COLCHAGUA, a province of central Chile, bounded N. by Santiago, E. by Argentina, S. by Talca, and W. by the Pacific. Its area, before annexations made in 1928, was 3,851 sq.m.; pop. (192o) 166,342- Pop. (1930), including that of the added terri tory, is about 295,971. Extending across the great central valley of Chile, the province has a considerable area devoted to agriculture, but much attention is given to cattle and mining. Its principal river is the Rapel, sometimes considered as the southern limit of the Inca empire. Its greatest tributary is the Cachapoal, in the val ley of which, among the Andean foothills, are the popular thermal mineral baths of Cauquenes, 2,3o6ft. above sea-level. The State central railway from Santiago to Puerto Montt crosses the prov ince and has two branches within its borders, one from Rengo to Peumo, and one from San Fernando via Palmilla to Pichilemu on the coast. The principal towns are the capital, Rancagua, San Fernando, Rengo and Palmilla. San Fernando is one of the several towns founded in 1742 by the governor-general Jose de Manso, pop. (193o) 13,016. Rengo is an active commercial town and had a population of 6,049 in 193o. The population of Rancagua was estimated in 193o at