Talca (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtalka]) is a city and commune in Chile located about 255 km (158 mi) south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region (7th Region of Chile).

The city is an important economic center, with agricultural (wheat) and manufacturing activities, as well as wine production.

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Talca spans an area of 231.5 km2 (89 sq mi) and had, in that year, 201,797 inhabitants.

It sits near the epicenter of the 2010 8.8 magnitude earthquake and suffered severe shaking[6] causing the collapse of much of the historic town centre.

[7] As a commune, Talca 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 commune is represented in the Senate by Juan Antonio Coloma Correa (UDI) and Andrés Zaldívar Larraín (PDC) as part of the 10th senatorial constituency (Maule-North).