Temuco (Spanish pronunciation: [teˈmuko]) is a city and commune, capital of the Cautín Province and of the Araucanía Region in southern Chile.

[citation needed] There is also a large percentage of temuquences directly descended from European immigrants, many of whom arrived during 1883–1901 after the pacification of Araucanía.

Others, less numerous and from many other parts of Europe such as the Netherlands, Austria, Croatia, Armenia, Greece, Portugal, etc., arrived after that first migration, especially during the World Wars.

During the Spanish Civil War (1930s), a large percentage of Aragonese, Asturians, Catalans, Galicians, Navarrese and Basques reached a significant number of immigrants from Europe (mainly Spain).

There are also small communities of Jews, from Russia, Poland, Macedonia, Hungary, as well as Central and Eastern Europe in general, and Arabs, from Lebanon, Syria and Palestine.

This immigration from Europe and, to a lesser extent, Jewish and Arabic areas helps to explain the various clubs, schools, and sections of the city of Temuco.

[citation needed] Temuco is located in a valley in the center-south of Chile, equidistant between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Andes to the east.

Morphologically, the city placement corresponds to Cautín River-originated fluvial land masses that developed in a crushed form between two hills, Ñielol (350m) and Conunhueno (360m).

The city is surrounded by a landscape typical to central-southern Chile, consisting mostly of plantations of exotic species used in forestry along with prairies.

Given that burning wood is the primary source of heat during the cold months in Temuco, air pollution is a recurrent problem during autumn and winter.

Through the year, cyclonic and anticyclonic influences alternate, with a distinct drier summer period (although not as dry as Santiago or other central valley cities, receiving just enough precipitation to avoid a Mediterranean climate classification).

As a commune, Temuco 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 José Garcia Ruminot (RN) and Eugenio Tuma Zedan (PPD) as part of the 15th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-South).

They are as follows: Temuco was also one of the host cities of the official 1959 Basketball World Cup, where Chile won the bronze medal.

Long-haul buses run from the Terminal Rodoviario de la Araucania,[19] at the northern approach to town.

[20] The Ñielol Hill houses the original temperate forest at this latitude in southern Chile as it was before the Spanish people colonised it.

It has also a special meaning for the Mapuche people living in the Region, housing near the top a ceremonial area called La Patagua.

We can also find a restaurant at the top of the Hill and a viewpoint of the east side of the city and Padre Las Casas, across the river.

Several restaurants, night clubs, pubs, bistros, pharmacies, boutiques, banks, supermarkets and two shopping malls have been opened there.