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Atacama57.360 inhabitantsPoblación proyectada INE 20247.224 km² of area8 inh./km²$21.620M ingreso municipalSINIM · ingreso total percibido · 2025
Profile today2050
The comuna in context · among 346 comunas
Environment
72 species in conservation status
3rd most documented threatened species
Explore
Economy
15.283 jobs
12th most jobs promised by investment projects
Explore
Population
−7,1%
Population would fall between now and 2050
Society
16,5%
Multidimensional poverty · 225th highest of 346
Finance
$377 thousand
per inhabitant per year · rank 269 of 346
Education
585,4 pts
around the national median in the PAES (576,9 pts)
Finance
211th
most dependent on the Common Fund of 340
Summary

What the comuna hasSource: OpenStreetMap

53 Squares and green areas
45 Schools
15 Kindergartens
14 Health centers
4 Pharmacies
4 Carabineros
3 Fire stations
2 Hospitals
1 Universities
1 Rodeo arenas (medialunas)

Liveability index · EIU style

55.4 /100
Ver el ranking y simular
#87 of 346 · most liveable in the country (EIU weighting)
Safety57
Health76
Culture and environment55
Education37
Infrastructure42
AuthoritiesWho leads the comuna, its council, sessions and lobbying requests

Mayor · 2024-2028Source: DecideChile · SERVEL

Víctor Isla L.
INDEPENDIENTE
10.168
votes (29.32%)
46.140
Electoral roll
84,92%
Turnout
Mayoral history · 7 terms
VI
Víctor Isla L.
2024-2028 · INDEPENDIENTE
10.168
votes
AP
Armando Pablo Flores Jimenez
2021-2024 · IND
5.101
votes
CT
Cristian Tapia Ramos
2008-2012 · IND
8.189
votes
JH
Juan Horacio Santana Alvarez
2004-2008 · PS
10.659
votes
JH
Juan Horacio Santana Alvarez
2000-2004 · PS
7.793
votes
JH
Juan Horacio Santana Alvarez
1996-2000 · PS
7.512
votes
JH
Juan Horacio Santana Alvarez
1992-1996 · PS
3.604
votes

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

Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL

RT
Roberto Tapia C.
VERDES LIBERALES POR UNA COMUNA SEGURA · FEDERACION REGIONALISTA VERDE SOCIAL
3.547
votes
RR
Robin Robledo G.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · INDEPENDIENTE
2.535
votes
DS
Deisy Saavedra C.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · PARTIDO SOCIALISTA DE CHILE
2.311
votes
AT
Artemio Trigos G.
CHILE VAMOS RENOVACIÓN NACIONAL - INDEPENDIENTES · RENOVACION NACIONAL
2.128
votes
NM
Nathalie Mery C.
POR CHILE, SEGUIMOS · INDEPENDIENTE
1.049
votes
MM
Maycol Mancilla V.
VERDES LIBERALES POR UNA COMUNA SEGURA · FEDERACION REGIONALISTA VERDE SOCIAL
998
votes

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

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

Resolutions extracted
60
of 71 minutes read
Money involved
$1.032.474.684
sum of resolutions with amounts
ResolutionTypeAmountVote
Solicitud de pronunciamiento para asumir costos de mantención y operación del espacio público de acceso a CachiyuyoOther
135 · Aprobación de la Acta Ordinaria N° 08 y Acta Extraordinaria N° 06Otherunanimidad
4.4 · Subvención a Asociación de Funcionarios Municipales para Bono Aporte EscolaridadSubsidy$35.000.000unanimidad
4.3 · Avenimiento en causa O-28-2024Settlement$14.000.000mayoria
4.2 · Avenimiento en causa O-32-2024Settlement$8.500.000mayoria
4.1 · Modificación presupuestaria por suplementaciónBudget amendment$15.860.000unanimidad

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
430
Highly complex
73
Audit reports
0
YearFindingsAltam.Compl.Median.Reports
202432525
2022312
20207841546
20193231118
2018287714
201784324011

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

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

  • Bs
    Bitumix S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 12 audiencias · 2024–2025
  • SC
    Sociedad Contructora del Norte S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 9 audiencias · 2022–2026
  • SP
    Sungrow Power Supply
    Lobby / interest management · 7 audiencias · 2023–2025
  • Sd
    Sociedad de Eventos y Espectáculos Artísticos de John Paulino el Magnifico.
    Lobby / interest management · 6 audiencias · 2024
  • WC
    Walmart Chile S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 5 audiencias · 2017–2026
  • CP
    Consultorias Publicas Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2022–2026
  • W
    Wom
    Lobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2020–2023
  • Sd
    Sociedad de Rentas Falabella S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2018–2020
  • Sd
    Sol de Huasco
    Lobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2021–2024
  • CM
    Compañía Minera Nevada SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2017–2026
  • CD
    Compania de Petroleos de Chile Copec S a
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2025–2026
  • Md
    Mutual de Seguridad de la Cámara Chilena de la Construcción
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2015–2024
  • DU
    Desarrollos Urbanos K-Llejero SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2025
  • GT
    Gtd Teleductos
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2019
  • AM
    Andes Mainstream SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2019–2020
  • AG
    APS Gestión SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2020–2025
  • AJ
    Alto Jardin S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2023–2025
  • M-
    Metka - Egn Chile SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2022–2026
  • AC
    Asociacion Chilena de Seguridad
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2015–2022
  • DJ
    Distribuciones Jurídicas de Chile SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2022–2026
and 182 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

49.615
inhabitants
57.368
inhabitants
20022025

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

See the full trajectory to 2050
Since 2002
+16%
inhabitants
Estimated population 2050
53.307
-6% vs. 2035 (56.851)
Over 60 · 2050
34,76%
26,81% in 2035 · +8 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)92,47 %CENSO 2017 2017
School disengagement (leaves the system)0,8 %MINEDUC 2023
School enrollment823 studentsMINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
Municipal enrollment57,1 %MINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
PAES reading comprehension (DEMRE)585,4 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
PAES mathematics M1 (DEMRE)594,4 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
poblacion_censo54.222 inh.2024 Census 2024
Income poverty (CASEN 2022)10,7 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Pobreza multidimensional (CASEN 2022)16,5 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Indigenous peoples30,76 %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 830 students registered for the PAES.

Registro Social de Hogares

People in the RSH
55.403
31.686 households
Households in the most vulnerable 40%
16.565
52% of RSH households
Female-headed households
51%
16.262
Elderly (60+)12.40022%
Children and adolescents (<18)12.04222%
Foreign nationals1.5333%
Belonging to indigenous peoples10.23018%
People with moderate/severe dependency1.4363%
Single-person households17.86056%

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
12.279
38 schools
Students per teacher
13,4
917 teachers
national median: 10,15
Average attendance
88,3%
national median: 89,8%
Priority studentsSEP
64,6%
socioeconomic vulnerability
national median: 66,8%
Where they study · by provider
Public (municipal + SLEP) 72%Private subsidized 24%Private paid 4%
Pass rate
98,3%
national median: 98,2%
Dropoutschool withdrawal
2,28%
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
4
Clinics
0
Rural health posts
3
FONASA enrollees
46.570
81% of the population
Doctors employed
13
Health staff by contract type
Permanent staff: 225Contract staff: 131Fee contracts: 0
Primary-care medical visits · per year
32.118
60.540
20102025
Medical specialties served · 24 in the comuna (public system)
Internal MedicineAdult Orthopedics and TraumaAdult General SurgeryAdult GynecologyOtorhinolaryngologyPediatricsAdult UrologyOphthalmologyDermatologyAdult NephrologyAdult NeurologyPediatric NeurologyAdult PsychiatryPediatric SurgeryObstetricsAdult CardiologyChild PsychiatryAdult Gastroenterology+3 more
surgery:General SurgeryOtorhinolaryngologyOrthopedics and TraumaMaxillofacial Surgery

Specialties with services recorded at the comuna's public facilities (REM DEIS, 2024). These are services performed, not doctor headcount. Excludes the private network.

Comprehensive home visits · per year
1.649
1.652
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 (47.173 in total)
CenterTypeProvider typeEnrollees% brackets A-B
Centro de Salud Familiar EstaciónFamily Health Center (CESFAM)Municipal15.27554%
Centro de Salud Familiar Joan Crawford AstudilloFamily Health Center (CESFAM)Municipal15.01056%
Centro de Salud Familiar BaquedanoFamily Health Center (CESFAM)Municipal8.52655%
Centro de Salud Familiar Hermanos CarreraFamily Health Center (CESFAM)Municipal8.35056%
Posta de Salud Rural DomeykoRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal850%
Posta de Salud Rural Hacienda CompañíaRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal367%
Posta de Salud Rural Hacienda VentanasRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal1100%

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

Costs · 2025
Health spending accrued: $11.485.419.000 ($246.627/enrollee)MINSAL per capita: $9.904.696.000Municipal contribution: $503.330.000

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

Indigenous population
16.678
30.8% of the census population (Census 2024)
Indigenous communities
17
RNAI CONADI registry · Mar 2024
PeoplePeople% of total
Diaguita14.74188.4%
Mapuche8285.0%
Colla3322.0%
Aymara2671.6%
Atacameño o Lickanantay1781.1%
Chango1270.8%
Otro1070.6%
Quechua690.4%

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
41
Councils per 1,000 inhabitants
0.7
density of territorial organization
Non-profit organizations
295
the entire active civil fabric
Sports
54
Committees (water, housing, progress)
42
Social and aid
38
For the elderly
25
Cultural
18
Foundations and corporations
4
Fire brigades
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.

16 Local media · FMSource: SUBTEL · broadcasting licences · Regional Media Survey (MSGG)

Local mediaTypedial
CFCANDY FMFM92.7 FM
CCORPORACIONFM101.3 FM
MMARIAFM105.9 FM
PPANORAMAFM90.9 FM
SSANTUARIOFM92.3 FM
CEComercial Estrella del Norte Ltda. · holderFM89.3 FM
CMComunicaciones Milka Iriarte Mondaca E.I.R.L. · holderFM95.5 FM
CHComunic. Hilda del Rosario Valdivia Ardiles E.I.R.L. · holderFM99.1 FM
CdCorporacion de Radio Valparaiso Ltda. · holderFM99.7 FM
PSParroquia Santa Rosa de Lima · holderFM96.1 FM
SCSoc. Comercial Erdap y Compañia Ltda. · holderFM101.9 FM
SCSoc. Comercial Latorre y Zlatar Ltda. · holderFM88.9 FM
SMSoc. Moneda Comunicaciones Ltda. · holderFM94.3 FM
SMSoc. Morales y Morales Cia. Ltda. · holderFM90.3 FM
SRSoc. Radio Producciones Ltda. · holderFM103.1 FM
SRSoc. Rodriguez y Cia. Ltda. · holderFM100.1 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
2.336
4,3% of the census population (Census 2024)
Main origin
Venezuela
926 people · 40% of the foreigners
Main countries of origin
926 Venezuela
681 Colombia
318 Bolivia
127 Perú

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
320
7 encampments (2024 Registry)
Housing deficit
1.655
8,9% of the comuna's households
Housing permits · 2024
114
9.105 m² · new construction
Subsidies Integrated System · DS01
742
paid · 2011–2025
Subsidies Solidarity Fund · DS49
1.523
beneficiaries · 2012–2025
Subsidies Rental · DS52
118
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

37.389homes · by type (2017)
House
18.055 · 93.4%
House
17.067 · 94.6%
Apartment
757 · 4.2%
Shack/hut/shanty
532 · 2.8%
Apartment
514 · 2.7%
Other private
122 · 0.6%
Other private
101 · 0.6%
Shack/improvised dwelling
85 · 0.5%
Room in old house/tenement
84 · 0.4%
Room in old house/tenement
24 · 0.1%
Mobile
20 · 0.1%
Indigenous dwelling
12 · 0.1%
Mobile
12 · 0.1%
Traditional/indigenous dwelling
4 · 0%
76%owner-occupied · tenure (2002)
Owned outright
7.682 · 61.2%
Owned, being paid off
1.816 · 14.5%
Rented
1.640 · 13.1%
Provided for work
746 · 5.9%
Free of charge
673 · 5.4%

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.

Mining rent
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 25% (DL 249)workerspreliminary data
DL 249/1974 art. 7 · DL 3.551/1980 art. 25 · Ley 19.354

Sobresueldo mensual a funcionarios públicos según aislamiento/costo de vida: 25% 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.

25% 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
$21.620.034.000
Own revenue
$6.711.488.000
31% of the total
Municipal Common Fund
$11.869.928.000
55% of the total
State transfers
$2.489.322.000
12% of the total
Ingreso total y desglose de ingresos propios

Total revenue · trend (2001–2025)

$2.791.040.000
$21.620.034.000
20012025

Own revenue breakdown (IPP) · 2025

18.6%
13.7%
12.0%
53.0%
Property tax$1.248.857.000
Business licenses$917.707.000
Vehicle permits$802.713.000
Cleaning fees$186.283.000
Other own revenue$3.555.928.000
Special-law revenues · 2025
Mining licenses (Law 19.143): $1.338.744.000

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

Revenue by sector · 2025
47.5%
27.0%
25.6%
Municipal$21.620.034.000
Education$12.298.293.000
Health$11.644.826.000
Municipal Common Fund balance · 2025
Net recipient: it receives $10.453.298.000 more than it contributes.
Evolución por fuente de ingreso

Permanent own revenue (IPP) · trend

$856.856.000
$6.711.488.000
20012025

FCM received · trend

$1.071.888.000
$11.869.928.000
20012025

State transfers · trend

$573.461.000
$2.489.322.000
20012025

Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE

Current budget · 2025
$29.220.162.000
Accrued spending · 2025
$19.752.700.000
Execution rate
67.6%
Unexecuted: $9.467.462.000
Low execution: it only executed 67.6% of the budget — $9.467.462.000 unspent.

Accrued spending · trend

$2.746.262.000
$19.752.700.000
20012025

Distribution by management area · 2025

51.1%
36.1%
7.9%
Internal management$10.090.244.000
Community services$7.135.163.000
Social programs$1.563.317.000
Municipal activities$683.699.000
Recreational programs$103.907.000
Cultural programs$176.370.000

What the budget is spent on · 2025

Spending lineAmount% of spending
Municipal healthcare (primary care) · comuna health-sector spending$11.485.419.00058.1%
Goods and services (operations) · supplies, contracts, maintenance$5.549.689.00028.1%
Municipal personnel · municipal wages and fees$4.110.664.00020.8%
Cleaning, garbage and landfills · waste collection and disposal$1.314.871.0006.7%
Electricity (facilities)$1.210.434.0006.1%
Investment (works and projects)$1.130.118.0005.7%
Transfers to health$426.836.0002.2%
Water (facilities)$194.055.0001.0%
Councillor stipends$76.262.0000.4%
Travel allowances$26.171.0000.1%
Commissions and representation$2.127.0000.0%

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

20.8%
28.1%
51.1%
Personnel (Subt. 21)$4.110.664.000
Goods and services (Subt. 22)$5.549.689.000
Others$10.092.347.000

Personnel by contract type · 2025

32.6%
12.1%
55.2%
Permanent staff$2.994.429.000
Contract staff$1.114.804.000
Fee contracts$1.431.000
Community progs.$5.071.821.000

Municipal headcount · 2023

65.2%
34.8%
Permanent staff92
Contract staff49
Total: 141 staffWomen: 45.4%Professionalization: 35.5%
Cost/staffer permanent: $27.521.348/yearCost/staffer contract: $23.879.551/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: $1.130.118.000 (5.7% of spending)Councillor stipends: $76.262.000Travel allowances: $26.171.000Commissions and representation: $2.127.000

Basic and general services · 2025

Garbage and landfills: $1.314.871.000Electricity: $1.210.434.000Water: $194.055.000

Final works approvals (DOM) · per year

150
104
20012025

Building permits issued · per year

391
76
20122025

What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data

Open profile in Monitor Mercado Público
Historic amount
$109.152.106.068
Purchase orders
49.730

Purchase-order amount · trend

$934.514.260
$4.844.920.415
20072026
Top suppliersAmountPOs
Remavesa$9.216.239.1473
Soc.constructora del Norte Sociedad Anonima$9.084.060.33410
Eugenio Fernando Pizarro Trigo$5.047.355.61237
Empresa Constructora Valle Verde Ltda.$2.910.966.88232
Alto Jardín Ltda.$2.484.256.31281
Ledesma Hnos Ltda.$2.162.332.0151
Empresa Constructora Vanrom Cia Ltda.$1.650.430.0331
Construcciones e Inversiones Adg Limitada$1.466.333.5682

Purchase mechanism · 2026

Tender $3.154.152.11265%
Agile Purchase $791.912.32016%
Framework Agreement $451.638.9159%
Direct award discretionary$447.217.0709%

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

Registered companies
4.178
domiciled in the comuna
Dependent workers
12.936

Pyramid by sales bracket

63.2%
13.9%
21.0%
Micro (≤2,400 UF)2.640 companies
Small (≤25k UF)579 companies
Medium (≤100k UF)66 companies
Large (>100k UF)15 companies
No sales/no info878 companies

Largest companies domiciled in the comuna

CompanyLine of businessSales bracketWorkers
Soc de Ingenieria y Movimientos de Tierra del Pacifico Ltda.INDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERALarge 3779
Inversiones Nutram SpAEXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERASLarge 3128
Llorente Industrial S aINDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERALarge 2502
Compania Minera Chipana S.A.EXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERASLarge 2146
Estacion de Servicios Jasen LimitadaCOMERCIO AL POR MAYOR Y AL POR MENOR; REPARACLarge 229
Luis Alberto Galián Molina Industrial Empresa Individual de Responsabilidad LimiCONSTRUCCIONLarge 1314
Comercial Nutriser SpAACTIVIDADES DE ALOJAMIENTO Y DE SERVICIO DE CLarge 1294
Iriarte y Compania LimitadaACTIVIDADES PROFESIONALES, CIENTIFICAS Y TECNLarge 1238
Facu Ingenieria SpACONSTRUCCIONLarge 1145
Inversiones Abdon Baraqui Gimenez SpACOMERCIO AL POR MAYOR Y AL POR MENOR; REPARACLarge 189

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
9
US$ 2.121 M declared
Approved last 5 years
22
US$ 1.432 M declared
Construction jobsunder review
2.546
+ 251 in operations
Construction jobsapproved 5 yrs
2.555
peak labor
ProjectOwnerStatusInvestment (US$M)Constr. jobs
Línea de Transmisión Eléctrica HVDC Kimal - Lo AguirreEIAConexión Kimal Lo Aguirre S.A.Approved1.4809.535
Parque Fotovoltaico Las CunasEIAParque Solar las Cunas SpAUnder Review716800
Delva Subestación, Transmisión y AlmacenamientoDIADelva Transmision Bess SpAUnder Review600452
Parque Fotovoltaico Sol de AlgarrobalEIAAustriaenergy Chile Nueve SpAUnder Review585500
Parque Fotovoltaico Llanos de MarañónEIAParque Solar Llanos de Marañón SpA.Approved372550
Parque Solar Fotovoltaico Tamarico Fase IIEIACampanillas Solar SpAApproved250400
Sistema de almacenamiento de energía por baterías BESS-TroyaDIAAtlas Development Chile SpAApproved233150
Sistema de Almacenamiento de Energía Águila AndinaDIAAguila Andina SpAApproved224150
Parque solar fotovoltaico CeiboEIAEnergía Renovable Violeta SpAUnder Review220600
Parque Fotovoltaico Algarrobal 200 MWEIAGr Pacama SpAApproved220100
Parque Fotovoltaico Corinto SolarEIACorinto Solar SpAApproved200617
Sistema de Almacenamiento de Energía y Línea de Transmisión GAIADIABess Gaia Chile SpAUnder Review145160

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
329 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.

Environment and air qualitySource: MMA · SINCA + PPDA + RETC

No air monitoring station (SINCA) in the comuna.

Air emissions from industrial sources · tons/year (RETC 2020)
0 t MP10
0 t MP2,5
0 t SO₂

Air quality observed at MMA's SINCA stations within the comuna (2020); when there are several, the worst is shown. The scale compares the annual average with the WHO 2021 guideline (PM2.5 = 5 · PM10 = 15 µg/m³, international health reference) and the Chilean annual primary standard (PM2.5 = 20 · PM10 = 50 µg/m³): green within the WHO guideline, amber between guideline and standard, red above the national standard. "Days above standard" use the 24-h daily standard (PM2.5 = 50 · PM10 = 150 µg/m³). RETC emissions = declared point sources (industry/energy), excludes diffuse sources like residential firewood.

Biodiversity and protected areasSource: SNASPE · SEIA baselines

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.

365
Species
208
Flora
138
Fauna
19
Funga
105
In conservation status
71
Endemic to Chile
Species in conservation category
Belloto del norte, belloto (genérico)Beilschmiedia miersiiVUQueuleGomortega keuleENRuilNothofagus alessandriiENBelloto del surBeilschmiedia berteroanaENSandillón, asiento de la suegraEriosyce aurataVUPitaoPitavia punctataENGuayacánPorlieria chilensisVULagartija de patricia iturraLIolaemus patriciaiturraeVUSapo de ruloRhinella aruncoVULagartija de isabelLiolaemus isabelaeVULagartija de ortiz, lagartija de juan carlos ortizLiolaemus juanortiziVUUvilloMonttea chilensisENPalma chilena, palmera chilena, palmera de coquitos, palma de miel, palma de vino de chile, can – canJubaea chilensisENLagartija de eleodoroLiolaemus rosenmanniVUHuillipatagua, naranjillo, pataguaCitronella mucronataVUParamela de til-tilAdesmia resinosaENAñañucaPhycella scarlatinaVULagarto gruñidor de álvaroPristidactylus alvaroiCRRoble de santiago, roble blanco, roble, hualle, pellín,hualoNothofagus macrocarpaVUChinchilla costinaChinchilla lanigeraENSapo de atacamaRhinella atacamensisVUPochaCheirodon pisciculusVUTollo de agua dulceDiplomystes chilensisENBagre grandeNematogenys inermisENLagartija negro azulada, black bluish lizard (inglés)Liolaemus nigrocoeruleusENVaquita de la isla choros, vaquita del desiertoGyriosomus granulipennisVUPejerrey chilenoBasilichthys microlepidotusVUSanguinariaChorizanthe gajardoiENLagartija de schröederLiolaemus schroederiVUPatagua, patahuaCrinodendron pataguaVUVaquita del desierto de paposoGyriosomus angustusENLagarto de müllerLiolaemus lorenzmuelleriVUDragón de oído cubiertoLiolaemus audituvelatusVURana chilenaCalyptocephalella gayiVUCascarudo de las docasCallyntra multicostaENGruñidor de valeriaPristidactylus valeriaeENPancoraAegla laevisENGuanacoLama guanicoeVUZorro colorado, zorro culpeo, zorro coloradode tierra del fuego, zorro culpeo de tierra del fuegoLycalopex culpaeusVUAraucaria, pehuén, piñonero, pino piñonero, pino chileno, pino araucaria, pewen, guiliuAraucaria araucanaENTricahueCyanoliseus patagonusENAlerceFitzroya cupressoidesENPiuquén, piquén, guayataChloephaga melanopteraENVicuñaVicugna vicugnaVUGaviota garumaLeucophaeus modestusVUGüiñaLeopardus guignaVULinguePersea lingueVUYuncoPelecanoides garnotiiENPingüino de humboldt, pingüino, pájaro niño, patranka, humboldt penguin (inglés), peruvian penguin (inglés)Spheniscus humboldtiENChinchilla cordilleranaChinchilla chinchillaCRRatón topo del matorralChelemys megalonyxVUBallena de aleta, rorcual comúnBalaenoptera physalusCRCanelo, boique, voigue, fuñe, choólDrimys winteriENChungungo, nutria marina, gato de mar, chinchiménLontra felinaENComadrejita trompudaRhyncholestes raphanurusVUTortuga laúd, baulaDermochelys coriaceaCRTortuga oliváceaLepidochelys olivaceaVUGolondrina de mar negra, markham’s storm-petrelHydrobates markhamiENPuyeGalaxias maculatusVUGolondrina de mar de collar, ringed storm petrel (inglés)Hydrobates hornbyiVU
and 45 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.

1 Wetlands · 1 urban · 418 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)

CodeWetlandHectares
HUR-03-04Paseo Ribereñourban418 /1.457

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. 81 projects totaling US$ 6.705 million, approved between 1996 and 2026. When a project spans several comunas, its investment is split among them.

Energy46 projects · US$ 5.310 M · 1996–2026
Conexión Kimal Lo Aguirre S.A.Línea de Transmisión Eléctrica HVDC Kimal - Lo Aguirre · Plan de Expansión Chile LT 2x500 kV Cardones - Polpaico
Mining20 projects · US$ 1.010 M · 1996–2026
El Morro SpAEstudio de Impacto Ambiental Proyecto El Morro · Proyecto Cerro Blanco
Agriculture and livestock2 projects · US$ 177 M · 2005–2007
Agrocomercial As LimitadaProyecto Agroindustrial del Valle de Huasco · Modificación Proyecto Agroindustrial del Valle del Huasco (e-seia)
Others12 projects · US$ 160 M · 2008–2020
Sociedad Concesionaria Valles del Desierto S.A.DIA Mejoramiento Ruta 5 Norte Copiapo-Vallenar_Km 665.000-783.400 (e-seia) · DIA Mejoramiento Ruta 5 Norte Tramo 2a (e-seia)
Real estate1 project · US$ 48 M · 2025
Inmobiliaria Koyam SpAProyecto Habitacional Altos de Cavancha

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 Chanar
Higher education
1 campus in the comuna

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

Final SMA sanctions

Final sanctions
2
Sanctioned entities
2
companies, individuals and institutions
Total fines
17 UTA
2 with fines
Sanctioned entityAuditable unitCategoryFine (UTA)
Gabriel Diaz GarroteCLUB GABYSAmenities16
Jefte Elias Gamaliel Perez ValenzuelaPUB DEJA VUAmenities1

Environmental sanctions final from the SMA (no pending appeals) whose auditable unit sits in the comuna: companies, individuals and institutions (including the municipality). Fine in UTA (Annual Tax Unit). Source: Public Sanctions Registry, SNIFA.

Appeals before the Environmental Courts

Appeals
2
on projects in the comuna
Upheld
1
the court sided with the claimant
Case no.Parties / projectSubjectDecision
R-240-2020
2TA
Organización Comunitaria Funcional Vecinos Los Nogales / Director Ejecutivo del Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental
Plan de Expansión Chile LT 2x500 kv Cardones-Polpaico
Administrative invalidationRejects
72108-2020
1TA
Ilustre Municipalidad de Caldera y otros con Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental
Andes LNG
Environmental Assessment - Citizen Participation - MunicipalitiesUpheld

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
6 m²
60% 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
1
Historic monuments
1

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
Relleno Sanitario Provincial del HuascoRelleno Sanitario27.324 t/year · receives from 4 comunas
C.D.P. VallenarPrison (CDP)347 inmates · 268 convicted · 78 awaiting trial · 228% occupancy
PTAS - VALLENARPTAS · lagunas aireadasA. CHAÑAR S.A. · discharges into río huasco
Where this comuna's waste goes
Relleno Sanitario Provincial del Huasco (Vallenar) · 19.523 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
11
Area affected
8 ha
mostly forest
Cumulative last 5 seasons
62 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.

Winter riskSource: SENAPRED · winter critical points 2026 (via FAU U. de Chile)

Critical points registered
39
At high or very high risk
13
1 very high
Main threat
Deslizamiento/Derrumbe/Rodad…
Deslizamiento/Derrumbe/Rodado/Caída

Points in the comuna where SENAPRED identifies winter-rain risk (channel overflows, flooding, collector collapse, landslides, mudflows, snow), with risk level and the agency responsible for the fix.

Water scarcitySource: DGA · MOP (scarcity-zone decrees)

No scarcity decree in force today.
Years under decree since 2008
3
latest: 2022 · drought chronicity

DGA water-scarcity zone decrees (by comuna, province or region; basin decrees are not counted here, so chronicity is a floor). The decree enables extraordinary water redistribution measures. At the megadrought's peak (2021) 286 comunas were under decree; today 26.

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

Mean annual temperature
13,68°C
2035-2065 projection: +1,44°C
Annual precipitation
69 mm
projection: -14%
Hot days>30°C
0
projection: +5 days
Frost days
19

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
3.401
all crimes
Rate per 100,000 inhab.
5.929
Police cases · trend
4.731
3.401
20102025
By crime type · 2025
CrimeCasesRate/100k
Domestic violence531926
Property damage495863
Threats370645
Larceny233406
Alcohol and drug use in public spaces221385
Burglary of an inhabited place183319
Robbery with violence or intimidation181316
Minor injuries174303
Theft of items from vehicles164286
Weapons-related crimes153267
Burglary of an uninhabited place140244
Crimes and offenses under the arms law109190

Showing the 12 crimes with most cases of 30.

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
272
Guards and inspectors
18
1 per 3.187 hab
Patrol fleet
3
cars, pickups, motorcycles, bikes
Security booths
2
Patrol fleet by type
Pickups: 3
Surveillance cameras · trend
214
272
20202025

Road crashesSource: CONASET · Data Observatory (2024)

Crashes · 2024
146
Deaths
11
19,2 per 100,000 inhab.
Injured
151
30 serious
Pedestrian collisions
17
1 pedestrian killed

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.