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Home > Travel South America > South America Destinations > Los Angeles
Los Angeles
South America is the fourth largest continent of the Western Hemisphere. It is divided politically into 12 independent countries namely Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela and the overseas department of French Guiana. The continent extends to 7,640 kilometers from Punta Gallinas, Colombia, in the north to Cape Horn, Chile, in the south. At its broadest point, near where it is crossed by the equator, the continent extends to 5,300 kilometers from east to west.
South America is connected to North America by the Isthmus of Panama. It is washed on the north by the Caribbean Sea, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Topographically the continent is divided into three sections namely the South American cordillera, the interior lowlands, and the continental shield. Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion and Portuguese and Spanish are the primary languages of the continent.
Los Angeles is the capital of the province of Biobio, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII, in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobio rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants in census 2002. The municipality of Los Angeles has the highest absolute rural population of any Chilean municipality. To the north of the city is Salto del Laja and roughly 100 kilometers to the east is the 2.985 meter high Antuco volcano, in the Andes mountain range.
Founded as Santa Maria de Los Angeles in 1739 by Manso de Velasco, it was originally a Spanish fort as an outpost in the War of Arauco. It received the title of villa in 1748. The city underwent numerous rebuildings, due to the Spanish military campaigns against the native Mapuche in their efforts to colonize the area. Its geographic location, just to the south of the Biobio river made it a strategic location.
Los Angeles, justifiably so, enjoys a very positive reputation with worldwide travelers, and is one of the most visited place. It is also said the place of best geographical environment and can trace its origin back to prehistoric times.
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