Administrative divisions of Chile
# Administrative divisions of Chile

The administrative division or territorial organization of Chile exemplifies characteristics of a unitary state. State administration is functionally and geographically decentralized, as appropriate for each authority in accordance with the law.

For the interior government and administration within the State, the territory of the republic has been divided into 16 regions (regiones), 56 provinces (provincias) and 346 communes (comunas) since the 1970s process of reform, made at the request of the National Commission on Administrative Reform (Comisión Nacional de la Reforma Administrativa or CONARA). State agencies exist to promote the strengthening of its regionalization, equitable development and solidarity between regions, provinces and communes within the nation.

Since 2005, the creation, abolition and designation of regions, provinces and communes, the altering of their boundaries, and the establishment of the regional and provincial capitals are part of constitutional law.

The Ministries of Chile (except the Ministries of the Interior, National Defense, Foreign Affairs and Secretary General of the Presidency) are devolved to regional level, being represented by regional ministries, integrating the so-called "regional cabinet," chaired by the regional intendent.

## History

The political and administrative division of Chile has had four major periods: before 1833, from 1833 to 1925, from 1925 to 1976 and from 1976 onwards.

Before 1974, Chile was divided into:

* Provinces (provincias) - First level
* Departments (departamentos) - Second level

In October 2007, two new regions came into force: The I Tarapacá Region was divided laterally to create XV Arica and Parinacota Region to the north, and similarly, the X Los Lagos Region was split to create XIV Los Ríos Region to its north. Also there are plans to create a joint region between the provinces of Linares and Cauquenes by splitting the VII Maule Region.

On March 11, 2010, the creation of the Marga Marga Province gave Chile a new total of 56 provinces.

## Current structure

Chile is administratively divided into:

* 16 Regions (regiones) - First level administrative division
* 56 Provinces (provincias) - Second level administrative division
* 346 Communes (comunas) - Third level administrative division

### Regions

The regional government is headed by the intendant (intendente), appointed by the President of the Republic. The intendant is advised by the Regional Ministerial Secretaries (Secretaría Regional Ministerial or SEREMIs).

The administration of the region lies in the regional government, constituted by the intendente and the Regional Council (Consejo Regional).

### Provinces

The government and administration of each province lies in the provincial governorate (Gobernación Provincial), headed by a governor (gobernador), appointed by the President of the Republic. It exercises its powers in accordance with the instructions from the regional intendant. It is advised by the Provincial Economic and Social Council (Consejo Económico y Social Provincial or CESPRO).

The only exception is the Santiago Province, which makes no provision for a provincial governorate in its regulations. Instead, the position corresponds to the intendant of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago. In January 2001, the Provincial Delegation of Santiago was created with the position of a Provincial Delegate, who exercises the functions of a provincial governor on behalf of the respective intendant.

### Municipalities

The local administration of each commune or group of communities resides in the municipality (municipalidad), consisting of an alcalde and a communal council (Consejo Comunal), elected directly for a period of 4 years renewable.

Municipalities represent the decentralization of central power. They are advised by an Economic and Social Communal Council (Consejo Económico y Social Comunal or CESCO), composed of representatives from the most important of the community's organizations and activities.

There are 346 communes and 345 municipalities, as the municipality of Cabo de Hornos manages the grouping of communities of Cape Horn and Antártica. There are proposals to create a number of new communities to be studied by the Secretariat of Regional and Administrative Development (Subsecretaría de Desarrollo Regional y Administrativo or SUBDERE).

### Current list of administrative divisions

| Region | Capital | Provinces | Capital | Communes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Arica and Parinacota Region | Arica | Arica | Arica | Arica Camarones |
| Arica and Parinacota Region | Arica | Parinacota | Putre | General Lagos Putre |
| Tarapacá Region | Iquique | El Tamarugal | Pozo Almonte | Camiña Colchane Huara Pica Pozo Almonte |
| Tarapacá Region | Iquique | Iquique | Iquique | Iquique Alto Hospicio |
| Antofagasta Region | Antofagasta | Tocopilla | Tocopilla | María Elena Tocopilla |
| Antofagasta Region | Antofagasta | El Loa | Calama | Calama Ollagüe San Pedro de Atacama |
| Antofagasta Region | Antofagasta | Antofagasta | Antofagasta | Antofagasta Mejillones Sierra Gorda Taltal |
| Atacama Region | Copiapó | Chañaral | Chañaral | Chañaral Diego de Almagro |
| Atacama Region | Copiapó | Copiapó | Copiapó | Copiapó Caldera Tierra Amarilla |
| Atacama Region | Copiapó | Huasco | Vallenar | Vallenar Freirina Huasco Alto del Carmen |
| Coquimbo Region | La Serena | Elqui | Coquimbo | Andacollo Coquimbo La Higuera La Serena Paiguano Vicuña |
| Coquimbo Region | La Serena | Limarí | Ovalle | Ovalle Río Hurtado Monte Patria Combarbalá Punitaqui |
| Coquimbo Region | La Serena | Choapa | Illapel | Illapel Salamanca Los Vilos Canela |
| Valparaíso Region | Valparaíso | Petorca | La Ligua | La Ligua Cabildo Zapallar Papudo Petorca |
| Valparaíso Region | Valparaíso | Los Andes | Los Andes | Los Andes San Esteban Calle Larga Rinconada |
| Valparaíso Region | Valparaíso | San Felipe de Aconcagua | San Felipe | San Felipe Llaillay Putaendo Santa María Catemu Panquehue |
| Valparaíso Region | Valparaíso | Quillota | Quillota | Quillota La Calera Nogales Hijuelas La Cruz |
| Valparaíso Region | Valparaíso | Valparaíso | Valparaíso | Valparaíso Viña del Mar Concón Quintero Puchuncaví Casablanca Juan Fernández |
| Valparaíso Region | Valparaíso | Marga Marga | Quilpué | Quilpué Limache Olmué Villa Alemana |
| Valparaíso Region | Valparaíso | San Antonio | San Antonio | Algarrobo El Quisco El Tabo Cartagena San Antonio Santo Domingo |
| Valparaíso Region | Valparaíso | Isla de Pascua | Hanga Roa | Isla de Pascua |
| Región del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins | Rancagua | Cachapoal | Rancagua | Codegua Coínco Coltauco Doñihue Graneros Las Cabras Machalí Malloa Olivar Peumo Pichidegua Quinta de Tilcoco Rancagua Requínoa Rengo Mostazal San Vicente de Tagua Tagua |
| Región del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins | Rancagua | Colchagua | San Fernando | Chépica Chimbarongo Lolol Nancagua Palmilla Peralillo Placilla Pumanque San Fernando Santa Cruz |
| Región del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins | Rancagua | Cardenal Caro | Pichilemu | La Estrella Litueche Marchigüe Navidad Paredones Pichilemu |
| Maule Region | Talca | Curicó | Curicó | Curicó Hualañé Licantén Molina Rauco Romeral Sagrada Familia, Chile Teno Vichuquén |
| Maule Region | Talca | Talca | Talca | Talca San Clemente Pelarco Pencahue Maule San Rafael Curepto Constitución Empedrado Río Claro |
| Maule Region | Talca | Linares | Linares | Linares San Javier de Loncomilla Parral Villa Alegre Longaví Colbún Retiro Yerbas Buenas |
| Maule Region | Talca | Cauquenes | Cauquenes | Cauquenes Chanco Pelluhue |
| Ñuble Region | Chillán | Itata | Quirihue | Cobquecura Coelemu Ninhue Portezuelo Quirihue Ránquil Treguaco |
| Ñuble Region | Chillán | Diguillín | Bulnes | Bulnes Chillán Chillán Viejo El Carmen Pemuco Pinto Quillón San Ignacio Yungay |
| Ñuble Region | Chillán | Punilla | San Carlos | Coihueco Ñiquén San Carlos San Fabián San Nicolás |
| Biobío Region | Concepción | Biobío | Los Ángeles | Alto Biobío Antuco Cabrero Laja Los Ángeles Mulchén Nacimiento Negrete Quilaco Quilleco San Rosendo Santa Bárbara Tucapel Yumbel |
| Biobío Region | Concepción | Concepción | Concepción | Concepción Coronel Chiguayante Florida Hualpén Hualqui Lota Penco San Pedro de la Paz Santa Juana Talcahuano Tomé |
| Biobío Region | Concepción | Arauco | Lebu | Arauco Cañete Contulmo Curanilahue Lebu Los Álamos Tirúa |
| Araucanía Region | Temuco | Malleco | Angol | Angol Collipulli Curacautín Ercilla Lonquimay Los Sauces Lumaco Purén Renaico Traiguén Victoria |
| Araucanía Region | Temuco | Cautín | Temuco | Temuco Carahue Cholchol Cunco Curarrehue Freire Galvarino Gorbea Lautaro Loncoche Melipeuco Nueva Imperial Padre Las Casas Perquenco Pitrufquén Pucón Saavedra Teodoro Schmidt Toltén Vilcún Villarrica |
| Los Ríos Region | Valdivia | Valdivia | Valdivia | Valdivia Corral Lanco Los Lagos Mariquina Máfil Paillaco Panguipulli |
| Los Ríos Region | Valdivia | Ranco | La Unión | La Unión Futrono Lago Ranco Río Bueno |
| Los Lagos Region | Puerto Montt | Osorno | Osorno | Osorno Puerto Octay Purranque Puyehue Río Negro San Pablo San Juan de la Costa |
| Los Lagos Region | Puerto Montt | Llanquihue | Puerto Montt | Calbuco Cochamó Fresia Frutillar Llanquihue Los Muermos Maullín Puerto Montt Puerto Varas |
| Los Lagos Region | Puerto Montt | Chiloé | Castro | Ancud Castro Chonchi Curaco de Vélez Dalcahue Puqueldón Queilén Quellón Quemchi Quinchao |
| Los Lagos Region | Puerto Montt | Palena | Chaitén | Futaleufú Hualaihué Palena |
| Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region | Coihaique | Coihaique | Coihaique | Coihaique Lago Verde |
| Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region | Coihaique | Aisén | Puerto Aisén | Aisén Cisnes Guaitecas |
| Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region | Coihaique | General Carrera | Chile Chico | Chile Chico Río Ibáñez |
| Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region | Coihaique | Capitán Prat | Cochrane | Cochrane O'Higgins Tortel |
| Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region | Punta Arenas | Última Esperanza | Puerto Natales | Puerto Natales Torres del Paine |
| Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region | Punta Arenas | Magallanes | Punta Arenas | Laguna Blanca Punta Arenas Río Verde San Gregorio |
| Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region | Punta Arenas | Tierra del Fuego | Porvenir | Porvenir Primavera Timaukel |
| Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region | Punta Arenas | Antártica Chilena | Puerto Williams | Cabo de Hornos Antártica |
| Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) | Santiago | Chacabuco | Colina | Colina Lampa Tiltil |
| Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) | Santiago | Cordillera | Puente Alto | Puente Alto San José de Maipo Pirque |
| Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) | Santiago | Maipo | San Bernardo | San Bernardo Buin Paine Calera de Tango |
| Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) | Santiago | Talagante | Talagante | Isla de Maipo El Monte Padre Hurtado Peñaflor Talagante |
| Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) | Santiago | Melipilla | Melipilla | Curacaví María Pinto Melipilla San Pedro Alhué |
| Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) | Santiago | Santiago | Santiago | Cerrillos Cerro Navia Conchalí El Bosque Estación Central Huechuraba Independencia La Cisterna La Granja La Florida La Pintana La Reina Las Condes Lo Barnechea Lo Espejo Lo Prado Macul Maipú Ñuñoa Pedro Aguirre Cerda Peñalolén Providencia Pudahuel Quilicura Quinta Normal Recoleta Renca San Miguel San Joaquín San Ramón Santiago Vitacura |

## Proposed structural changes

SUBDERE continues to examine the proposed creation of the provinces of Villarrica, San Carlos, Admiral Simpson, Aconcagua and others.

