [[Chilean Primera División|Primera División]]
* [[Club Deportivo Ferroviario Almirante Arturo Fernández Vial]], currently, in the Chilean second division
* [[Deportes Concepción (Chile)|Club de Deportes Concepción]], currently in the Chilean third division.

The most notable professional [[basketball]] team is:
*[[C.D. Universidad de Concepción Básquetbol|C.D. Universidad de Concepción]], currently in the [[Liga Nacional de Básquetbol de Chile]].

==Economy==
[[File:Mercado Central de Concepción.jpg|thumb|Concepción is the second commercial nucleus of Chile. In the image, the Concepción Central Market]]

Historically characterized by a strong manufacturing industry, Concepción has also been a major center for distribution and services and the financial basis of the regional economy.

===Commerce===
Trade in the city is concentrated in the ''Plaza Independencia'' (Independence Square), the pedestrian street ''Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga'' (built in 1981), and along the major avenues. One such avenue is the ''Diego Barros Arana''  street which has developed into the commercial center of the city and the region was until 1907 even known as "''calle Comercio''" ("Commerce Street"). New commercial centers are being developed around the old central station and the new civic district as a part of the Chilean bicentennial (September 18, 2010). A considerable percentage of local trade is taking place in settlements around the city, in communes such as [[Hualpén]], [[Talcahuano]] and [[San Pedro de la Paz]], where there are bustling shopping centers, such as [[Mall Plaza del Trébol]], and where there is a constant commercial development.

Other commercial spots, related to food, are the [[Vega Monumental]] and [[Central market of Concepción, Chile|Mercado Central de Concepción]] (Central Market of Concepción) places offering various services and agricultural and livestock products.

== International Relations ==
The city of Concepción hosts several international relations institutions, such as the Regional Unit of International Affairs (URAI) of the [[Regional Government of Biobío]], responsible for analyzing and managing the region’s bilateral and multilateral relations with [[Latin America]] and the rest of the world; the International Relations Commission of the Biobío Regional Council; and the regional office of the [[General Directorate for Export Promotion]] (ProChile).

=== Migration Management ===
In the area of international relations and migration management, the main actors in Concepción are the regional office of the [[National Migration Service]], the Migration and International Police Department of the [[Investigations Police of Chile]], and the Migrant Office of the Municipality of Concepción.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-02-21 |title=Oficina Migrante Adheridas al Sello Migrante |url=https://geonodo.ide.subdere.gov.cl/R00/map/502?zoom=4.546135420056858&center=-5999233.776175784,-4241234.315908879 |website=geonodo.ide.subdere.gov.cl}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>

=== Internationalization in Higher Education ===
In the field of international relations and higher education, the main actors in Concepción include the Directorate of International Relations<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-02-21 |date=2024-08-27 |title=DRI – Dirección de Relaciones Internacionales |url=http://dri.udec.cl/ |website=web.archive.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240827152219/http://dri.udec.cl/ |archive-date=2024-08-27}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> and the Center for European Studies (CEE)<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-02-21 |date=2025-01-30 |language=es-ES |title=Inicio |url=https://pee.udec.cl/ |website=Centro de Estudio Europeos}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> of the [[University of Concepción]], the General Directorate of Institutional Relations of the [[University of Bío-Bío]],<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-02-21 |language=es |title=INICIO |url=https://rrii.ubiobio.cl/ |website=RRII {{!}} UBB}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> the Directorate of International Relations of the Concepción campus of the [[University of Development]],<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-02-21 |language=es-ES |title=Relaciones Internacionales {{!}} Universidad del Desarrollo |url=https://www.udd.cl/internacional/ |website=UDD}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> and both the International Relations Unit of the Directorate of Outreach and Institutional Relations<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2025-02-21 |language=es-CL |title=Dirección de Relaciones Institucionales llama a estudiantes y académicos a informarse sobre nuevos convenios – UCSC |url=https://ucsc.cl/medios-ucsc/noticias/direccion-de-relaciones-institucionales-llama-a-estudiantes-y-academicos-a-informarse-sobre-nuevos-convenios/}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> and the Asia-Pacific Studies and Development Center (CEDAP)<ref>{{cite news|access-date=2025-02-21 |archive-date=2024-10-14 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241014211059/https://vinculacion.ucsc.cl/centro-de-estudios-y-desarrollo-asia-pacifico-cedap/ |language=es-ES |periodical=Vicerrectoría de Vinculación con el Medio |title=Centro de Estudios y Desarrollo Asia Pacífico, CEDAP - Vicerrectoría de Vinculación con el Medio |url=https://vinculacion.ucsc.cl/centro-de-estudios-y-desarrollo-asia-pacifico-cedap/}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> of the [[Catholic University of the Most Holy Conception]].

=== Consulates ===
<!--
*{{ALG}} (Honorary Consulate)-->
*{{ARG}} (Consulate)
*{{BEL}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{CAN}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{ECU}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{ESP}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{FIN}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{FRA}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{HUN}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{ITA}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{MEX}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{NLD}} (Honorary Consulate)
*{{POL}} (Honorary Consulate)

==Administration==
As a [[Communes of Chile|commune]], Concepción is a third-level [[administrative division of Chile]] administered by a [[municipal council]], headed by an [[alcalde]] who is directly elected every four years. The 2016–2020 mayor was Álvaro Ortiz Vera ([[Christian Democratic Party (Chile)|Christian Democratic Party]]), who was first elected in 2012. The communal council has 10 seats, which are currently occupied (2016–2020) by three for [[Christian Democratic Party (Chile)|Christian Democratic Party]], two for [[National Renewal (Chile)|National Renewal]], two for [[Independent Democrat Union]], one for [[Communist Party of Chile|Communist Party]], one for [[Socialist Party of Chile|Socialist Party]], and one for [[Social Democrat Radical Party|Radical Party]]. The following members are:<ref name="Official" />

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Seats !! Councillor !! Party
|-
|1 || Fabiola Troncoso Alvarado || bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Party (Chile)}}| Christian Democratic
|-
|2 || Yanina Contreras Álvarez || bgcolor={{party color|National Renewal (Chile)}} style="color:#FFFFFF;"| National Renewal
|-
|3 || Jaime Monjes Farias || bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Party (Chile)}}| Christian Democratic
|-
|4 || Emilio Armstrong Delpin || bgcolor={{party color|Independent Democratic Union}} style="color:#FFFFFF;"|I.D.U.
|-
|5 || Christian Paulsen Espejo-Pando || bgcolor={{party color|Independent Democratic Union}} style="color:#FFFFFF;"|I.D.U.
|-
|6 || Joaquin Eguiluz Herrera || bgcolor={{party color|National Renewal (Chile)}} style="color:#FFFFFF;"| National Renewal
|-
|7 || Alex Iturra Jara || bgcolor={{party color|Communist Party of Chile}} style="color:#FFFFFF;"| Communist
|-
|8 || Boris Negrete Canales || bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Party (Chile)}}| Christian Democratic
|-
|9 || Patricia Garcia Mora || bgcolor={{party color|Socialist Party of Chile}}| Socialist
|-
|10 || Ricardo Trostel Provoste || bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Radical Party}}| Radical
|}

Within the [[electoral divisions of Chile]], Concepción is represented in the [[Chamber of Deputies of Chile|Chamber of Deputies]] by Gaston Saavedra ([[Socialist Party of Chile|PS]]), José Miguel Ortiz ([[Christian Democratic Party|PDC]]), Jaime Toha (PS), Felix Gonzalez ([[Green Ecologist Party (Chile)|PEV]]), [[Enrique van Rysselberghe Herrera|Enrique Van Rysselberghe]] (UDI), Sergio Bobadilla (UDI), [[Francesca Muñoz]] (RN) and Leonidas Romero (RN), as part of the 21st electoral district ([[Concepción Province, Chile|Concepción Province]] without [[Lota, Chile|Lota]]). The commune is represented in the [[Senate of Chile|Senate]] by Alejandro Navarro Brain ([[Broad Social Movement|MAS]]) and Jacqueline Van Rysselberghe (UDI) as part of the 12th senatorial constituency (Biobío-Costa).

==Notable citizens==
{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
*[[Marlene Ahrens]], athlete (1933–2020)
*[[Santiago Manuel de Alday y Aspée]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile|Bishop of Santiago]] between 1755 and 1788 (1712–1789)
*[[Patricio Almendra]], footballer (b. 1977)
*[[Luis Altamirano]], President of the [[Government Junta of Chile (1924)|1924 Government Junta of Chile]] (1867–1938)
*[[Graciela Araya]], opera singer (b. 1962)
*[[Miguel Ardiman]], footballer (b. 1967)
*[[Enrique Soro Barriga]], composer (1884–1954)
*[[Diego José Benavente]], [[President of the Senate of Chile]] (1790–1867)
*[[Manuel Bulnes]], [[President of Chile]] between 1841 and 1851 (1799–1866)
*[[Roberto Cartes]], footballer (b. 1972)
*[[Arturo del Castillo]], comic book artist (1925–1992)
*[[Bélgica Castro]], actress (1921–2020)
*[[Delfina de la Cruz]], pianist and [[First Lady of Chile]] (1837–1905)
*[[José María de la Cruz]], soldier (1799–1875)
*[[De Saloon]], pop and rock band
*[[Francisco Encina]], [[President of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile]] (b. 1943)
*[[Edgardo Enríquez]], [[Ministry of Education (Chile)|Minister of Education of Chile]] (1912–1996)
*[[Miguel Enríquez (politician)|Miguel Enríquez]], physician and politician (1944–1974)
*[[Luis Pedro Figueroa]], footballer (b. 1983)
*[[Alfredo France]], footballer (1895–1938)
*[[Adrián García (tennis)|Adrián García]], tennis player (b. 1978)
*[[Enrique Molina Garmendia]], founder of the University of Concepción, one of the top universities in Chile (1871–1964)
*[[Gonzalo Garrido]], road bicycle racer (b. 1973)
*[[José Goñi]], [[Ministry of National Defense (Chile)|Minister of National Defense of Chile]] (b. 1948)
*[[Osvaldo González]], footballer (b. 1984)
*[[Viviana Guzmán]], flutist and composer (b. 1964)
*[[Isidora Jiménez]], athlete (b. 1993)
*[[Klaus Junge]], chess master (1924–1945)
*[[Los Bunkers]], alternative rock band
*[[Los Tres]], rock band
*[[Ignacio Urrutia Manzano]], politician (1879–1951)
*[[Armando Navarrete Navarrete|Mandolino]], singer and comedian (1934–2014)
*[[Adelqui Migliar]], film actor, director, writer and producer (1891–1956)
*[[Carla Muñoz]], racquetball player (b. 1992)
*[[Tomás Pablo Elorza]], President of the Senate of Chile (1921–1999)
*[[Rodrigo Peñailillo]], [[Ministry of the Interior and Public Security (Chile)|Minister of the Interior of Chile]] (b. 1973)
*[[Pepo (cartoonist)|Pepo]], cartoonist (1911–2000)
*[[José Joaquín Prieto]], President of Chile between 1831 and 1841 (1786–1854)
*[[Raimundo Rebolledo]], footballer (b. 1997)
*[[Cristián Reyes]], sprinter (b. 1986)
*[[Ximena Rincón]], President of the Senate of Chile (b. 1968)
*[[Arturo Sanhueza]], footballer (b. 1979)
*[[Waldo Sanhueza]], football manager and president of [[Colo-Colo]] (1900–1966)
*[[José A. Santos]], retired American jockey (b. 1961)
*[[René Schneider]], [[List of commanders-in-chief of the Chilean Army|commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army]] (1913–1970)
*[[Sebastián Sepúlveda]], screenwriter, film producer and director (b. 1972)
*[[Ricardo Soto]], recurve archer (b. 1999)
*[[Cristián Uribe]], footballer (b. 1976)
*[[José Francisco Urrejola]], President of the Senate of Chile (1911–2004)
*[[Ignacio Urrutia Manzano]], President of the Senate of Chile (1879–1951)
*[[René Valenzuela]], footballer (b. 1955)
*[[Paulina Veloso]], lawyer and [[Socialist Party of Chile|Socialist Party]] politician (b. 1957)
*[[Luis Vera (Chilean footballer)|Luis Vera]], footballer (1929–2014)
*[[Juan de Dios Vial del Río]], President of the Senate of Chile (1774–1850)
*[[Gustavo Viveros]], footballer (b. 1947)
*[[Elena Waiss]], pianist (1908–1988)
*[[Aníbal Zañartu]], politician (1847–1902)
*[[Miguel de Zañartu]], lawyer and politician, signatory of the [[Chilean Declaration of Independence]] (1786–1851)
}}

==Gallery==

<gallery mode="packed">
Arco de Medicina UdeC.jpg|Arch of the Faculty of Medicine University of Concepción
Moderno Edificio en Concepción.jpg|Caja Los Andes Building in downtown Concepción
Hotel El Araucano.JPG|The hotel Araucano of Concepción in the center of the city
Parque Ecuador.jpg|View of Ecuador Park, on the slopes of Cerro Caracol
Casa-central.jpg|The [[Cathedral of the Most Holy Conception, Chile|Concepción Cathedral]] from the Plaza de la Independencia
Edificio de los Tribunales de Justicia de Concepcion.JPG|Palace of the Court of Appeals of Concepción
Concepcion1.jpg|The avenue O'Higgins
Casa de Pedro del Rio Castellon.JPG|Casa de Pedro del Río
Concepcion, edificios (15400894209).jpg|Buildings in Concepción
Centro Español de Concepción.jpg|Spanish Center
Centro Cívico Concepción.JPG|Civic center
Mural panoramico.JPG|''[[Presencia de América Latina]]'', mural declared national monument of Chile
</gallery>

==Notable events==
A 23 year old [[Chileans|Chilean]] forestry student named [[List of solved missing person cases#1990s|Jorge Matute]] disappeared mysteriously in a discotheque that was located close to Concepción on 20 November 1999. In February 2004 on a road in [[Santa Juana]], Matute's remains were found and identified.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lanacion.cl/prontus_noticias/site/artic/20050428/pags/20050428113059.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050429045436/http://www.lanacion.cl/prontus_noticias/site/artic/20050428/pags/20050428113059.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 April 2005 | work=La Nación | title=Restos de Jorge Matute Johns llegaron a Concepción ''(in Spanish)''| date=28 April 2005}}</ref>

==Twin towns – sister cities==
Concepción's [[Sister city|sister cities]] are:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|PSE}} [[Bethlehem]], Palestine (2006)<ref>{{cite web |title=Concepción|url=http://www.bethlehem-city.org/en/concepci%C3%B3n-english|website=bethlehem-city.org|publisher=Bethlehem|access-date=2021-12-21}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Campinas]], Brasil (1979)<ref>{{cite web |title=Cidades Irmãs|url=http://www.campinas.sp.gov.br/governo/cooperacao_internacional/irmas/|website=campinas.sp.gov.br|publisher=Campinas|language=pt|access-date=2021-12-21}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Cascavel]], Brazil (2006)<ref>[http://www.cronica.cl/edicion_cronica/seccion/articulo.php?id=29816&dia=1163646000 Diario Crónica: ''Concepción y Cascavel son ciudades hermanas'']{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2021}}
*{{flagicon|ECU}} [[Guayaquil]], Ecuador (2006)<ref>[http://www.eluniverso.com.ec/web/titulares.php?seccion=fzuyEtT&codigo=8z0w6cDTri&nuevo_mes=01&nuevo_ano=2006&dias=28&noticias=2006-01-28 ''Convenio de hermanamiento'']{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}, en El universo Guayaquil</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2021}}
*{{flagicon|COL}} [[Medellín]], Colombia (1998)<ref>{{cite web |title=Medellín (Antioquia / Colombia)|url=https://www.museovirtualug.org/medell%C3%ADn|website=museovirtualug.org|publisher=Universidad de Guanajuato|language=es|access-date=2021-12-21}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Monterrey]], Mexico (1997)<ref>{{cite web |title=Acuerdos interinstitucionales registrados por dependencias y municipios de Nuevo León|url=https://coordinacionpolitica.sre.gob.mx/index.php/entidades/159-nuevo-leon|website=sre.gob.mx|publisher=Secretaría de relaciones exteriores|language=es|access-date=2021-12-21}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Nanjing]], China (2018)<ref>{{cite web |title=Acuerdo de Hermanamiento entre Concepción y Nanjing!|url=https://citydiplomacy.org/2018/05/30/acuerdo-de-hermanamiento-entre-concepcion-y-nanjing/|website=citydiplomacy.org|language=es|date=2018-05-30|access-date=2021-12-21}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[La Plata]], Argentina (1993)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Concepción y La Plata, ciudades hermanas |url=http://www.cancilleria.gov.ar/portal/seree/dirfe/hermanamientos2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520134809/http://www.cancilleria.gov.ar/portal/seree/dirfe/hermanamientos2.html |archive-date=May 20, 2007 |access-date=August 11, 2020}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[San Miguel de Tucumán]], Argentina (2013)<ref>{{Cite web |last=El Diario 24 |date=July 19, 2013 |title=San Miguel de Tucumán y Concepción de Chile ahora son ciudades hermanas |url=https://www.eldiario24.com/nota/tucuman/295272/san-miguel-tucuman-concepcion-chile-ahora-son-ciudades-hermanas.html}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Wuhan]], China (2014)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ilustre Municipalidad de Concepción |date=October 28, 2014 |title=Concepción se hermanó con Wuhan |url=http://www.concepcion.cl/noticia/concepcion-se-hermano-con-wuhan/ |access-date=August 11, 2020 |archive-date=January 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109185720/http://www.concepcion.cl/noticia/concepcion-se-hermano-con-wuhan/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[Greater Concepción]]
* [[Biobío Region]]
* [[Santa Juana, Chile|Santa Juana]]
* [[Florida, Chile|Florida]]
* [[Dichato]]
* [[Biobío River]]

===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wiktionary|Concepción}}
*[[El Sur (newspaper)|El Sur]] [https://web.archive.org/web/19981202055452/http://www.elsur.cl/ ''El Sur'', newspaper of Concepción] {{in lang|es}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218153635/http://viveconce.cl/ ''Viveconce'', Event schedule of Concepción] {{in lang|es}}
* [https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/130916/Concepcion Source about Concepción – Encyclopædia Britannica]
* [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CI/06/Concepcion.html Geographical coordinates and NASA images, Google]
*{{Wikivoyage inline|Concepción}}

{{Concepcion}}
{{Communes in Bío Bío Region}}
{{Large cities of Chile}}
{{2010 Chile earthquake}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Concepcion, Chile}}
[[Category:Concepción, Chile| ]]<!--please leave the empty space as standard-->
[[Category:Communes of Chile]]
[[Category:Capitals of Chilean regions]]
[[Category:Capitals of Chilean provinces]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1550]]
[[Category:Geography of Biobío Region]]
[[Category:Populated places in Concepción Province]]
[[Category:1550 establishments in the Spanish Empire]]
[[Category:1550 establishments in South America]]