Its capital is the city of Ovalle According to the 2002 census by the National Statistics Institute (INE), the province spans an area of 13,553.2 km2 (5,233 sq mi)[1] and had a population of 156,158 inhabitants (77,087 men and 79,071 women), giving it a population density of 11.5/km2 (30/sq mi).

The valley is located 470 km (290 mi) north of Santiago, in the middle section of the Coquimbo region.

Best known for its Piscos,[4] vines were first planted here in the mid-16th century and have seen a recent resurgence, due to new technologies and winemakers seeking new terroirs.

[5] The Pacific Ocean has a strong influence on the region with the cooling Camanchaca, a fog that enters the valley from the west each morning and retreats as the sun rises over the Andes from the east.

With less than 4 inches of rainfall per year, drip irrigation is used to water the vines that grow in the mineral-rich soil.