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Escudo de Laja

Laja

Región del Biobío23.921 inhabitantsPoblación proyectada INE 2024345 km² of area69 inh./km²$11.339M ingreso municipalSINIM · ingreso total percibido · 2025
Profile today2050
The comuna in context · among 346 comunas
Environment
22 µg/m³
27th worst air quality (PM2.5)
Explore
Population
−6,5%
Population would fall between now and 2050
Society
16,3%
Multidimensional poverty · 233rd highest of 346
Finance
$474 thousand
per inhabitant per year · rank 198 of 346
Finance
71,85%
It depends on the Common Fund: almost no own revenue
Environment
21,8 µg/m³
Air above the standard: PM2.5
Education
573,9 pts
around the national median in the PAES (576,9 pts)
Finance
163rd
most dependent on the Common Fund of 340
Summary

What the comuna hasSource: OpenStreetMap

23 Schools
23 Squares and green areas
5 Kindergartens
5 Health centers
1 Libraries
1 Rodeo arenas (medialunas)
1 Fire stations
1 Carabineros
1 Hospitals

Laja es una comuna y ciudad de la zona central de Chile, ubicada en la Región del Biobío y en la provincia homónima. Está limitada al norte por el río Laja, al oeste por el río Biobío, y al sur y al este por la comuna de Los Ángeles.

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

Liveability index · EIU style

45.8 /100
Ver el ranking y simular
#225 of 346 · most liveable in the country (EIU weighting)
Safety49
Health58
Culture and environment39
Education55
Infrastructure34
AuthoritiesWho leads the comuna, its council, sessions and lobbying requests

Mayor · 2024-2028Source: DecideChile · SERVEL

Vladimir Fica T.
CHILE VAMOS · RENOVACION NACIONAL
6.927
votes (39.6%)
21.629
Electoral roll
85,92%
Turnout
Mayoral history · 7 terms
VF
Vladimir Fica T.
2024-2028 · RENOVACION NACIONAL
6.927
votes
RE
Roberto Elias Quintana Inostroza
2021-2024 · IND
5.251
votes
VF
Vladimir Fica Toledo
2008-2012 · ILE
6.351
votes
JP
José Pinto Albornoz
2004-2008 · PS
6.367
votes
JP
Jose Pinto Albornoz
2000-2004 · PS
4.468
votes
JP
Jose Pinto Albornoz
1996-2000 · PS
4.826
votes
JP
Jose Pinto Albornoz
1992-1996 · PS
1.934
votes

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

Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL

FC
Freddy Castro F.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · PARTIDO SOCIALISTA DE CHILE
2.449
votes
JG
Jhonny Gonzalez T.
TU COMUNA RADICAL · INDEPENDIENTE
1.707
votes
LE
Luis Espinoza A.
CHILE VAMOS UDI-EVOPOLI E INDEPENDIENTES · UNION DEMOCRATA INDEPENDIENTE
1.303
votes
JC
Juan Cuevas O.
REPUBLICANOS E INDEPENDIENTES · PARTIDO REPUBLICANO DE CHILE
1.064
votes
PV
Patricio Villalobos I.
TU COMUNA RADICAL · PARTIDO RADICAL DE CHILE
1.044
votes
YC
Yonathan Cea V.
CHILE VAMOS RENOVACIÓN NACIONAL - INDEPENDIENTES · INDEPENDIENTE
683
votes

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

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

Resolutions extracted
93
of 29 minutes read
Money involved
$537.571.344
sum of resolutions with amounts
ResolutionTypeAmountVote
Presentación por Consultora E2BIZ sobre el Plan de Acción del Cambio Climático Comunal - PACCCOther
Nº02/2026 · Aprobación del Programa Mejoramiento de la Gestión - PMGM 2025 con un grado de cumplimiento del 100%Otherunanimidad
Listado de Decretos Alcaldicios del 23 al 31 de Diciembre de 2025Other
Cuentas del Alcalde y actividades realizadas en su ausenciaOther
Correspondencia Recibida (sin correspondencia)Other
Aprobación Acta Concejo Municipal - Sesión Extraordinaria N°10/2025Otherunanimidad

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
82
Highly complex
6
Audit reports
0
YearFindingsAltam.Compl.Median.Reports
202233
2021413317
20191458
2018243165

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

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

  • CM
    Constructora Manque Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2020–2021
  • EE
    Engie Energía Chile S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2017–2021
  • Id
    Ingeniería de Procesos
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2020–2022
  • SB
    Soc. Bcn Consultores y Cía. Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2024–2026
  • PC
    Pacifico Cable SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2018
  • JE
    Juegos Electrónicos Herminio Antonio Valdés Sepúlveda E.I.R.L.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2018
  • AG
    Aes Gener
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2021
  • TD
    Taller Digital SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2023
  • CC
    Cámara Chilena de la Construcción A.g.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2018
  • ZI
    Zeka Integracion Tecnologica Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2024
  • fd
    Farmacias del Sur
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2015
  • AS
    Arkitrack S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2021
  • Gd
    Gasoducto del Pacifico S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2024
  • SE
    Sicom Electronics International S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2022
  • CA
    Constructora Andes y Cia. Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2021
  • UC
    Universidad Catalica de la Santísima Concepción
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2024
  • IA
    Importadora Arquimed Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2020
  • LR
    Los Robles Construcciones Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2021
  • MD
    Municipalidad de Laja
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2024
  • gs
    Gecop SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2024
and 32 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

23.319
inhabitants
23.924
inhabitants
20022025

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

See the full trajectory to 2050
Since 2002
+3%
inhabitants
Estimated population 2050
22.373
-6% vs. 2035 (23.769)
Over 60 · 2050
40,55%
30,44% 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)79,44 %CENSO 2017 2017
School disengagement (leaves the system)0,7 %MINEDUC 2023
School enrollment319 studentsMINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
Municipal enrollment50 %MINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
PAES reading comprehension (DEMRE)573,9 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
PAES mathematics M1 (DEMRE)602,2 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
poblacion_censo23.706 inh.2024 Census 2024
Income poverty (CASEN 2022)11,3 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Pobreza multidimensional (CASEN 2022)16,3 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Indigenous peoples6,65 %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 373 students registered for the PAES.

Registro Social de Hogares

People in the RSH
24.360
11.554 households
Households in the most vulnerable 40%
6.644
58% of RSH households
Female-headed households
48%
5.587
Elderly (60+)6.17125%
Children and adolescents (<18)5.13421%
Foreign nationals1931%
Belonging to indigenous peoples9024%
People with moderate/severe dependency4852%
Single-person households4.77741%

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

School educationSource: MINEDUC Open Data 2025

School enrollment
4.956
23 schools
Students per teacher
8,9
554 teachers
national median: 10,15
Average attendance
87,7%
national median: 89,8%
Priority studentsSEP
67,4%
socioeconomic vulnerability
national median: 66,8%
Where they study · by provider
Public (municipal + SLEP) 64%Private subsidized 36%
Pass rate
98,2%
national median: 98,2%
Dropoutschool withdrawal
1,18%
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
6.275
26% of the population
Doctors employed
1
Health staff by contract type
Permanent staff: 42Contract staff: 26Fee contracts: 0
Primary-care medical visits · per year
32.359
56.502
20102025
Medical specialties served · 1 in the comuna (public system)
Family Medicine

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
1.372
1.413
20192025

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

Comuna's primary-care centers · FONASA 2025 enrollees (20.606 in total)
CenterTypeProvider typeEnrollees% brackets A-B
Hospital Comunitario de LajaHospitalHealth Service14.89955%
Posta de Salud Rural la ColoniaRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal2.02362%
Posta de Salud Rural Santa Elena (Laja)Rural Health Post (PSR)Municipal1.51974%
Posta de Salud Rural Puente PeralesRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal1.24359%
Consultorio General Rural del LajaRural General Clinic (CGR)Municipal89960%
Centro Comunitario de Salud Familiar LajaCommunity Family Health Center (CECOSF)Municipal2357%

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

Costs · 2025
Health spending accrued: $2.473.831.000 ($394.236/enrollee)MINSAL per capita: $1.088.792.000Municipal contribution: $433.725.000

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

Indigenous population
1.576
6.6% of the census population (Census 2024)
PeoplePeople% of total
Mapuche1.50595.5%

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
60
Councils per 1,000 inhabitants
2.5
density of territorial organization
Non-profit organizations
261
the entire active civil fabric
Committees (water, housing, progress)
61
Sports
38
For the elderly
24
Social and aid
18
Cultural
9
Religious
2

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

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

Local mediaTypedial
AARAUCANIAFM90.9 FM
PPAULAFM103.7 FM
RRINCONADAFM101.1 FM
GJGrupo Juvenil el Shaddai · holderComunitaria107.5 FM

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

Foreign-born populationSource: 2024 Census · INE

Foreign nationals
272
1,1% of the census population (Census 2024)
Main origin
Venezuela
118 people · 43% of the foreigners
Main countries of origin
118 Venezuela
54 Argentina
24 Colombia
17 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
173
4 encampments (2024 Registry)
Housing deficit
434
5,1% of the comuna's households
Housing permits · 2024
15
1.586 m² · new construction
Subsidies Integrated System · DS01
247
paid · 2011–2025
Subsidies Solidarity Fund · DS49
417
beneficiaries · 2012–2025
Subsidies Rental · DS52
75
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

17.193homes · by type (2017)
House
8.409 · 96.3%
House
8.370 · 98.9%
Shack/hut/shanty
219 · 2.5%
Other private
56 · 0.7%
Other private
43 · 0.5%
Room in old house/tenement
34 · 0.4%
Apartment
21 · 0.2%
Shack/improvised dwelling
17 · 0.2%
Apartment
13 · 0.2%
Mobile
7 · 0.1%
Room in old house/tenement
3 · 0%
Indigenous dwelling
1 · 0%
74%owner-occupied · tenure (2002)
Owned outright
4.009 · 66.3%
Rented
867 · 14.3%
Owned, being paid off
437 · 7.2%
Provided for work
407 · 6.7%
Free of charge
327 · 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.

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
$11.339.169.000
Own revenue
$2.731.339.000
24% of the total
Municipal Common Fund
$6.972.971.000
61% of the total
State transfers
$707.338.000
6% of the total
Ingreso total y desglose de ingresos propios

Total revenue · trend (2001–2025)

$2.201.454.000
$11.339.169.000
20012025

Own revenue breakdown (IPP) · 2025

15.3%
31.0%
12.0%
38.7%
Property tax$417.976.000
Business licenses$846.535.000
Vehicle permits$328.086.000
Cleaning fees$80.434.000
Other own revenue$1.058.308.000
Special-law revenues · 2025
Mining licenses (Law 19.143): $1.051.000

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

Revenue by sector · 2025
39.9%
51.6%
8.5%
Municipal$11.339.169.000
Education$14.646.202.000
Health$2.404.779.000
Municipal Common Fund balance · 2025
Net recipient: it receives $6.393.779.000 more than it contributes.
Evolución por fuente de ingreso

Permanent own revenue (IPP) · trend

$381.442.000
$2.731.339.000
20012025

FCM received · trend

$658.186.000
$6.972.971.000
20012025

State transfers · trend

$709.096.000
$707.338.000
20012025

Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE

Current budget · 2025
$14.788.105.000
Accrued spending · 2025
$11.984.863.000
Execution rate
81.0%
Unexecuted: $2.803.242.000
Medium execution: it executed 81.0%. Left unspent: $2.803.242.000.

Accrued spending · trend

$1.809.166.000
$11.984.863.000
20012025

Distribution by management area · 2025

40.5%
42.1%
10.6%
Internal management$4.854.364.000
Community services$5.046.214.000
Social programs$1.273.028.000
Municipal activities$625.850.000
Recreational programs$117.702.000
Cultural programs$67.705.000

What the budget is spent on · 2025

Spending lineAmount% of spending
Goods and services (operations) · supplies, contracts, maintenance$4.458.251.00037.2%
Municipal personnel · municipal wages and fees$2.598.781.00021.7%
Municipal healthcare (primary care) · comuna health-sector spending$2.473.831.00020.6%
Investment (works and projects)$1.077.456.0009.0%
Cleaning, garbage and landfills · waste collection and disposal$826.491.0006.9%
Transfers to education$793.151.0006.6%
Electricity (facilities)$712.101.0005.9%
Transfers to health$433.725.0003.6%
Councillor stipends$90.579.0000.8%
Water (facilities)$75.336.0000.6%
Street lighting$29.514.0000.2%
Travel allowances$19.403.0000.2%
Commissions and representation$9.581.0000.1%

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

21.7%
37.2%
41.1%
Personnel (Subt. 21)$2.598.781.000
Goods and services (Subt. 22)$4.458.251.000
Others$4.927.831.000

Personnel by contract type · 2025

51.1%
22.0%
6.1%
19.7%
Permanent staff$1.675.116.000
Contract staff$722.343.000
Fee contracts$201.322.000
Labor Code$32.351.000
Community progs.$645.870.000

Municipal headcount · 2023

66.7%
29.5%
Permanent staff52
Contract staff23
Fee contracts3
Total: 78 staffFee contracts: 3.8% of the headcountWomen: 50.7%Professionalization: 42.7%
Cost/staffer permanent: $30.984.269/yearCost/staffer contract: $22.680.957/yearCost/staffer fees: $36.444.667/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: $1.077.456.000 (9.0% of spending)Councillor stipends: $90.579.000Travel allowances: $19.403.000Commissions and representation: $9.581.000

Basic and general services · 2025

Garbage and landfills: $826.491.000Street lighting: $29.514.000Electricity: $712.101.000Water: $75.336.000

Final works approvals (DOM) · per year

86
58
20012025

Building permits issued · per year

282
30
20122025

Management indicator · 2025

Maintained green areas per inhabitant
3 m²/inh.
Security/patrol cars
0
Security/patrol bicycles
0
Surveillance cameras
50
Security/patrol pickups
3
Security booths
0
CESFAM in the comuna
0
Primary-care medical visits
56.502
Clinics
1
urban and rural
Dependence on the Municipal Common Fund
71,85%
of own revenue
Security drones
2
Permanent staff
54
Permanent own revenue
24,09%
of total revenue
Doctors employed
1
as of Dec 31
Security/patrol motorcycles
0
Building permits
30
Health staff
26
contract
Health staff
0
fee-based
Health staff
42
permanent
FONASA-enrolled population
6.275
municipal health
Rural health posts
3
Street-market stalls
86
Final works approvals
58

What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data

Open profile in Monitor Mercado Público
Historic amount
$241.492.540.824
Purchase orders
42.511

Purchase-order amount · trend

$1.330.469.178
$3.802.944.540
20072026
Top suppliersAmountPOs
Dictuc S.A.$117.991.651.87820
Los Robles Construcciones Limitada$11.742.113.18969
Constructora Andes y Compania Ltda.$6.679.725.0761
Manque$5.886.470.08415
Demarco S.A.$4.425.481.694231
Sicmon Ltda.$4.328.028.45650
Briopol$2.927.330.180134
Figuz S.A.$2.760.004.8602

Purchase mechanism · 2026

Tender $2.040.673.09254%
Direct award discretionary$1.021.187.84027%
Agile Purchase $481.945.56713%
Framework Agreement $259.138.0417%

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

Registered companies
1.185
domiciled in the comuna
Dependent workers
9.132

Pyramid by sales bracket

66.7%
12.7%
18.0%
Micro (≤2,400 UF)790 companies
Small (≤25k UF)151 companies
Medium (≤100k UF)28 companies
Large (>100k UF)3 companies
No sales/no info213 companies

Largest companies domiciled in the comuna

CompanyLine of businessSales bracketWorkers
Ingenieria y Construccion Fica y Cia Ltda.ACTIVIDADES PROFESIONALES, CIENTIFICAS Y TECNLarge 21.152
Comercial Superunico Laja LimitadaCOMERCIO AL POR MAYOR Y AL POR MENOR; REPARACLarge 2150
Manuel Ruiz Jerez y Compania LimitadaINDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERALarge 1466
Ingeman Chile SpAACTIVIDADES PROFESIONALES, CIENTIFICAS Y TECNMedium 2548
Victor Santander y Compania LimitadaINDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERAMedium 2355
Soc Constructora y Obras Civiles Pehuen LimitadaACTIVIDADES PROFESIONALES, CIENTIFICAS Y TECNMedium 2318
Oliver y Burgos SpACONSTRUCCIONMedium 2260
Constructora Laja LimitadaCONSTRUCCIONMedium 2234
Sicmon Chile SpAACTIVIDADES PROFESIONALES, CIENTIFICAS Y TECNMedium 2231
Constr Laja Ind Ltda.INDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERAMedium 2226

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
4
US$ 380 M declared
Construction jobsapproved 5 yrs
970
peak labor
ProjectOwnerStatusInvestment (US$M)Constr. jobs
Parque Eólico RinconadaEIAEnergía Eólica Rinconada SpAApproved365400
Proyecto de modificación para producir celulosa cruda en Planta LajaDIACmpc Pulp SpAApproved186570
Subestación La Señoraza 220/66 kVDIASociedad Austral de Transmisión TroApproved9,829150
Nueva Conexión y Ampliación S/E Celulosa LajaDIACmpc Pulp SpAApproved1,5650

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

MP2,5 · annual average
21,8µg/m³· above the Chilean standard
OMS 5
CL standard 20
4,4× the WHO 2021 guideline · 1,1× the Chilean standard · 37 days above daily standard (50 µg/m³)
MP10 · annual average
40,4µg/m³· above the WHO guideline, below the Chilean standard
OMS 15
CL standard 50
2,7× the WHO 2021 guideline · 0,8× the Chilean standard · 2 days above daily standard (150 µg/m³)
1monitoring stations· measures MP2,5; MP10; O3; SO2; NO2; CO· station: Laja
Air emissions from industrial sources · tons/year (RETC 2020)
279 t SO₂
11 t MP10
9 t MP2,5
0 t Material particulado

Air quality observed at MMA's SINCA stations within the comuna (2024); 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)
NahuelbutaNational Parkat 57.2 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.

54
Species
30
Flora
24
Fauna
21
In conservation status
16
Endemic to Chile
Species in conservation category
QueuleGomortega keuleENRuilNothofagus alessandriiENBelloto del surBeilschmiedia berteroanaENBelloto del norte, belloto (genérico)Beilschmiedia miersiiVUPitaoPitavia punctataENPocha de los lagosCheirodon galusdaeVUCarmelita de concepciónPercilia irwiniENPejerrey chilenoBasilichthys australisVUBagre grandeNematogenys inermisENBagrecitoBullockia maldonadoiENTolloDiplomystes nahuelbutaensisENZorro colorado, zorro culpeo, zorro coloradode tierra del fuego, zorro culpeo de tierra del fuegoLycalopex culpaeusVULamprea de bolsaGeotria australisVUBagrecitoTrichomycterus areolatusVUCanelo, boique, voigue, fuñe, choólDrimys winteriENAbejorro, abejorro colorado, moscardón, duillin, diwmeñ, abejorro gigante de la patagonia, don basilioBombus dahlbomiiENLagarto nítidoLiolaemus nitidusNTPalmilla, quilquil, arriquilquilBlechnum hastatumNTPalito negro, doradillaAdiantum chilenseNTPerca truchaPercichthys truchaNTSapito de cuatro ojosPleurodema thaulNT

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 · 1.312 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)

CodeWetlandHectares
HUR-08-78Ríos Biobío- Laja y Trib.urban1.270 /25.795
HUR-08-57Laguna Senorazaurban42

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. 13 projects totaling US$ 1.235 million, approved between 1997 and 2025. When a project spans several comunas, its investment is split among them.

Forestry3 projects · US$ 706 M · 2004–2025
Cmpc Pulp SpAModernización de Planta Laja · Proyecto de modificación para producir celulosa cruda en Planta Laja
Energy9 projects · US$ 529 M · 1997–2025
Gasoducto del Pacífico S.A.Gasoducto Trasandino y Distribución de Gas Natural en Chile · Parque Eólico Rinconada
Others1 project · US$ 0 M · 2017
Inmobiliaria e Inversiones Polykarpo S.A.Ampliación Transporte Terrestre de Sustancias Químicas

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
Frontel · also Coopelan
Empresa sanitaria (agua y alcantarillado)
ESSBIO
Higher education
No campus · nearest in Los Angeles at 22 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
PTAS - SAN ROSENDOPTAS · lodos activadosESSBIO S.A. · discharges into río bío bío
Where this comuna's waste goes
Relleno Sanitario Los Ángeles (Los Ángeles) · 7.616 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
32
Area affected
14 ha
mostly shrubland
Cumulative last 5 seasons
3.159 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
1
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.

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

Mean annual temperature
13,6°C
2035-2065 projection: +1,23°C
Annual precipitation
1.090 mm
projection: -1%
Hot days>30°C
21
projection: +21 days
Frost days
11

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

SafetyCrime, road crashes and municipal security infrastructure

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

Police cases · 2025
1.452
all crimes
Rate per 100,000 inhab.
6.070
Police cases · trend
1.146
1.452
20102025
By crime type · 2025
CrimeCasesRate/100k
Alcohol and drug use in public spaces2681.120
Threats2511.049
Property damage180753
Domestic violence135564
Minor injuries110460
Burglary of an inhabited place94393
Burglary of an uninhabited place84351
Larceny76318
Weapons-related crimes40167
Crimes and offenses under the arms law34142
Robbery with violence or intimidation28117
Drug-related crimes24100

Showing the 12 crimes with most cases of 28.

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
50
Guards and inspectors
0
1 per 23.921 hab
Patrol fleet
3
cars, pickups, motorcycles, bikes
Patrol fleet by type
Pickups: 3Drones: 2
Surveillance cameras · trend
16
50
20202025

Road crashesSource: CONASET · Data Observatory (2024)

Crashes · 2024
81
Deaths
4
16,7 per 100,000 inhab.
Injured
86
8 serious
Pedestrian collisions
7
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.