CAUTIN, a province of southern Chile, bounded N. by Concepcion and Bio-Bio, E. by Argentina, S. by Valdivia, and W. by the Pacific. Its area, before the addition of considerable terri tory in 1928, was estimated at 5,832 sq. miles. Cautin lies within the temperate agricultural and forest region of the south, and pro duces wheat, cattle, lumber, tan-bark and fruit. The State central railway from Santiago to Puerto Montt crosses the province from north to south, and the Cautin, or Imperial, and Tolten rivers cross from east to west, both affording excellent transportation facilities. The province once formed part of the territory occu pied by the Araucanian Indians, and its present political existence dates from 1887. Its population (1930) was 383,791, including many European immigrants, principally Germans. The capital is Temuco, on the Rio Cautin; pop. 35,748. The principal towns besides Temuco are Lautaro (7,543) and Nueva Imperial, pop. (1930) 6,118. Both are of historic interest because they were fortified Spanish outposts in the long struggle with the Araucan ians.