Summary
What the comuna hasSource: OpenStreetMap
Petorca [cita requerida] es una comuna ubicada en la Región de Valparaíso, en la zona central de Chile, en la Provincia de Petorca.[cita requerida]
Liveability index · EIU style
53.9 /100AuthoritiesWho leads the comuna, its council, sessions and lobbying requests
Mayor · 2024-2028Source: DecideChile · SERVEL

Mayoral history · 8 terms
SERVEL · TRICEL (1992-2008) · DecideChile (2024) · Wikidata (pre-1992)
Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL
Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL
Official council minutesSource: CPLT · Active Transparency inventory (Law 20.285)
Official council minutesSource: CPLT · Active Transparency inventory (Law 20.285)
Este municipio tiene carpetas de actas del concejo en su Transparencia Activa, pero SIN documentos publicados (incumplimiento de la Ley 20.285).
Comptroller auditsSource: CGR · Municipal Observatory
Comptroller auditsSource: CGR · Municipal Observatory
| Year | Findings | Altam. | Compl. | Median. | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 9 | — | 7 | 2 | — |
| 2022 | 9 | 2 | — | 6 | — |
| 2021 | 4 | 1 | 3 | — | — |
| 2019 | 32 | 3 | 14 | 15 | — |
| 2018 | 53 | 14 | 30 | 8 | — |
| 2015 | 11 | — | 7 | 4 | — |
CGR severity classification · audit findings on the municipality and its corporations
Who requests meetings with the municipalitySource: InfoLobby · CPLT (Law 20,730)
Who requests meetings with the municipalitySource: InfoLobby · CPLT (Law 20,730)
- AAsorLobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025
- UVUniversidad Viña del MarLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2016
- M3Minera 3h Copper SpALobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2025
- acAsociacion Chilena de MunicipalidadesLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2021
- GAGestión AmbientalLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2022
- OOONG Observatorio Minero de ChileLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2016
- ITIngenieria TecnoplussLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2023
- UDUnion de Aprs Cuenca Rio de PetorcaLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2015
- MHMinera Hasparren SpALobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2017
- ISInnovit SpALobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2023
- CPConsultorias Publicas Ltda.Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2026
- IIstLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2021
- SGSps GroupLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2016
- CMCompañía Minera Can-Can S.A.Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2016
- AGAsociacion Gremial Minera de PetorcaLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2015
- CCCaja Compesacion la AraucanaLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2025
- MSMinera Sinotech Chile (Sur) LimitadaLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2015
- PUPontificia Universidad Católica de ChileLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2021
- DJDistribuciones Jurídicas de Chile SpALobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2021
- SDSociedad de Inversiones TeknoxLobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2024
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
How it has changedSource: Official INE series 2002–2026 (2017 base).
See the full trajectory to 2050 →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.
| Indicator | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Homes with public water supply (2017 Census) | 87,78 % | CENSO 2017 2017 |
| School disengagement (leaves the system) | 0,5 % | MINEDUC 2023 |
| School enrollment | 110 students | MINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024 |
| Municipal enrollment | 66,7 % | MINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024 |
| PAES reading comprehension (DEMRE) | 552,4 pts | DEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026 |
| PAES mathematics M1 (DEMRE) | 561,9 pts | DEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026 |
| poblacion_censo | 10.206 inh. | 2024 Census 2024 |
| Income poverty (CASEN 2022) | 4,5 % | CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022 |
| Pobreza multidimensional (CASEN 2022) | 16,5 % | CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022 |
| Indigenous peoples | 7,97 % | 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 112 students registered for the PAES.
Registro Social de Hogares
| Elderly (60+) | 2.871 | 26% |
| Children and adolescents (<18) | 2.099 | 19% |
| Foreign nationals | 213 | 2% |
| Belonging to indigenous peoples | 313 | 3% |
| People with moderate/severe dependency | 136 | 1% |
| Single-person households | 3.121 | 52% |
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
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
Specialties with services recorded at the comuna's public facilities (REM DEIS, 2024). These are services performed, not doctor headcount. Excludes the private network.
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.
| Center | Type | Provider type | Enrollees | % brackets A-B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centro de Salud Familiar Chincolco | Family Health Center (CESFAM) | Municipal | 4.431 | 62% |
| Centro Comunitario de Salud Familiar Pedegua | Community Family Health Center (CECOSF) | Municipal | 3.518 | 62% |
| Posta de Salud Rural Hierro Viejo | Rural Health Post (PSR) | Municipal | 741 | 63% |
| Posta de Salud Rural la Ñipa | Rural Health Post (PSR) | Municipal | 164 | 77% |
FONASA brackets A-B ≈ lowest incomes (A: without resources). Source: FONASA, as of Dec 31, 2025, DEIS code.
Indigenous peoplesSource: 2024 Census (INE) · CONADI via IDE SMA
| People | People | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Mapuche | 432 | 53.1% |
| Diaguita | 260 | 32.0% |
| Aymara | 61 | 7.5% |
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
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.
11 Local media · 6 Comunitaria · 5 FMSource: SUBTEL · broadcasting licences · Regional Media Survey (MSGG)
11 Local media · 6 Comunitaria · 5 FMSource: SUBTEL · broadcasting licences · Regional Media Survey (MSGG)
| Local media | Type | dial |
|---|---|---|
| CCRISTAL | FM | 102.3 FM |
| DDULCE | FM | 104.7 FM |
| EEPICENTRO | FM | 94.3 FM |
| ASAgrupacion Social y Cultural Hijos y Amigos de Chincolco · holder | Comunitaria | 107.1 FM |
| CdClub de Radioaficionados Arcoiris · holder | Comunitaria | 107.9 FM |
| CdClub de Radio Aficionados de Petorca · holder | Comunitaria | 107.1 FM |
| CMComunicaciones Miguel Acuña Vicencio E.I.R.L. · holder | FM | 95.5 FM |
| JdJunta de Vecinos el Progreso de Pedegua · holder | Comunitaria | 107.5 FM |
| OSOrganización Social Amigos de Hierro Viejo · holder | Comunitaria | 107.7 FM |
| PNParroquia Nuestra Señora de la Merced · holder | Comunitaria | 107.5 FM |
| PCPetorca Comunicaciones SpA · holder | FM | 106.1 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
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: 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
Housing type: 2017 Census · tenure: 2002 Census (INE).
ResourcesBudget, spending, municipal procurement and more
Budget and revenue sourcesSource: SINIM · SUBDERE
Ingreso total y desglose de ingresos propios
Total revenue · trend (2001–2025)
Own revenue breakdown (IPP) · 2025
Special-law revenues · 2025
Distributed by law to specific comunas; they arrive via transfers.
Revenue by sector · 2025
Municipal Common Fund balance · 2025
Evolución por fuente de ingreso
Permanent own revenue (IPP) · trend
FCM received · trend
State transfers · trend
Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE
Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE
Accrued spending · trend
Distribution by management area · 2025
What the budget is spent on · 2025
| Spending line | Amount | % of spending | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal healthcare (primary care) · comuna health-sector spending | $3.586.677.000 | 38.0% | |
| Goods and services (operations) · supplies, contracts, maintenance | $1.790.023.000 | 19.0% | |
| Municipal personnel · municipal wages and fees | $1.658.415.000 | 17.6% | |
| Transfers to education | $942.469.000 | 10.0% | |
| Investment (works and projects) | $739.611.000 | 7.8% | |
| Cleaning, garbage and landfills · waste collection and disposal | $504.670.000 | 5.3% | |
| Transfers to health | $260.006.000 | 2.8% | |
| Electricity (facilities) | $213.641.000 | 2.3% | |
| Water (facilities) | $91.887.000 | 1.0% | |
| Councillor stipends | $89.554.000 | 0.9% | |
| Street lighting | $46.581.000 | 0.5% | |
| Travel allowances | $10.513.000 | 0.1% | |
| Commissions and representation | $2.967.000 | 0.0% |
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
Personnel by contract type · 2025
Municipal headcount · 2023
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
Basic and general services · 2025
Final works approvals (DOM) · per year
Building permits issued · per year
Management indicator · 2025
What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data
Open profile in Monitor Mercado Público ↗
What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data
Purchase-order amount · trend
| Top suppliers | Amount | POs |
|---|---|---|
| Ingeniería y Construcción Puerto Principal S.A. | $2.282.581.000 | 1 |
| Ecometro Urbanismo S.A. | $2.165.580.000 | 3 |
| Sergio Andres Madariaga Bravo | $1.995.015.565 | 5 |
| Constructora Fv S.A. | $1.924.645.159 | 1 |
| Constructora Rtm Ingenieria Ltda. | $1.714.131.124 | 1 |
| Constructora Zurcal Ltda. | $1.189.377.648 | 1 |
| Constructora Dyd | $1.057.037.478 | 11 |
| Minera y Constructora Rio Grande SpA | $1.039.874.049 | 3 |
Purchase mechanism · 2026
| Tender | $2.501.250.659 | 74% |
| Agile Purchase | $388.163.478 | 12% |
| Direct award discretionary | $253.081.362 | 8% |
| Framework Agreement | $221.976.287 | 7% |
Companies and economic activitySource: SII · company statistics and roster (domicile/HQ)
Pyramid by sales bracket
Largest companies domiciled in the comuna
| Company | Line of business | Sales bracket | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agrosanto S.A. | AGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCA | Medium 2 | 41 |
| Sociedad Minera e Inversiones Cabildo SpA | EXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERAS | Medium 2 | — |
| Escudero Agricola y Otras Limitada | AGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCA | Medium 2 | — |
| Marcelo Antonio Tapia Tapia Servicios Agrícolas E.I.R.L. | AGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCA | Small 2 | 57 |
| I Municipalidad de Petorca | ADMINISTRACION PUBLICA Y DEFENSA; PLANES DE S | Micro 1 | 626 |
| Colegio Catolico Presidente Manuel Montt | ENSEÑANZA | No sales | 62 |
SII roster of legal entities (public). Due to tax secrecy sales come in brackets, never amounts. The comuna is that of the domicile/HQ: operations may be elsewhere.
Investment in SEIA projects
| Project | Owner | Status | Investment (US$M) | Constr. jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Línea de Transmisión Eléctrica HVDC Kimal - Lo AguirreEIA | Conexión Kimal Lo Aguirre S.A. | Approved | 1.480 | 9.535 |
| Logística y transporte de Sustancias peligrosas en las Regiones XV, I,DIA | Sociedad de Servicios y Transportes | Under Review | 6,3 | — |
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
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.
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 · 1.605 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)
1 Wetlands · 1 urban · 1.605 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)
| Code | Wetland | Hectares |
|---|---|---|
| HUR-05-01 | Rio Petorca- Rio La Liguaurban | 1.605 /5.666 |
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. 5 projects totaling US$ 180 million, approved between 1998 and 2025. When a project spans several comunas, its investment is split among them.
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
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 areasSource: SINIM · SUBDERE (2025)
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 heritageSource: National Monuments Council (Feb 2026)
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)
Territorial burdensSource: SUBDERE (waste, Jun 2023) · Gendarmería (Jun 2025) · SISS (WWTP)
Infrastructure this comuna carries — often serving others.
| Facility | Type | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| C.D.P. Petorca | Prison (CDP) | 68 inmates · 62 convicted · 6 awaiting trial · 170% occupancy |
| PTAS - PETORCA | PTAS · lagunas aireadas | ESVAL S.A. · discharges into río petorca |
Official registries: they exclude illegal dumps and rural WWTPs (no consolidated public registry).
Forest firesSource: CONAF · Occurrence and damage statistics (2023-2024)
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)
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)
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)
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
| Crime | Cases | Rate/100k |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic violence | 75 | 705 |
| Threats | 67 | 630 |
| Alcohol and drug use in public spaces | 44 | 414 |
| Property damage | 43 | 404 |
| Minor injuries | 33 | 310 |
| Burglary of an uninhabited place | 23 | 216 |
| Larceny | 16 | 151 |
| Burglary of an inhabited place | 15 | 141 |
| Drug-related crimes | 14 | 132 |
| Less serious injuries | 9 | 85 |
| Weapons-related crimes | 8 | 75 |
| Crimes and offenses under the arms law | 6 | 56 |
Showing the 12 crimes with most cases of 24.
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.
Road crashesSource: CONASET · Data Observatory (2024)
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.