Curacautín
Curacautín
Fuerte Curacautín | |
|---|---|
 View of Curacautín | |
|
 Coat of arms  Map of the Curacautín commune in the Araucanía Region   Curacautín Location in Chile | |
| Coordinates (city): 38°26′S 71°53′W / 38.433°S 71.883°W | |
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Araucanía Region |
| Province | Malleco Province |
| Established | March 12, 1882 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Alcalde | Hugo Vidal Merino (Ind.) |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,664.0 km2 (642.5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 542 m (1,778 ft) |
| Population (2012 Census)[3] | |
• Total | 16,508 |
| • Density | 9.9207/km2 (25.694/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 12,412 |
| • Rural | 4,558 |
| Demonym | Curacautinense(s) |
| Sex | |
| • Men | 8310 |
| • Women | 8660 |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (CLT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−3 (CLST) |
| Postal Code | 4700000 |
| Area code | 56 + 45 |
| Website | Municipality of Curacautín |
Curacautín (from the Mapudungun kura kawin, meaning "gathering stone"),[4] is a commune and city in the Chilean province of Malleco, in the Araucanía Region. Curacautín is located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) northeast of Temuco and roughly 673 kilometres (418 mi) south of Santiago, in a valley near the volcanoes Tolhuaca, Lonquimay, and Llaima, all of which can be seen from the city. Historically, it served as a highway of sorts for the Pehuenches who lived on either side of the Andes mountain range.
Geography
[edit]Volcanic origin and natural environment
[edit]This area is known for its natural environment,[citation needed] and the Conguillío and Tolhuaca National Parks, and Malleco and Malalcahuello-Nalcas National Reserves are close by. The commune lies within the active volcanic cordillera and precordillera geomorphological units of the Andes,[5] and its climate ranges from winter-rainfall tundra and Mediterranean types at lower elevations to cooler, wetter mountain climates at higher elevations, according to the Köppen climate classification.[6] The commune straddles the watersheds of the Biobío, Imperial, and Toltén Rivers, and contains several lakes and rivers, including Laguna Blanca, Laguna Verde, and the Cautín and Malleco rivers.
Several distinct native forest ecosystems occur within the commune, a number of which are classified as vulnerable or endangered, including Nothofagus-dominated deciduous and evergreen Andean forests and stands featuring monkey puzzle trees (Araucaria araucana).[7] A significant share of the commune's territory falls under some form of environmental protection, including the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve, Conguillío and Tolhuaca National Parks, the Malalcahuello, Malleco, and Nalcas National Forest Reserves, and the privately protected ECCO2 conservation initiative.[8]
History
[edit]The fort at Curacautín was founded on March 12, 1882, by Gregorio Urrutia as part of Chilean efforts to control the local indigenous population; the site was chosen for its relatively elevated plateau, roughly 400 metres above sea level, which offered visibility in all four cardinal directions.
Construction of the Púa–Lonquimay railway branch began in 1906, running from Púa station to Selva Oscura station over 49 kilometres; the line was later extended to Curacautín in October 1914 and formally inaugurated in 1915, giving the town its own railway station.[9] Between 1913 and 1915, two other important structures — the railroad facilities and the Greater City Hall — were built. In 1938, the Mosso plywood factory began production, becoming the first in Chile to export plywood. This, coupled with the railroad, allowed products to be shipped throughout Chile as well as internationally, and the factory became one of the commune's main employers, with a significant impact on nearly every aspect of city life. In 2000, FOCURA (formerly Mosso) declared bankruptcy, ending an era in Curacautín.[10]
Wood from the forests of the Curacautín Valley was the first product jointly labelled as meeting Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Fairtrade International (FLO) standards, manufactured commercially by the Swedish firm Kährs from 2011.[11]
Demographics
[edit]| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1895 | 4,183 | — |
| 1907 | 5,704 | +2.62% |
| 1920 | 9,606 | +4.09% |
| 1930 | 10,313 | +0.71% |
| 1940 | 14,715 | +3.62% |
| 1952 | 17,827 | +1.61% |
| 1960 | 18,536 | +0.49% |
| 1970 | 17,170 | −0.76% |
| 1982 | 18,475 | +0.61% |
| 1992 | 18,135 | −0.19% |
| 2002 | 16,970 | −0.66% |
| 2017 | 17,413 | +0.17% |
| 2024 | 18,536 | +0.90% |
| Source: "Censo de Población y Vivienda". National Statistics Institute. | ||
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Curacautín spans an area of 1,664.0 km2 (642 sq mi) and has 16,970 inhabitants (8,310 men and 8,660 women). Of these, 12,412 (73.1%) lived in urban areas and 4,558 (26.9%) in rural areas. Between the 1992 and 2002 censuses, the population fell by 6.4% (1,165 persons).[3] The 2017 census recorded a communal population of 25,413, concentrated primarily in the city of Curacautín itself.[12]
Localities
[edit]As in many rural Chilean communes with an extensive territory, several smaller communities — variously referred to as sectors, villages, or hamlets — have been established within the commune of Curacautín, often around tourist areas, former railway stations, or estate worker settlements. These include Captrén, Estación, Hueñivales, Malalcahuello, Manchuria, Manzanar, Pidenco, Rari Ruca, Santa Ema, Santa Julia, and Tolhuaca.[citation needed]
Administration
[edit]As a commune, Curacautín 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 mayor of the commune is Hugo Vidal Merino (Ind.), serving the 2024–2028 term.[1][2]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Curacautín is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Enrique Estay (UDI) and Fuad Chahín (PDC) as part of the 49th electoral district, together with Victoria, Lonquimay, Melipeuco, Vilcún, Lautaro, Perquenco, and Galvarino. The commune is represented in the Senate by Alberto Espina Otero (RN) and Jaime Quintana Leal (PPD) as part of the 14th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-North).
Economy
[edit]As of 2018, there were 322 registered businesses operating in Curacautín. The commune's Economic Complexity Index (ECI) that year stood at 0.15, with the economic activities showing the highest Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) being barley cultivation, retail sale of paints, varnishes, and lacquers, and the manufacture of primary aluminum products.[13]
Transportation
[edit]There is a small private airport, Curacautín Airport, located two miles from the city.[14] The Las Raíces Tunnel, a major road engineering project, connects the commune of Curacautín with the neighboring commune of Lonquimay and is considered the longest road tunnel in South America, making it a strategic point on Chile's road network.[15]
Tourism and recreation
[edit]Curacautín's proximity to several protected natural areas has made tourism an important part of the local economy. Conguillío National Park preserves ecosystems dominated by the monkey puzzle tree and is noted for its lakes and mountainous terrain, while Tolhuaca National Park is known for its biodiversity as well as its geothermal features. The Malalcahuello National Reserve is valued for the conservation of native forest and endemic wildlife. Among the commune's waterfalls are the Salto de la Princesa and the Salto del Indio.[15]
The Corralco Ski Resort, located on the slopes of the Lonquimay volcano, is one of the region's most prominent winter sports centers; beyond its ski infrastructure, it has gained recognition for its setting amid stands of monkey puzzle trees, which give the area a distinctive landscape.[15]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Asociación Chilena de Municipalidades" (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 February 2011.
- 1 2 "Municipality of Curacautín" (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 February 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 "National Statistics Institute" (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 September 2010.
- ↑ CuracautinChile.cl. "Curacautín". Archived from the original on 28 December 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ↑ Albers, Christoph (September 2015). "Unidades Geomorfológicas Chile". GeoNode Cedeus (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ↑ Departamento de Geografía, Universidad de Chile (2017). "Zonas climáticas de Chile según Köppen-Geiger escala 1:1.500.000". Catálogo Nacional de Información Geoespacial (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ↑ Ministerio del Medio Ambiente. "GEOPORTAL SIMBIO". apps.mma.gob.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ↑ Ministerio del Medio Ambiente. "GEOPORTAL SIMBIO". apps.mma.gob.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ↑ "Interpretación histórica del FC por Lonquimay". www.amigosdeltren.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ↑ "Historia Didáctica de Curacautin "1882-2004" ( Patricia Mora ): Historia Fabrica Mosso". 19 October 2007.
- ↑ Kährs Debuts First Ever FSC/Fairtrade-Certified Flooring, Wood Floor Business, published 20 July 2011, accessed 18 September 2022
- ↑ Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas. "Resultados Censo 2017" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
- ↑ "ADALYTICS". adalytics.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 September 2020.
- ↑ "Curacautín airport (Chile) NOTAM and informations SCAI". Bigorre.org. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
- 1 2 3 "Curacautín". Araucanía Andina (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 August 2023.
External links
[edit]- (in Spanish) Municipality of Curacautín
