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Pozo Almonte

Tarapacá18.713 inhabitantsPoblación proyectada INE 202413.738 km² of area1 inh./km²$20.133M ingreso municipalSINIM · ingreso total percibido · 2025
Profile today2050
The comuna in context · among 346 comunas
Economy
22.190 jobs
8th most jobs promised by investment projects
Explore
Economy
1.186/1,000 inhab.
12th most promised jobs per inhabitant (one megaproject transforms it)
Explore
Society
+93%
18th fastest population growth (since 2002)
Explore
Society
19.7%
14th largest foreign population share
Explore
Education
539 pts
22nd worst PAES reading comprehension
Explore
Population
+18,1%
Population would grow between now and 2050
Society
25%
Multidimensional poverty · 59th highest of 346
Finance
$1,1 million
per inhabitant per year · rank 67 of 346
Safety
9.619
cases per 100k inhab. · 14th in the country
Economy
3.626
construction jobs · Investment in the pipeline would promise
Education
538,8 pts
below the national median in the PAES (576,9 pts)
Finance
270th
most dependent on the Common Fund of 340
Summary

What the comuna hasSource: OpenStreetMap

18 Squares and green areas
12 Schools
7 Health centers
5 Kindergartens
4 Carabineros
3 Fire stations
1 Pharmacies

Liveability index · EIU style

46.8 /100
Ver el ranking y simular
#206 of 346 · most liveable in the country (EIU weighting)
Safety60
Health44
Culture and environment51
Education43
Infrastructure30
AuthoritiesWho leads the comuna, its council, sessions and lobbying requests

Mayor · 2024-2028Source: DecideChile · SERVEL

Richard Godoy A.Re-elected
CONTIGO CHILE MEJOR · PARTIDO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO
5.619
votes (61.78%)
12.477
Electoral roll
78,2%
Turnout
Mayoral history · 8 terms
RG
Richard Godoy A.
2024-2028 · PARTIDO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO
5.619
votes
RA
Richard Alfonso Godoy Aguirre
2021-2024 · DC
2.922
votes
AS
Augusto Smith Marín
2008-2012 · RN
2.244
votes
AE
Augusto Enrique Smith Marín
2004-2008 · RN
2.431
votes
AE
Augusto Enrique Smith Marin
2000-2004 · RN
2.104
votes
AE
Augusto Enrique Smith Marin
1996-2000 · RN
1.379
votes
AE
Augusto Enrique Smith Marin
1994-1996 · RN
993
votes
VA
Veronica Aguirre Aguirre
1992-1994 · PSD
395
votes

SERVEL · TRICEL (1992-2008) · DecideChile (2024) · Wikidata (pre-1992)

Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL

MH
Marcelo Hurtado N.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · PARTIDO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO
906
votes
OC
Osvaldo Chandia A.
CHILE VAMOS UDI-EVOPOLI E INDEPENDIENTES · UNION DEMOCRATA INDEPENDIENTE
726
votes
IM
Ivan Moscoso M.
TU COMUNA RADICAL · INDEPENDIENTE
631
votes
FC
Francisco Caceres C.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · PARTIDO SOCIALISTA DE CHILE
550
votes
FO
Franco Osorio A.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · PARTIDO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO
503
votes
JE
Julia Encina S.
CHILE VAMOS RENOVACIÓN NACIONAL - INDEPENDIENTES · RENOVACION NACIONAL
313
votes

Official council minutesSource: CPLT · Active Transparency inventory (Law 20.285)

What the council resolvesSource: Official minutes · AI extraction (ongoing)

Resolutions extracted
52
of 52 minutes read
Money involved
$839.251.018
sum of resolutions with amounts
ResolutionTypeAmountVote
B · Aprobación del acta de Concejo Municipal correspondiente a la sesión extraordinaria N°16 de 18 de julio de 2023.Otherunanimidad
4.2 · Aprobación de la solicitud de adelanto de subvenciones para pago de bonos de retiro voluntario asistentes de la educación periodo 2023 (ley 20.964)Subsidyunanimidad
4.1 · Aprobación del convenio denominado 'Recuperación del ejercicio de la autonomía para víctimas y sobrevivientes de violencias de género / componente residencias transitorias'Otherunanimidad
Aprobación de acta de concejo municipal correspondiente a la sesión ordinaria N° 03 del 9 de enero de 2025Otherunanimidad
4.2 · Aprobación del convenio suscrito entre el Servicio Nacional del Adulto Mayor y la Ilustre Municipalidad de Pozo Almonte, respecto del programa denominado “Cuidados Domiciliarios”.Loan for useunanimidad
4.1 · Aprobación para la realización del Festival de la Voz del Tamarugo en la localidad de La Tirana, patrocinado por la Ilustremunicipalidad de Pozo Almonte.Subsidyunanimidad

Resolutions voted by the council, automatically extracted from the official minutes (extraction ongoing: coverage grows as the 94.917 indexed minutes are processed). May contain reading errors; the official document is the municipality's PDF.

Comptroller auditsSource: CGR · Municipal Observatory

Findingstotal
284
Highly complex
39
Audit reports
0
YearFindingsAltam.Compl.Median.Reports
20205323218
201960112623
20184212219
201688153835
20154110255

CGR severity classification · audit findings on the municipality and its corporations

Who requests meetings with the municipalitySource: InfoLobby · CPLT (Law 20,730)

  • TR
    Teck Resources Chile Limitada
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2017–2018
  • HE
    Hotel Estancia Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2019
  • CS
    Codiples SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025
  • AS
    Allibera Solar Consultores Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2018
  • By
    B y K Servicios Integrales
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2017
  • FS
    Frv Services Chile SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2024
  • EC
    Elecnor Chile S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2023
  • RD
    Red Desert Viajes y Turismo Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2017
  • TY
    Transporte y Obras Civiles Eben Ezer Limitada
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2018
  • CC
    Co-Imagina Consultores
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2026
  • HS
    Health Systems Design & Connection
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2024
  • GR
    Grenegri Renovable
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2024
  • FD
    Fundación Desarrollo y Progreso
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2018
  • SQ
    Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2017
  • FI
    Fundacion Integra
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2019
  • CM
    Compañía Minera Teck Quebrada Blanca S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2017
  • SI
    Servicio Integrales Tamar SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2019
  • EE
    Engie Energía Chile S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2018
  • Cm
    Cobra Montajes, Servicios y Agua Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2018
  • ME
    María Elena Solar S.a. en Liquidación Concursal
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2019
and 1 more organizations that requested meetings

Organisations that registered Lobby Law meetings with this municipality. Registering the meeting is mandatory for the official, so the list shows who asked to be heard, not whether they got anything.

PopulationWho lives here, how they study, their healthcare and more

Population and living conditionsSource: INE · CENSO · MINEDUC · ADIS

Population trend

9.833
inhabitants
18.962
inhabitants
20022025

How it has changedSource: Official INE series 2002–2026 (2017 base).

See the full trajectory to 2050
Since 2002
+95%
inhabitants
Estimated population 2050
22.664
+9% vs. 2035 (20.782)
Over 60 · 2050
25,49%
18,82% in 2035 · +7 pts of ageing

INE projects comuna population only through 2035; the 2050 values are an own estimate by the monitor, anchored to the official INE 2050 national total (21,626,079 inhab, 32.1% aged 60+). Not an official comuna figure.

IndicatorValueSource
Homes with public water supply (2017 Census)81,69 %CENSO 2017 2017
School disengagement (leaves the system)0,9 %MINEDUC 2023
PAES reading comprehension (DEMRE)538,8 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
PAES mathematics M1 (DEMRE)566,9 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
poblacion_censo16.878 inh.2024 Census 2024
Income poverty (CASEN 2022)15,3 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Pobreza multidimensional (CASEN 2022)25 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Indigenous peoples46,66 %2024 Census 2024

The PAES year is that of the admission process: the test is sat in November of the previous year. The average covers only those who registered to apply to university —not every secondary-school graduate— and groups them by the comuna of the school they graduated from, not by where the student lives. Here it rests on 169 students registered for the PAES.

Registro Social de Hogares

People in the RSH
17.953
9.706 households
Households in the most vulnerable 40%
5.067
52% of RSH households
Female-headed households
48%
4.655
Elderly (60+)2.95216%
Children and adolescents (<18)4.84827%
Foreign nationals3.21318%
Belonging to indigenous peoples5.41130%
People with moderate/severe dependency1931%
Single-person households5.44656%

A monthly administrative snapshot of the Social Household Registry (self-registration to access benefits), as of abril 2026. The "bracket 40" is the socioeconomic rating of the most vulnerable 40%. It is a registry, not a survey: it complements CASEN (biennial) with fresh data, but well-off comunas under-register. Source: ADIS, Ministry of Social Development and Family.

School educationSource: MINEDUC Open Data 2025

School enrollment
4.022
12 schools
Students per teacher
14,6
275 teachers
national median: 10,15
Average attendance
91,7%
national median: 89,8%
Priority studentsSEP
65,9%
socioeconomic vulnerability
national median: 66,8%
Where they study · by provider
Public (municipal + SLEP) 91%Private subsidized 9%
Pass rate
99,1%
national median: 98,2%
Dropoutschool withdrawal
2,2%
dropout during the year
national median: 1,77%

Aggregate of all the comuna's schools (RBD → comuna). Pass/withdrawal and attendance are from the 2025 school year. SIMCE is not published as open data (managed by the Quality Agency, by request only); the available quality proxy is passing, dropout and attendance. The PAES result appears in the social section.

Municipal healthcare (primary care)Source: SINIM · MINSAL / FONASA

CESFAM
1
Clinics
0
Rural health posts
3
FONASA enrollees
20.416
109% of the population
Doctors employed
7
Health staff by contract type
Permanent staff: 120Contract staff: 133Fee contracts: 1
Primary-care medical visits · per year
8.706
58.139
20102025
Comprehensive home visits · per year
306
403
20192025

REM-26 section A (DEIS/MINSAL): comprehensive family visits, summed across the comuna's facilities. The last year is partial while DEIS consolidates monthly reports.

Comuna's primary-care centers · FONASA 2025 enrollees (20.643 in total)
CenterTypeProvider typeEnrollees% brackets A-B
Centro de Salud Familiar Pozo AlmonteFamily Health Center (CESFAM)Municipal16.65953%
Posta de Salud Rural la TiranaRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal2.34874%
Posta de Salud Rural la HuaycaRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal1.27967%
Posta de Salud Rural MamiñaRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal35760%

FONASA brackets A-B ≈ lowest incomes (A: without resources). Source: FONASA, as of Dec 31, 2025, DEIS code.

Costs · 2025
Health spending accrued: $4.733.147.000 ($231.835/enrollee)MINSAL per capita: $2.863.467.000Municipal contribution: $310.362.000

Indigenous peoplesSource: 2024 Census (INE) · CONADI via IDE SMA

Indigenous population
7.876
46.7% of the census population (Census 2024)
Indigenous communities
6
RNAI CONADI registry · Mar 2024

INDIGENOUS DEVELOPMENT AREA The comuna is part of the ADI JIWASA ORAJE (art. 26, Indigenous Law 19.253).

PeoplePeople% of total
Aymara4.88062.0%
Diaguita1.21415.4%
Quechua7749.8%
Mapuche7439.4%
Otro1161.5%
Atacameño o Lickanantay640.8%
Colla610.8%

2024 Census: people who consider themselves as belonging to an indigenous people (small counts are suppressed for confidentiality at the source and not shown). Communities: CONADI national registry as of March 2024 — Araucanía and Los Lagos not refreshed in that update, the count is a floor. Land grants: 2022 registry.

Community organizationSource: RPJSFL Civil Registry (Law 20.500/19.418) · as of Jun 2026

Active neighborhood councils
25
Councils per 1,000 inhabitants
1.3
density of territorial organization
Non-profit organizations
143
the entire active civil fabric
Sports
37
Social and aid
9
For the elderly
8
Committees (water, housing, progress)
4
Cultural
2
Foundations and corporations
2
Fire brigades
1
Religious
1

All the comuna's active non-profit legal entities (Law 20.500 / 19.418), classified by organization name. It portrays the civil fabric: not just neighborhood councils, also committees, sports clubs, cultural and elderly groups, foundations and fire brigades.

4 Local media · 1 Comunitaria · 3 FMSource: SUBTEL · broadcasting licences · Regional Media Survey (MSGG)

Local mediaTypedial
AALMONTINAFM98.7 FM
TTAMARUGOComunitaria107.7 FM
V9VOLTAJE 95.1FM95.1 FM
ICIcg Chile SpA · holderFM88.5 FM

The dial (frequency) of every FM, AM and community radio with a studio in the comuna (SUBTEL, active sound broadcasting concessions). National networks appear in their headquarters' comuna, not necessarily where they broadcast. When SUBTEL records no brand name, its holder (the concession holder).

Foreign-born populationSource: 2024 Census · INE

Foreign nationals
3.695
21,9% of the census population (Census 2024)
Main origin
Bolivia
2.618 people · 71% of the foreigners
Main countries of origin
2.618 Bolivia
407 Perú
355 Venezuela
165 Colombia

International immigrants per the 2024 Census (people born outside Chile living in the comuna). Nationwide they are 1,608,650 people, 8.8% of the population.

Housing and housing deficitSource: MINVU (Encampment Registry + 2024 Census deficit + subsidies) · INE

Families in informal settlements
206
8 encampments (2024 Registry)
Housing deficit
842
15% of the comuna's households
Housing permits · 2024
12
2.686 m² · new construction
Subsidies Integrated System · DS01
36
paid · 2011–2026
Subsidies Solidarity Fund · DS49
1.227
beneficiaries · 2012–2025
Subsidies Rental · DS52
21
paid · 2014–2024

Encampments: MINVU National Registry 2024 (irregular settlements and the families living in them). Quantitative deficit: homes missing per the 2024 Census (doubling-up + unrecoverable overcrowding). Permits: new homes authorized by the Works Directorate in 2024 (INE) — measures future construction, not stock. Subsidies: MINVU by application comuna — DS49 accrues beneficiaries by resolution year; DS01 and DS52 accrue payments by application cohort (national totals in the source file differ ~1–6% from the comuna sum; the comuna series is published).

What the homes are like

14.282homes · by type (2017)
House
7.855 · 88.4%
House
5.250 · 97.3%
Shack/hut/shanty
543 · 6.1%
Room in old house/tenement
248 · 2.8%
Other private
193 · 2.2%
Room in old house/tenement
65 · 1.2%
Shack/improvised dwelling
36 · 0.7%
Other private
33 · 0.6%
Indigenous dwelling
31 · 0.3%
Mobile
10 · 0.1%
Mobile
10 · 0.2%
Apartment
4 · 0%
Traditional/indigenous dwelling
3 · 0.1%
Apartment
1 · 0%
58%owner-occupied · tenure (2002)
Owned outright
1.047 · 42.7%
Rented
419 · 17.1%
Owned, being paid off
370 · 15.1%
Provided for work
332 · 13.5%
Free of charge
286 · 11.7%

Housing type: 2017 Census · tenure: 2002 Census (INE).

ResourcesBudget, spending, municipal procurement and more

Benefits under special regimesSource: Laws/SII/BCN/MTT/Treasury · deep-research verified

Fiscal or economic treatments that apply only to this comuna or its zone, not the rest of Chile. The chip color shows who it reaches: municipality, community, residents, companies or workers.

Tax exemptions
Bonificación a la mano de obra en zonas extremasworkers
DL 889/1975 → Ley 19.853

17% de las remuneraciones imponibles (hasta tope base ~$182.000 reajustable IPC) de trabajadores con domicilio y trabajo permanente en la zona. En Aysén/Magallanes/Chiloé/Palena solo si la remuneración supera en 20% el salario mínimo.

17% de remuneraciones imponibles (con tope)· vigenteSource
Subsidized connectivity
Subsidio MTT a transporte en zonas aisladasresidents
Ley 20.378 mod. por Ley 20.696

Tarifas rebajadas en 5 modos de transporte (+900.000 personas), con complemento extra para zonas extremas/australes. La "Tarifa Cero" da pasaje GRATUITO, pero solo para 65+ y personas con discapacidad (con sola cédula), en 130+ servicios incluyendo barcazas. Para el residente común es descuento, no gratuidad.

Tarifa rebajada (gratis solo 65+/discapacidad)· vigenteSource
Mining rent
Collahuasi — inversión comunitaria Tarapacácommunity
RSE / convenios municipales (voluntario)

US$9,59 M de inversión comunitaria en 2017 (+21%), reparto Iquique/Pica/Pozo Almonte; convenio formal con el municipio de Pozo Almonte (Liceo Sergio González Gutiérrez). Cifra de RSE autorreportada.

US$9,59 M (2017, RSE)· reporte 2017Source
Royalty minero — Fondo de Comunas Minerasmunicipality
Ley 21.591/2023

En 2024 el Fondo Puente (anticipo, ~50% de la distribución) repartió $22.891 millones a 43 comunas mineras de 6 regiones. Ingreso MUNICIPAL. Acá se listan las comunas nombradas oficialmente; la lista completa (43) está en Hacienda/TGR. (Cruza con SINIM royalty, var ya cargada en finanzas.)

Parte de $22.891 M (2024, Fondo Puente)· desde 2024Source
Others
Asignación de zona 55% (DL 249)workers
DL 249/1974 art. 7 · DL 3.551/1980 art. 25 · Ley 19.354

Sobresueldo mensual a funcionarios públicos según aislamiento/costo de vida: 55% del sueldo base (art. 7 DL 249). A los funcionarios municipales llega vía art. 25 del DL 3.551/1980 y el monto se aumenta en 40% (Ley 19.354) — salud primaria municipal (Ley 19.378) la percibe sin ese aumento; asistentes de la educación y personal de corporaciones no la perciben (Código del Trabajo). El %/territorio usa la división de 1974: dentro de una comuna pueden regir % mayores en localidades específicas (retenes, islas, cordillera) no reflejados acá; la CGR resuelve caso a caso. Comunas sin asignación no aparecen.

55% del sueldo base (municipal: ×1,4 por Ley 19.354)· vigente (art. 7 versión 22-dic-2021, verificado 2026-07-02)Source

Budget and revenue sourcesSource: SINIM · SUBDERE

Total revenue · 2025
$20.133.051.000
Own revenue
$6.802.957.000
34% of the total
Municipal Common Fund
$5.820.144.000
29% of the total
State transfers
$7.535.539.000
37% of the total
Ingreso total y desglose de ingresos propios

Total revenue · trend (2001–2025)

$1.625.354.000
$20.133.051.000
20012025

Own revenue breakdown (IPP) · 2025

13.5%
39.1%
7.2%
39.9%
Property tax$920.242.000
Business licenses$2.656.810.000
Vehicle permits$487.721.000
Cleaning fees$26.334.000
Other own revenue$2.711.850.000
Special-law revenues · 2025
Mining licenses (Law 19.143): $1.564.591.000

Distributed by law to specific comunas; they arrive via transfers.

Revenue by sector · 2025
47.5%
41.5%
11.0%
Municipal$20.133.051.000
Education$17.602.310.000
Health$4.659.083.000
Municipal Common Fund balance · 2025
Net recipient: it receives $4.968.365.000 more than it contributes.
Evolución por fuente de ingreso

Permanent own revenue (IPP) · trend

$698.995.000
$6.802.957.000
20012025

FCM received · trend

$479.927.000
$5.820.144.000
20012025

State transfers · trend

$383.962.000
$7.535.539.000
20012025

Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE

Current budget · 2025
$24.503.550.000
Accrued spending · 2025
$20.803.456.000
Execution rate
84.9%
Unexecuted: $3.700.094.000
Medium execution: it executed 84.9%. Left unspent: $3.700.094.000.

Accrued spending · trend

$1.570.836.000
$20.803.456.000
20012025

Distribution by management area · 2025

31.4%
54.7%
6.6%
Internal management$6.531.777.000
Community services$11.387.942.000
Social programs$995.403.000
Municipal activities$1.381.541.000
Recreational programs$304.296.000
Cultural programs$202.497.000

What the budget is spent on · 2025

Spending lineAmount% of spending
Municipal healthcare (primary care) · comuna health-sector spending$4.733.147.00022.8%
Goods and services (operations) · supplies, contracts, maintenance$4.531.684.00021.8%
Transfers to health$4.028.592.00019.4%
Municipal personnel · municipal wages and fees$3.876.076.00018.6%
Investment (works and projects)$3.749.680.00018.0%
Transfers to education$765.215.0003.7%
Electricity (facilities)$451.784.0002.2%
Water (facilities)$227.099.0001.1%
Travel allowances$149.256.0000.7%
Councillor stipends$92.044.0000.4%
Commissions and representation$12.851.0000.1%
Cleaning, garbage and landfills · waste collection and disposal$8.532.0000.0%

Share of total accrued spending. Lines overlap (personnel sits inside several areas), so they don't add to 100%. Source: SINIM.

Personal y dotación municipal

Spending composition · 2025

18.6%
21.8%
59.6%
Personnel (Subt. 21)$3.876.076.000
Goods and services (Subt. 22)$4.531.684.000
Others$12.395.696.000

Personnel by contract type · 2025

34.6%
32.0%
6.6%
23.4%
Permanent staff$1.831.883.000
Contract staff$1.693.915.000
Fee contracts$350.278.000
Labor Code$175.056.000
Community progs.$1.236.310.000

Municipal headcount · 2023

37.0%
63.0%
Permanent staff47
Contract staff80
Total: 127 staffWomen: 44.9%Professionalization: 27.6%
Cost/staffer permanent: $34.135.532/yearCost/staffer contract: $17.567.250/year

Municipal staff by contract status (SINIM, 2023). Cost per staffer = annual spending of the type ÷ same-year headcount.

Inversión, servicios básicos y obras

Investment and authorities' expenses · 2025

Municipal investment: $3.749.680.000 (18.0% of spending)Councillor stipends: $92.044.000Travel allowances: $149.256.000Commissions and representation: $12.851.000

Basic and general services · 2025

Garbage and landfills: $8.532.000Electricity: $451.784.000Water: $227.099.000

Final works approvals (DOM) · per year

47
14
20022025

Building permits issued · per year

82
25
20132025

What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data

Open profile in Monitor Mercado Público
Historic amount
$88.868.866.475
Purchase orders
17.934

Purchase-order amount · trend

$2.993.964.618
$5.177.945.014
20072026
Top suppliersAmountPOs
Compania de Petroleos de Chile Copec S.A.$7.443.509.122170
Transportes y Obras Civiles Eben Ezer Ltda.$4.010.407.26017
Sistemas de Seguridad y Tecnologia SpA$2.826.250.0001
Comercializadora F & M Ltda.$2.629.964.694172
Constructora Perez y Flores Ltda.$1.847.730.9886
Constructora Amk Limitada.$1.780.837.83928
Recreaciones y Comercial Bajo Molle S.A.$1.675.565.48072
Aguas del Altiplano S.A.$1.629.230.83296

Purchase mechanism · 2026

Tender $2.631.973.00251%
Direct award discretionary$1.560.094.68430%
Agile Purchase $903.671.07617%
Framework Agreement $82.206.2522%

Companies and economic activitySource: SII · company statistics and roster (domicile/HQ)

Registered companies
1.184
domiciled in the comuna
Dependent workers
4.853

Pyramid by sales bracket

60.7%
15.9%
20.2%
Micro (≤2,400 UF)719 companies
Small (≤25k UF)188 companies
Medium (≤100k UF)28 companies
Large (>100k UF)10 companies
No sales/no info239 companies

Largest companies domiciled in the comuna

CompanyLine of businessSales bracketWorkers
Yodo S.A.COMERCIO AL POR MAYOR Y AL POR MENOR; REPARACLarge 4 (>1M UF)
Cosayach Exportadora S.A.EXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERASLarge 4 (>1M UF)
Katia Morales Santivañez y Otros LimitadaCONSTRUCCIONLarge 1291
Servicios Integrales Incomaq SpACONSTRUCCIONLarge 1157
Almacenaje y Logistica del Norte SpATRANSPORTE Y ALMACENAMIENTOLarge 195
Hormigones Mauro Choque Choque E.I.R.L.INDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERALarge 1
Pozo Almonte Solar 1 SpASUMINISTRO DE ELECTRICIDAD, GAS, VAPOR Y AIRELarge 1
Atacama Bio Natural Products Sociedad AnonimaAGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCAMedium 2187
Emyc Mining SpAACTIVIDADES DE SERVICIOS ADMINISTRATIVOS Y DEMedium 2172
Valnico Ingenieria Arquitectura Proyectos Montajes y Construccion LimitadaINDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERAMedium 286

SII roster of legal entities (public). Due to tax secrecy sales come in brackets, never amounts. The comuna is that of the domicile/HQ: operations may be elsewhere.

Investment in SEIA projects

Under review
12
US$ 1.796 M declared
Approved last 5 years
36
US$ 5.904 M declared
Construction jobsunder review
3.626
+ 2.586 in operations
Construction jobsapproved 5 yrs
8.457
peak labor
ProjectOwnerStatusInvestment (US$M)Constr. jobs
Desarrollo de Infraestructura y Mejoramiento de Capacidad Productiva dEIACompañía Minera Doña Inés de CollahUnder Review3.2004.500
Extensión operacional de la Faena Minera Cerro Colorado, mediante el mEIACompañía Minera Cerro Colorado LtdaUnder Review1.5003.433
Parque Fotovoltaico Solar OrienteDIASolar Oriente SpAApproved990638
Parque Fotovoltaico Llanos del SolDIALlanos del Sol SpAApproved635607
Sistema de Almacenamiento de Energía y Linea de Transmisión BESS TambiDIABess el Salado SpAApproved607,5200
Parque Fotovoltaico RamaditasDIARamaditas Solar SpAApproved5501.200
Linea de Transmision y Central BESS Halcon 20DIABess Halcón 20 SpAApproved524,720
Optimización Planta Solar Sol del LoaDIASol del Loa SpAApproved4802.300
Proyecto Continuidad Operacional Cerro ColoradoEIACompañía Minera Cerro Colorado LtdaApproved467,250
Planta Fotovoltaica Jardín SolarDIAColbún S.A.Approved430370
Tente en el AireEIASqm S.A.Approved3502.760
Parque Fotovoltaico Oxum del TamarugalDIAGeneradora y Distribuidora de EnergUnder Review326,484456

Investment DECLARED by the owner upon entering SEIA (not necessarily materialized; the RCA expires after 5 years without works). Multi-comuna projects: prorated investment, jobs counted in full. Jobs = declared peak labor (source PRISMA/SOFOFA). Source: e-SEIA + PRISMA.

TerritoryClimate, biodiversity, national heritage, SEIA-approved projects and more

Roads and motorwaysSource: OpenStreetMap · 2026 snapshot

Kilometres of trunk road
214 km
Motorways and trunk roads crossing the comuna

Road infrastructure of the MOP and concession holders, not the municipality: it measures how much highway crosses the territory, not municipal management. Only comunas with roads of this category are counted.

Biodiversity and protected areasSource: SNASPE · SEIA baselines

State protected wilderness areas (SNASPE) in the comuna
Pampa de TamarugalNational Reserve100.378 ha

Species of flora, fauna and funga documented in the baselines of the projects evaluated by SEIA in the comuna — what their environmental studies recorded in the territory. Conservation status (RCE/IUCN) and Chilean endemism are flagged.

126
Species
16
Flora
105
Fauna
5
Funga
66
In conservation status
30
Endemic to Chile
Species in conservation category
QueuleGomortega keuleENBelloto del norte, belloto (genérico)Beilschmiedia miersiiVURuilNothofagus alessandriiENBelloto del surBeilschmiedia berteroanaENPitaoPitavia punctataENDragón de stolzmann, lagartija de stolzmannLiolaemus stolzmanniVUSapoTelmatobius chusmisensisCRPicaflor de arica, estrellita chilenaEulidia yarrelliiCRCentris tamarugalisVULagartija de ortiz, lagartija de juan carlos ortizLiolaemus juanortiziVUSapoTelmatobius fronteriensisCRBagrecitoTrichomycterus rivulatusENSapoTelmatobius halliCREscorpión de philippiBrachistosternus philippiiCRPejerreyBasilichthys semotilusENPejerrey chilenoBasilichthys australisVUZorro colorado, zorro culpeo, zorro coloradode tierra del fuego, zorro culpeo de tierra del fuegoLycalopex culpaeusVUGaviota garumaLeucophaeus modestusVUGuanacoLama guanicoeVUAraucaria, pehuén, piñonero, pino piñonero, pino chileno, pino araucaria, pewen, guiliuAraucaria araucanaENComesebo de los tamarugalesConirostrum tamarugenseENChungungo, nutria marina, gato de mar, chinchiménLontra felinaENPingüino de humboldt, pingüino, pájaro niño, patranka, humboldt penguin (inglés), peruvian penguin (inglés)Spheniscus humboldtiENGolondrina de mar negra, markham’s storm-petrelHydrobates markhamiENVicuñaVicugna vicugnaVULiquen (genérico)Acarospora schleicheriENÑandúRhea pennataENGaviotín chicoSternula lorataENKarachi, orestiasOrestias agassiiENGolondrina de mar de collar, ringed storm petrel (inglés)Hydrobates hornbyiVUGato montés andinoLeopardus jacobitaENCamarón de río del norteCryphiops caementariusVUMurciélago de schnabel; murciélago ahumado; murciélago con orejas de embudoAmorphochilus schnabliiVUPiuquén, piquén, guayataChloephaga melanopteraENAlerceFitzroya cupressoidesENFlamenco andino, parina grandePhoenicoparrus andinusVUGolondrina de mar peruana, wedge-rumped storm petrel (inglés)Hydrobates tethysVUMurciélago orejudo de thomasHistiotus laephotisENGüiñaLeopardus guignaVUYuncoPelecanoides garnotiiENMusola moteadaMustelus mentoCRBallena sei, rorcual bacalao, rorcual de rudolphiBalaenoptera borealisCRBallena franca australEubalaena australisENDragón de torres-muraLiolaemus torresiNTLagartija de manchaLiolaemus nigromaculatusNTLagarto nítidoLiolaemus nitidusNTLagartija de cuello liso de hajekLiolaemus hajekiNTSapo arrieroAlsodes nodosusNTLagartija parda, lagartija de bellLiolaemus belliiNTMurciélago gris, murciélago de atacama, murciélago orejas de ratón del norteMyotis atacamensisNTCóndorVultur gryphusNTLilePhalacrocorax gaimardiNTGaviotín monjaLarosterna incaNTPelícano peruano, pelícano de humboldtPelecanus thagusNTGuanayPhalacrocorax bougainvilliiNTPilpilén, pilpilén común, american oystercatcher (inglés)Haematopus palliatusNTPizarritaXenospingus concolorNTLagartija de la punaLiolaemus punaNTColo-coloLeopardus colocoloNTPumaPuma concolorNT
and 6 more

CR critically endangered · EN endangered · VU vulnerable · NT near threatened (Species Classification Regulation / IUCN). ★ endemic to Chile. Extracted from SEIA studies by kingdom; presence reflects what baselines characterized, not a census.

3 Wetlands · 2 urban · 503 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)

CodeWetlandHectares
HUR-02-05Des. Rio Loaurban387 /699
H-1411Puquios de Llamara114
HUR-02-01Sist. Rio Loa- Rio San Salvadorurban2 /5.958

Area = hectares of wetland within the comuna boundary (apportioned using the DPA table of each record). For wetlands shared between comunas, "portion / total" is shown. "Urban" = urban wetland (HUR code). Official source migrated to the SBAP (Law 21,600).

Large projects approved by SEIASource: SEIA · approved projects

Projects with an environmental permit (RCA) approved by SEIA and declared investment above US$ 10 million, located in the comuna according to the case file and grouped by sector. Every sector with at least one project is listed: this is not a ranking or a selection. 90 projects totaling US$ 16.252 million, approved between 1996 and 2026. When a project spans several comunas, its investment is split among them.

Energy56 projects · US$ 12.298 M · 1996–2026
Tamarugal Solar SpAPlanta de Concentración Solar de Potencia Tamarugal Solar · Cielos de Tarapacá
Mining18 projects · US$ 3.790 M · 1997–2026
Compañia Minera Teck Quebrada Blanca S.a...PROYECTO MINERO QUEBRADA BLANCA FASE 2 · PAMPA HERMOSA
Others12 projects · US$ 87 M · 2009–2023
Compañía Minera Doña Inés de Collahuasi ScmAjustes Proyecto Collahuasi · Nuevo Campamento Cerro Colorado (e-seia)
Miscellaneous industrial facilities1 project · US$ 30 M · 2012
Empresa Nacional de Ácido S.A.Planta Ácido Sulfúrico Lagunas
Fishing and Aquaculture1 project · US$ 19 M · 2006
Atacama Bio Natural Products S.A.Centro Productor de Microalgas y derivados Naturales, en el sector San Antonio, Comuna de Pozo Almonte, Provincia de Iquique, I Región (e-seia)
Real estate1 project · US$ 15 M · 2015
Junta Nacional de Cuerpos de Bomberos de ChileConstrucción Centro de Entrenamiento Zona Norte
Hydraulic Infrastructure1 project · US$ 13 M · 2013
Ministerio de Obras PúblicasConstrucción Defensas Fluviales Quebrada de Tarapacá, Sectores Achacagua, Huaviña, Mocha, Laonzana

Approved is not the same as built or operating: the RCA authorises the project, but some were never carried out and others have since closed.

Source: projects with an RCA approved by SEIA (investment declared by the developer, split among the comunas the project spans). Under each sector are its two largest projects by investment. It is the best public proxy for large industrial sites; SERNAGEOMIN’s registry of active mining operations (by mineral and type of operation) is a layer not yet incorporated.

Basic utilitiesSource: SISS · CNE · MINEDUC

Distribuidora eléctrica
CGE
Empresa sanitaria (agua y alcantarillado)
Aguas del Altiplano
Higher education
No campus · nearest in Iquique at 65 km

Almost no comuna has its own utility: it is served by a major regional concession holder. Water = urban operational territory (SISS; rural goes via APR); electric = concession distributor per the tariff decree (CNE); higher education = university, IP and CFT campuses (MINEDUC/SIES), with the nearest comuna when there are none.

Environmental conflictsSource: SNIFA · SMA + Environmental Search · Environmental Courts

Appeals before the Environmental Courts

Appeals
9
on projects in the comuna
Upheld
7
the court sided with the claimant
Case no.Parties / projectSubjectDecision
R-430-2023
2TA
Asociación Indígena Wilamasi De Pescadores Mamq´Uta, Caleta De Chanavaya y otro en contra del Comité de Ministros del Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental
Desarrollo de Infraestructura y Mejoramiento de Capacidad Productiva de Collahuasi
Due consideration of citizen observationsUpheld
R-93-2023
1TA
Generadora y Distribuidora de Energía Oxum SpA con Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental
Parque Fotovoltaico Oxum del Tamarugal
Environmental assessment - Early terminationUpheld
8573-2019
2TA
Jara Alarcón, Luis en contra del Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental
Continuidad operacional Cerro Colorado
Environmental assessment - Citizen participationPartially upheld
R-39-2020
1TA
Asociación Indígena Agrícola San Isidro de Quipisca con Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental
Adecuaciones en depósitos de lastre, caminos internos y campamento
Administrative invalidation - Environmental AssessmentUpheld
R-21-2019
1TA
Comunidad Indígena Aymara de Quillagua y otro con Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente
Pampa Hermosa
SMA compliance programRejects
24870-2018
2TA
Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. en contra de la SMA (Res. Ex. N° 9/ Rol N° D-027-2016).  
Pampa Hermosa
SMA compliance programUpheld
R-11-2018
1TA
SQM S.A. con SMA
Pampa Hermosa
Environmental sanction proceeding — urgent and transitional measuresUpheld
R-3-2018
1TA
SQM S.A. con SMA
Pampa Hermosa
Environmental sanction proceeding — urgent and transitional measuresPartially upheld
21547-2014
2TA
Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. en contra de la Comisión de Evaluación Ambiental de la Región de Tarapacá
Ampliación Planta Producción de Yodo Soledad
Administrative invalidation - Environmental AssessmentRejects

Appeals resolved by the Environmental Courts (Law 20.600) on the comuna's projects or facilities, geolocated by the associated project (SEIA) or sanctioned facility (SMA). Partial coverage: Supreme Court appeals and cases without a locatable act are excluded. Source: 1st Environmental Court's Environmental Search.

Green areasSource: SINIM · SUBDERE (2025)

Green space per capita
5 m²
50% of the CNDU standard
standard 10 m²

Municipally maintained green area per inhabitant (SINIM). The National Urban Development Council recommends a minimum of 10 m²/inhab (WHO, ~9). Self-reported by municipalities, with quality varying across comunas.

National heritageSource: National Monuments Council (Feb 2026)

National monuments
9
Historic monuments
7
Heritage zones
2

Monuments declared by decree (official CMN roster). Excludes archaeological and public monuments. Declaration entails legal protection and intervention restrictions.

Territorial burdensSource: SUBDERE (waste, Jun 2023) · Gendarmería (Jun 2025) · SISS (WWTP)

Infrastructure this comuna carries — often serving others.

FacilityTypeDetail
Vertedero Municipal Pozo AlmonteVertedero8.367 t/year · receives from 2 comunas
C.D.P. Pozo AlmontePrison (CDP)75 inmates · 0 convicted · 75 awaiting trial · 74% occupancy
C.E.T. Semi. Pozo AlmontePrison (CET)7 inmates · 7 convicted · 0 awaiting trial · 28% occupancy
PTAS - LA TIRANAPTAS · lagunas aireadasAGUAS DEL ALTIPLANO · discharges into riego
PTAS - POZO ALMONTEPTAS · lagunas aireadasAGUAS DEL ALTIPLANO · discharges into riego
Where this comuna's waste goes
Vertedero Municipal Pozo Almonte (Pozo Almonte) · 6.965 t/year

Official registries: they exclude illegal dumps and rural WWTPs (no consolidated public registry).

Forest firesSource: CONAF · Occurrence and damage statistics (2023-2024)

Wildfires · 2023-2024
0
Area affected
0 ha
Cumulative last 5 seasons
1 ha
includes the 2022-2023 mega-season

Occurrence and area affected by wildfires (CONAF). The 5-season cumulative gives a fairer picture than a single year: fire is episodic and big catastrophes concentrate in few seasons. The area is comuna-wide, not just urban.

Climate and climate changeSource: ARClim · MMA + CR2/UC (CMIP6 modeling)

Mean annual temperature
15,07°C
2035-2065 projection: +1,77°C
Annual precipitation
14 mm
projection: +118%
Hot days>30°C
29
projection: +51 days
Frost days
17

Modeled climatology (CMIP6 downscaling ~5 km): present ≈ 1980-2010, projection ≈ 2035-2065 middle scenario. Not recent weather observation.

SafetyCrime, road crashes and municipal security infrastructure

Crimes (police cases)Source: CEAD · Ministry of Public Security

Police cases · 2025
1.800
all crimes
Rate per 100,000 inhab.
9.619
Police cases · trend
1.983
1.800
20102025
By crime type · 2025
CrimeCasesRate/100k
Alcohol and drug use in public spaces4282.287
Domestic violence2331.245
Property damage164876
Larceny147786
Threats139743
Minor injuries114609
Burglary of an inhabited place88470
Drug-related crimes84449
Burglary of an uninhabited place58310
Robbery with violence or intimidation49262
Motor vehicle theft48257
Less serious injuries36192

Showing the 12 crimes with most cases of 29.

Police cases (reports + arrests) recorded by Carabineros and PDI. Not victimization (ENUSC measures the real figure, higher due to underreporting). The rate uses INE 2024 population. Source: CEAD, Ministry of Public Security.

What the municipality does

Municipal security infrastructure and staff declared to SINIM (since 2016). Excludes Carabineros and PDI, which are national.

Surveillance cameras
136
Guards and inspectors
24
1 per 780 hab
Patrol fleet
8
cars, pickups, motorcycles, bikes
Patrol fleet by type
Pickups: 6Motorcycles: 2Drones: 1
Surveillance cameras · trend
0
136
20202025

Road crashesSource: CONASET · Data Observatory (2024)

Crashes · 2024
51
Deaths
4
21,4 per 100,000 inhab.
Injured
75
19 serious
Pedestrian collisions
6

Crashes georeferenced by CONASET (urban + highway) during 2024. The only per-comuna source; covers ~70% of the country's deaths (non-geolocatable ones are excluded), so it slightly underestimates the total. Pedestrian collision is the leading cause of pedestrian death.