Curarrehue

Curarrehue
—  Town and Commune  —
View of Curarrehue's church a winter day
Map of Curarrehue commune in the Araucanía Region
Curarrehue Location in Chile
Coordinates (town): 39°21′S 71°35′W / 39.35°S 71.583°W / -39.35; -71.583Coordinates: 39°21′S 71°35′W / 39.35°S 71.583°W / -39.35; -71.583
Country	Chile
Region	Araucanía
Province	Cautín
Founded	1981
Government[1]
- Type	Municipality
- Alcalde	Héctor Carrasco Ruiz (RN)
Area[2]
- Total	1,170.7 km2 (452 sq mi)
Elevation	130 m (427 ft)
Population (2002 Census)[2]
- Total	6,784
- Density	5.8/km2 (15/sq mi)
- Urban	1,862
- Rural	4,922
Sex[2]
- Men	3,586
- Women	3,198

Curarrehue is a town and commune in Cautín Province of Araucanía Region, Chile. The origin of Curarrehue dates back to the occupation of Araucanía and the Conquest of the Desert by the Chilean and Argentine army respectively in the 1870s and 1880s when Mapuches were pushed by the Argentine Army through Mamuil Malal Pass into the valley of Curarrehue were they settled.

Geologically the town of Curarrehue is placed on Reigolil-Pirihueico Fault.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Curarrehue spans an area of 1,170.7 km² (452 sq mi) and has 6,784 inhabitants (3,586 men and 3,198 women). Of these, 1,862 (27.4%) lived in urban areas and 4,922 (72.6%) in rural areas. The population grew by 13.5% (806 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.^[2]

Administration

As a commune, Curarrehue 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 2008-2012 alcalde is Héctor Carrasco Ruiz (RN).^[1]

Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Curarrehue is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by René Manuel García (RN) and Fernando Meza (PRSD) as part of the 52nd electoral district, (together with Cunco, Pucón, Villarrica, Loncoche, Gorbea and Toltén). The commune is represented in the Senate by José Garcia Ruminot (RN) and Eugenio Tuma Zedan (PPD) as part of the 15th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-South).

References

1. ^ ^{a b} (Spanish) "Asociación Chilena de Municipalidades". 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} (Spanish) "National Statistics Institute". http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_estadistico/censos_poblacion_vivienda/censo_pobl_vivi.php. Retrieved 13 December 2010.