Talca 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). As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755.

The city is an important economic center, with agricultural (wheat) and manufacturing activities, as well as wine production. It is also the location of the Universidad de Talca and the Catholic University of Maule, among others. The Catholic Church of Talca has held a prominent role in the history of Chile.

The inhabitants of Talca have a saying, Talca, Paris & London, born from a hat shop which had placed a ribbon stating that it had branches in Paris and London. The shop was owned by a French immigrant named Jean-Pierre Lagarde.

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Talca spans an area of 231.5 km² (89 sq mi) and has 201,797 inhabitants (96,810 men and 104,987 women). Of these, 193,755 (96%) lived in urban areas and 8,042 (4%) in rural areas. The population grew by 17.8% (30,510 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.