title: Copiapó Province
text: # Copiapó Province
  
  Copiapó Province (Spanish: Provincia de Copiapó) is one of three provinces of the northern Chilean region of Atacama (III). Its capital is the city of Copiapó.
  
  ## Geography and demography
  
  According to the 2012 census by the National Statistics Institute (INE), the province spans an area of 32,538.5 $km^2$ (12,563 sq mi) and had a population of 183,973 inhabitants, giving it a population density of $4.8/km^2$ (12/sq mi). It is the tenth largest province in the country. Between the 1992 and 2002 censuses, the population grew by 24.9% (31,021 persons).
  
  ## Administration
  
  As a province, Copiapó is a second-level administrative division of Chile, which is further divided into three communes (comunas). The province is administered by a presidentially appointed regional delegate.
  
  ### Communes
  
  * Copiapó
  * Caldera
  * Tierra Amarilla
  