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Escudo de Punitaqui

Punitaqui

CoquimboFounded 178512.514 inhabitantsPoblación proyectada INE 20241.092 km² of area11 inh./km²$7.103M ingreso municipalSINIM · ingreso total percibido · 2025
Profile today2050
The comuna in context · among 346 comunas
Economy
778/1,000 inhab.
18th most promised jobs per inhabitant (one megaproject transforms it)
Explore
Population
+4,9%
Population would grow between now and 2050
Society
26,8%
Multidimensional poverty · 43rd highest of 346
Finance
$568 thousand
per inhabitant per year · rank 157 of 346
Finance
84,72%
It depends on the Common Fund: almost no own revenue
Safety
3.828
cases per 100k inhab. · 317th in the country
Education
552,5 pts
below the national median in the PAES (576,9 pts)
Finance
57th
most dependent on the Common Fund of 340
Summary

What the comuna hasSource: OpenStreetMap

29 Schools
5 Health centers
5 Squares and green areas
2 Rodeo arenas (medialunas)
1 Kindergartens
1 Carabineros

Punitaqui es una ciudad y comuna del Norte Chico de Chile ubicada en la provincia de Limarí, región de Coquimbo, Chile. La superficie de la comuna es de 1339 km². Su población alcanza a los 7539 habitantes, conforme al censo de 2002; dos tercios de esa población es rural.

Introductory text from Wikipedia, bajo licencia CC BY-SA.

Liveability index · EIU style

39.2 /100
Ver el ranking y simular
#313 of 346 · most liveable in the country (EIU weighting)
Safety51
Health28
Culture and environment37
Education47
Infrastructure35
AuthoritiesWho leads the comuna, its council, sessions and lobbying requests

Mayor · 2024-2028Source: DecideChile · SERVEL

Pedro Araya Z.
INDEPENDIENTE
1.810
votes (20.11%)
11.201
Electoral roll
87,18%
Turnout
Mayoral history · 7 terms
PA
Pedro Araya Z.
2024-2028 · INDEPENDIENTE
1.810
votes
CA
Carlos Antonio Araya Bugueño
2021-2024 · IND
1.079
votes
BE
Blanca Elena Araya Zepeda
2008-2012 · PRI
2.244
votes
BA
Blas Araya Rivera
2004-2008 · PPD
3.457
votes
BA
Blas Araya Rivera
2000-2004 · PPD
3.049
votes
BA
Blas Araya Rivera
1996-2000 · PC
1.954
votes
AG
Alberto Gallardo Flores
1992-1996 · UDI
2.005
votes

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

Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL

CF
Constanza Fuentealba A.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · INDEPENDIENTE
808
votes
AV
Adrian Valdivia S.
CENTRO DEMOCRATICO · PARTIDO DEMOCRATAS CHILE
759
votes
CV
Cedelinda Valdivia M.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · INDEPENDIENTE
601
votes
NA
Noelia Aguilera Z.
CENTRO DEMOCRATICO · PARTIDO DEMOCRATAS CHILE
590
votes
LR
Luciano Riveros A.
POR CHILE, SEGUIMOS · INDEPENDIENTE
371
votes
JP
Jaime Palma G.
CHILE VAMOS RENOVACIÓN NACIONAL - INDEPENDIENTES · INDEPENDIENTE
272
votes

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

603 minutes publishedindex updated on 30-07-2026Municipal transparency
Recent minutes indexed

Documents indexed from the Transparency Portal (Law 20.285); they link to the PDF published by the municipality.

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

Resolutions extracted
789
of 443 minutes read
Money involved
$19.792.873.690
sum of resolutions with amounts
ResolutionTypeAmountVote
4.2 · Dejar sin efecto el acuerdo de concejo N°54 adoptado en sesión ordinaria N°10 de fecha 5 de abril de 2023, refrendado mediante certificado N°69/2023Budget amendmentunanimidad
4.1 · Aprobación de licitaciones superiores a 500 U.T.M. del departamento de Educación Municipal para suministro de materiales e insumos diversosTenderunanimidad
4.3 · Adjudicación propuesta pública para proyecto 'Mejoramiento Plaza El Peral'Tender
4.2 · Suplementación de recursos por $23,160,971 para proyecto 'Construcción cancha pasto sintético localidad El Toro'Budget amendment$23.160.971
4.1 · Subvención municipal libre disponibilidad para Centro Católico Las CrucesSubsidy$500.000
Análisis y aprobación de la Ordenanza de Participación CiudadanaRegulation

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
150
Highly complex
8
Audit reports
0
YearFindingsAltam.Compl.Median.Reports
2020221012
20184731922
2017662640
201615564

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

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

  • jd
    Junta de Vecinos N° 3 de la Higuera
    Lobby / interest management · 5 audiencias · 2015–2016
  • AP
    Afusam Punitaqui
    Lobby / interest management · 5 audiencias · 2015–2021
  • FI
    Fundacion Integra
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2021–2022
  • jd
    Junta de Vecinos Villa el Estero
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2015–2016
  • W
    Wom
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2021–2022
  • PS
    Parque Solar Bellavista de Punitaqui SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2020–2021
  • CA
    Comunidad Agricola la Rinconada
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2016–2017
  • JD
    Junta de Vecinos de los Corrales
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2015–2016
  • HS
    Humind SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2021
  • IS
    Innovit SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2019–2021
  • CG
    Compañía General de Electricidad S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2018–2023
  • CL
    Caja los Andes
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2015–2021
  • C
    Coopeuch
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2015
  • Si
    Sociedad Inmobiliaria Indic Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2020–2021
  • jd
    Junta de Vecinos las Lluvias
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2015–2016
  • CC
    Cuna Cultural
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2021
  • Sd
    Sociedad de Reciclaje Reciclean Limitada
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2017
  • jd
    Junta de Vecinos el Durazno de Quiles
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2015
  • OS
    Ovacor SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2021
  • IS
    Itsolutions S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2024
and 69 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

9.977
inhabitants
12.585
inhabitants
20022025

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

See the full trajectory to 2050
Since 2002
+27%
inhabitants
Estimated population 2050
13.274
+1% vs. 2035 (13.120)
Over 60 · 2050
41,14%
31,38% in 2035 · +10 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)66,81 %CENSO 2017 2017
School disengagement (leaves the system)0,8 %MINEDUC 2023
School enrollment95 studentsMINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
Municipal enrollment50 %MINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
PAES reading comprehension (DEMRE)552,5 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
PAES mathematics M1 (DEMRE)575,3 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
poblacion_censo12.076 inh.2024 Census 2024
Income poverty (CASEN 2022)14,5 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Pobreza multidimensional (CASEN 2022)26,8 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Indigenous peoples19,14 %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 123 students registered for the PAES.

Registro Social de Hogares

People in the RSH
12.718
6.553 households
Households in the most vulnerable 40%
4.068
62% of RSH households
Female-headed households
50%
3.250
Elderly (60+)3.11024%
Children and adolescents (<18)2.72921%
Foreign nationals1271%
Belonging to indigenous peoples7976%
People with moderate/severe dependency1962%
Single-person households3.17248%

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
2.310
28 schools
Students per teacher
9,6
240 teachers
national median: 10,15
Average attendance
89,9%
national median: 89,8%
Priority studentsSEP
77,8%
socioeconomic vulnerability
national median: 66,8%
Where they study · by provider
Public (municipal + SLEP) 51%Private subsidized 49%
Pass rate
97,1%
national median: 98,2%
Dropoutschool withdrawal
1,1%
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
0
Clinics
1
Rural health posts
3
FONASA enrollees
13.929
111% of the population
Doctors employed
8
Health staff by contract type
Permanent staff: 79Contract staff: 50Fee contracts: 11
Primary-care medical visits · per year
6.924
34.797
20102025
Comprehensive home visits · per year
450
421
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 (14.037 in total)
CenterTypeProvider typeEnrollees% brackets A-B
Consultorio PunitaquiFamily Health Center (CESFAM)Municipal13.91562%
Posta de Salud Rural DivisaderoRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal5476%
Posta de Salud Rural el Parral de QuilesRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal3762%
Posta de Salud Rural San Pedro de QuilesRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal3177%

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

Costs · 2025
Health spending accrued: $4.611.083.000 ($331.042/enrollee)MINSAL per capita: $3.338.185.000Municipal contribution: $75.000.000

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

Indigenous population
2.311
19.1% of the census population (Census 2024)
Indigenous communities
1
RNAI CONADI registry · Mar 2024
PeoplePeople% of total
Diaguita1.72174.5%
Mapuche38616.7%
Aymara823.5%

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
46
Councils per 1,000 inhabitants
3.7
density of territorial organization
Non-profit organizations
105
the entire active civil fabric
Sports
13
For the elderly
6
Committees (water, housing, progress)
5
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.

3 Local media · 2 FM · 1 Digital pressSource: SUBTEL · broadcasting licences · Regional Media Survey (MSGG)

Local mediaTypedial
VNVIDA NUEVAFM103.5 FM
wwww.elpunitaquino.clDigital press
SMSoc. Mario Fernandez Sanchez y Cia. Ltda. · holderFM91.7 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
236
2% of the census population (Census 2024)
Main origin
Bolivia
108 people · 46% of the foreigners
Main countries of origin
108 Bolivia
48 Venezuela
24 Colombia
20 Argentina

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

Encampments
0
no encampments registered
Housing deficit
472
10,6% of the comuna's households
Housing permits · 2024
57
3.265 m² · new construction
Subsidies Integrated System · DS01
271
paid · 2011–2025
Subsidies Solidarity Fund · DS49
146
beneficiaries · 2012–2023
Subsidies Rental · DS52
15
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

9.167homes · by type (2017)
House
4.521 · 94.1%
House
4.281 · 98.2%
Shack/hut/shanty
233 · 4.8%
Other private
58 · 1.3%
Other private
24 · 0.5%
Shack/improvised dwelling
21 · 0.5%
Room in old house/tenement
13 · 0.3%
Mobile
10 · 0.2%
Indigenous dwelling
3 · 0.1%
Apartment
2 · 0%
Mobile
1 · 0%
75%owner-occupied · tenure (2002)
Owned outright
1.946 · 72.3%
Free of charge
264 · 9.8%
Rented
226 · 8.4%
Provided for work
192 · 7.1%
Owned, being paid off
64 · 2.4%

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.

Others
Asignación de zona 15% (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: 15% 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.

15% 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
$7.103.290.000
Own revenue
$960.870.000
14% of the total
Municipal Common Fund
$5.327.648.000
75% of the total
State transfers
$495.342.000
7% of the total
Ingreso total y desglose de ingresos propios

Total revenue · trend (2001–2025)

$1.244.139.000
$7.103.290.000
20012025

Own revenue breakdown (IPP) · 2025

16.4%
24.0%
18.9%
39.9%
Property tax$157.422.000
Business licenses$230.682.000
Vehicle permits$181.726.000
Cleaning fees$7.625.000
Other own revenue$383.415.000
Special-law revenues · 2025
Mining licenses (Law 19.143): $38.712.000

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

Revenue by sector · 2025
37.8%
39.4%
22.8%
Municipal$7.103.290.000
Education$7.386.658.000
Health$4.279.274.000
Municipal Common Fund balance · 2025
Net recipient: it receives $5.007.616.000 more than it contributes.
Evolución por fuente de ingreso

Permanent own revenue (IPP) · trend

$79.869.000
$960.870.000
20012025

FCM received · trend

$769.475.000
$5.327.648.000
20012025

State transfers · trend

$251.652.000
$495.342.000
20012025

Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE

Current budget · 2025
$8.958.078.000
Accrued spending · 2025
$7.081.262.000
Execution rate
79.0%
Unexecuted: $1.876.816.000
Low execution: it only executed 79.0% of the budget — $1.876.816.000 unspent.

Accrued spending · trend

$1.141.406.000
$7.081.262.000
20012025

Distribution by management area · 2025

58.2%
35.0%
6.3%
Internal management$4.118.377.000
Community services$2.476.283.000
Social programs$39.187.000
Municipal activities$447.415.000

What the budget is spent on · 2025

Spending lineAmount% of spending
Municipal healthcare (primary care) · comuna health-sector spending$4.611.083.00065.1%
Goods and services (operations) · supplies, contracts, maintenance$1.456.838.00020.6%
Transfers to education$1.429.951.00020.2%
Municipal personnel · municipal wages and fees$1.198.762.00016.9%
Investment (works and projects)$768.030.00010.8%
Electricity (facilities)$224.245.0003.2%
Councillor stipends$93.887.0001.3%
Street lighting$92.502.0001.3%
Transfers to health$75.000.0001.1%
Water (facilities)$61.867.0000.9%
Travel allowances$33.701.0000.5%
Commissions and representation$7.350.0000.1%
Cleaning, garbage and landfills · waste collection and disposal$4.159.0000.1%

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

16.9%
20.6%
62.5%
Personnel (Subt. 21)$1.198.762.000
Goods and services (Subt. 22)$1.456.838.000
Others$4.425.662.000

Personnel by contract type · 2025

36.5%
11.2%
47.8%
Permanent staff$845.268.000
Contract staff$259.277.000
Fee contracts$94.217.000
Labor Code$9.023.000
Community progs.$1.107.359.000

Municipal headcount · 2022

55.0%
35.0%
10.0%
Permanent staff22
Contract staff14
Fee contracts4
Total: 40 staffFee contracts: 10.0% of the headcountWomen: 36.1%Professionalization: 36.1%
Cost/staffer permanent: $25.385.773/yearCost/staffer contract: $15.851.571/yearCost/staffer fees: $20.195.250/year

Municipal staff by contract status (SINIM, 2022). Cost per staffer = annual spending of the type ÷ same-year headcount.

Inversión, servicios básicos y obras

Investment and authorities' expenses · 2025

Municipal investment: $768.030.000 (10.8% of spending)Councillor stipends: $93.887.000Travel allowances: $33.701.000Commissions and representation: $7.350.000

Basic and general services · 2025

Garbage and landfills: $4.159.000Street lighting: $92.502.000Electricity: $224.245.000Water: $61.867.000

Final works approvals (DOM) · per year

181
34
20012025

Building permits issued · per year

3
73
20122025

Management indicator · 2025

Maintained green areas per inhabitant
3 m²/inh.
Security/patrol cars
0
Security/patrol bicycles
0
Surveillance cameras
143
Security/patrol pickups
0
Security booths
0
CESFAM in the comuna
0
Primary-care medical visits
34.797
Clinics
1
urban and rural
Dependence on the Municipal Common Fund
84,72%
of own revenue
Security drones
0
Permanent staff
26
Permanent own revenue
13,53%
of total revenue
Doctors employed
8
as of Dec 31
Security/patrol motorcycles
0
Building permits
73
Health staff
50
contract
Health staff
11
fee-based
Health staff
79
permanent
FONASA-enrolled population
13.929
municipal health
Rural health posts
3
Street-market stalls
300
Final works approvals
34

What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data

Open profile in Monitor Mercado Público
Historic amount
$44.160.643.697
Purchase orders
29.532

Purchase-order amount · trend

$354.962.231
$2.391.912.606
20072026
Top suppliersAmountPOs
Rb,construcciones$3.454.815.4503
Constructora San Fernando S a$2.953.454.1052
Mario Eduardo$2.819.308.835375
Marcelo Galindo Jimenez Cortes$800.409.44322
Eddent$773.691.53130
Pena Spoerer y Cia S.A.$671.162.2872
Rojo Marin Samuel y Cia Ltda.$646.610.055398
Hernan Humberto$633.344.5553

Purchase mechanism · 2026

Tender $1.094.496.94846%
Agile Purchase $920.823.57538%
Direct award discretionary$194.089.6068%
Framework Agreement $182.502.4788%

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

Registered companies
720
domiciled in the comuna
Dependent workers
2.246

Pyramid by sales bracket

65.1%
10.6%
23.5%
Micro (≤2,400 UF)469 companies
Small (≤25k UF)76 companies
Medium (≤100k UF)4 companies
Large (>100k UF)2 companies
No sales/no info169 companies

Largest companies domiciled in the comuna

CompanyLine of businessSales bracketWorkers
Minera Cruz LimitadaEXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERASLarge 2208
Minera Airo Sur LimitadaEXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERASLarge 143
Sociedad Minera Diaz y Barraza LimitadaEXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERASMedium 224
Servicios de Ingeniería y Consultoría Northc SpACONSTRUCCIONMedium 142
Agricola Conde y Diaz LimitadaAGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCAMedium 19
I Municipalidad de PunitaquiADMINISTRACION PUBLICA Y DEFENSA; PLANES DE SNo sales868
Corporacion Educacional Colegio Sali Hochschild de PunitaquiENSEÑANZANo sales76
Corporacion Educacional Irma Salas SilvaENSEÑANZANo sales70
Entidad Individual Educacional NewenENSEÑANZANo sales60

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
0
US$ 0 M declared
Approved last 5 years
6
US$ 81 M declared
Construction jobsapproved 5 yrs
466
peak labor
ProjectOwnerStatusInvestment (US$M)Constr. jobs
Línea de Transmisión Eléctrica HVDC Kimal - Lo AguirreEIAConexión Kimal Lo Aguirre S.A.Approved1.4809.535
Planta Fotovoltaica PericoDIACld Generacion 3 SpAApproved13,2480
DIA Mina DalmaciaDIAMinera Bmr SpAApproved12,560
Modificación Proyecto Planta Los Mantos: Implementación depósito de reDIAMinera Bmr SpAApproved1144
Mina Cinabrio - San AndrésDIAMinera Bmr SpAApproved220
CONTINUIDAD OPERACIONAL FAENA MINERA TAMBO DE ORODIAMinera Hmc S.A.Approved1,083

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

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

No air monitoring station (SINCA) in the comuna.

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

Nearest protected wilderness area (SNASPE)
Bosque Fray JorgeNational Parkat 34.8 km

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.

100
Species
66
Flora
34
Fauna
30
In conservation status
26
Endemic to Chile
Species in conservation category
Belloto del norte, belloto (genérico)Beilschmiedia miersiiVURuilNothofagus alessandriiENGuayacánPorlieria chilensisVUQueuleGomortega keuleENBelloto del surBeilschmiedia berteroanaENPitaoPitavia punctataENAñañucaPhycella scarlatinaVUDragón de oído cubiertoLiolaemus audituvelatusVULagarto gruñidor de álvaroPristidactylus alvaroiCRSapo de ruloRhinella aruncoVUSandillón, asiento de la suegraEriosyce aurataVUPalma chilena, palmera chilena, palmera de coquitos, palma de miel, palma de vino de chile, can – canJubaea chilensisENCanelo, boique, voigue, fuñe, choólDrimys winteriENGolondrina de mar de collar, ringed storm petrel (inglés)Hydrobates hornbyiVUGüiñaLeopardus guignaVUTricahueCyanoliseus patagonusENPiuquén, piquén, guayataChloephaga melanopteraENGolondrina de mar negra, markham’s storm-petrelHydrobates markhamiENGaviota garumaLeucophaeus modestusVUGuanacoLama guanicoeVUCarbonillo, mendozaCordia decandraNTLagarto nítidoLiolaemus nitidusNTIguanaCallopistes maculatusNTJagartija de velosoLiolaemus velosoiNTDragón de torres-muraLiolaemus torresiNTMurciélago gris, murciélago de atacama, murciélago orejas de ratón del norteMyotis atacamensisNTPalito negro, doradillaAdiantum chilenseNTChorlito cordilleranoPhegornis mitchelliiNTColo-coloLeopardus colocoloNTCóndorVultur gryphusNT

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.

2 Wetlands · 2 urban · 152 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)

CodeWetlandHectares
HUR-04-54Qda. San Pedrourban102 /259
HUR-04-07Sist. Rio Limari y triburban49 /659

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. 11 projects totaling US$ 324 million, approved between 2009 and 2026. When a project spans several comunas, its investment is split among them.

Energy6 projects · US$ 266 M · 2009–2026
Conexión Kimal Lo Aguirre S.A.Línea de Transmisión Eléctrica HVDC Kimal - Lo Aguirre · D.I.A. Parque Eólico La Gorgonia (e-seia)
Mining3 projects · US$ 58 M · 2013–2025
Minera Hmc S.A.Proyecto Expansión de Faena Tambo de Oro · DIA Mina Dalmacia
Others2 projects · US$ 0 M · 2011–2020
Enaex Servicios S.A.Ampliación de la Actividad de Transporte de Sustancias Peligrosas de ENAEX Servicios S.A. · Transporte de Sustancias Peligrosas Enaex Servicios S.A

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 Valle
Higher education
No campus · nearest in Ovalle at 25.9 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.

Green areasSource: SINIM · SUBDERE (2025)

Green space per capita
3 m²
30% 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.

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

Infrastructure this comuna carries — often serving others.

FacilityTypeDetail
Vertedero El Higueral (Maitencillo)Vertedero5.683 t/year
PTAS - PUNITAQUIPTAS · lagunas aireadasAGUAS DEL VALLE S.A. · discharges into riego
Where this comuna's waste goes
Vertedero El Higueral (Maitencillo) (Punitaqui) · 5.683 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
40 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
31
At high or very high risk
22
7 very high
Main threat
Inundación por desborde de c…
Inundación por desborde de cauce

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)

Under water-scarcity decreeDecreto MOP N°74 07-07-2025 · in force until 09-07-2026
Years under decree since 2008
10
latest: 2026 · 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
14,74°C
2035-2065 projection: +1,19°C
Annual precipitation
190 mm
projection: -10%
Hot days>30°C
1
projection: +6 days
Frost days
1

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
479
all crimes
Rate per 100,000 inhab.
3.828
Police cases · trend
492
479
20102025
By crime type · 2025
CrimeCasesRate/100k
Alcohol and drug use in public spaces69551
Property damage69551
Threats64511
Burglary of an inhabited place52416
Domestic violence41328
Burglary of an uninhabited place39312
Larceny33264
Minor injuries33264
Drug-related crimes17136
Weapons-related crimes15120
Crimes and offenses under the arms law1188
Motor vehicle theft540

Showing the 12 crimes with most cases of 23.

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
143
Guards and inspectors
3
1 per 4.171 hab
Surveillance cameras · trend
9
143
20202025

Road crashesSource: CONASET · Data Observatory (2024)

Crashes · 2024
14
Deaths
1
8 per 100,000 inhab.
Injured
29
6 serious
Pedestrian collisions
2

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.