Lota, Chile

Lota
Dusk in Lota


Lota
Location in Chile
Coordinates: 37°05′S 73°10′W / 37.083°S 73.167°W / -37.083; -73.167
CountryChile
RegionBiobío
ProvinceConcepción
Founded1662
Founded asSanta María de Guadalupe
Government
 • TypeMunicipality
 • AlcaldeJaime Vásquez Castillo (ChV)
Area
 • Total
135.8 km2 (52.4 sq mi)
Elevation
82 m (269 ft)
Population
 (2012 Census)
 • Total
47,339
 • Density348.6/km2 (902.9/sq mi)
 • Urban
48,975
 • Rural
114
Sex
 • Men23,944
 • Women25,145
Time zoneUTC−4 (CLT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−3 (CLST)
Postal code
4210000
Area code56 + 41
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

Lota is a city and commune located in the center of Chile on the Gulf of Arauco (in Spanish), in the southern Concepción Province of the Biobío Region, 39 kilometres (24 mi) south of Concepción, and is one of the ten cities (communes) that constitutes the Concepción metropolitan area. The city is mostly known for being the traditional centre of coal mining in Chile, although mining ended in the 1990s.