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Escudo de La Unión

La Unión

Región de Los RíosFounded 182139.705 inhabitantsPoblación proyectada INE 20242.131 km² of area19 inh./km²$14.793M ingreso municipalSINIM · ingreso total percibido · 2025
Profile today2050
The comuna in context · among 346 comunas
Environment
57 species in conservation status
16th most documented threatened species
Explore
Environment
24 µg/m³
22nd worst air quality (PM2.5)
Explore
Population
−3,6%
Population would fall between now and 2050
Society
18,6%
Multidimensional poverty · 173rd highest of 346
Finance
$373 thousand
per inhabitant per year · rank 271 of 346
Environment
23,8 µg/m³
Air above the standard: PM2.5
Education
587,1 pts
above the national median in the PAES (576,9 pts)
Finance
217th
most dependent on the Common Fund of 340
Summary

What the comuna hasSource: OpenStreetMap

63 Schools
39 Squares and green areas
19 Health centers
10 Kindergartens
6 Fire stations
5 Carabineros
4 Pharmacies
3 Hospitals
2 Institutes
1 Libraries
1 Rodeo arenas (medialunas)

La Unión es una ciudad y comuna de Chile, ubicada en la Provincia de Ranco, en la región de Los Ríos, en la zona sur del país. La comuna posee una superficie aproximada de 2 132,5 km². Es uno de los centros urbanos más antiguos del actual territorio regional y cumple un rol histórico y administrativo relevante dentro de la provincia. El territorio comunal forma parte de la cuenca del Río Bueno y se inserta dentro de la ecorregión de la Selva Valdiviana, caracterizada por su alta biodiversidad. Asimismo, se encuentra dentro del Willi Mapu, espacio territorial históricamente habitado por comunidades mapuche, lo que se refleja en la presencia de elementos culturales y toponímicos de origen mapudungun en la comuna.

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

Liveability index · EIU style

59.3 /100
Ver el ranking y simular
#53 of 346 · most liveable in the country (EIU weighting)
Safety54
Health61
Culture and environment61
Education65
Infrastructure59
AuthoritiesWho leads the comuna, its council, sessions and lobbying requests

Mayor · 2024-2028Source: DecideChile · SERVEL

Saturnino Quezada S.
INDEPENDIENTE
6.839
votes (23.84%)
35.907
Electoral roll
86,03%
Turnout
Mayoral history · 8 terms
SQ
Saturnino Quezada S.
2024-2028 · INDEPENDIENTE
6.839
votes
JA
Juan Andres Reinoso Carrillo
2021-2024 · PS
5.843
votes
HC
Hilda Carvallo Gómez
2008-2012 · ILE
8.953
votes
MA
María Angélica Astudillo Mautz
2004-2008 · ILC
8.474
votes
RT
Rene Tribiño Huenchuguala
2000-2004 · RN
9.186
votes
EO
Elfrida Ojeda Obando
1996-2000 · PRSD
6.606
votes
RT
Rene Tribiño Huenchuguala
1994-1996 · RN
2.173
votes
EO
Elfrida Ojeda Obando
1992-1994 · PR
3.704
votes

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

Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL

PA
Patricia Aguilar O.
TU COMUNA RADICAL · INDEPENDIENTE
2.374
votes
EP
Erica Paredes N.
CHILE VAMOS RENOVACIÓN NACIONAL - INDEPENDIENTES · RENOVACION NACIONAL
2.288
votes
JC
Jessica Cossio G.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · PARTIDO POR LA DEMOCRACIA
1.807
votes
SN
Said Neira B.
CHILE VAMOS UDI-EVOPOLI E INDEPENDIENTES · INDEPENDIENTE
1.571
votes
ER
Emilia Rauld D.
REPUBLICANOS E INDEPENDIENTES · PARTIDO REPUBLICANO DE CHILE
1.414
votes
DN
Daniel Noriega J.
CHILE VAMOS RENOVACIÓN NACIONAL - INDEPENDIENTES · INDEPENDIENTE
1.273
votes

Sesiones

Última sesión16 de junio de 202647 minWatch session

En una línea: La sesión consistió exclusivamente en la presentación comercial de un sistema de grabación, transmisión y transcripción automática para sesiones del concejo, a cargo de un representante de la empresa Grupo Itauck.

Temas tratados

  • Sistema SALO (Sistema Avanzado de Literalidad y Oralidad): El expositor Fraser Leyba presentó una solución integral de audio, video y transcripción automática orientada a concejos municipales, invocando la ley 10.053 que obliga a grabar y transcribir sesiones de órganos colegiados.

Acuerdos y votaciones

  • No hubo votaciones ni acuerdos formales. El concejo dejó claro que la contratación de cualquier sistema corresponde a la administración municipal vía proceso en SICOP (sistema de compras públicas), no al concejo.

Plata y obras

  • El expositor mencionó cotizaciones previas realizadas al departamento de TI (contacto llamado "Randall"): entre ₡20 millones y ₡35 millones según la configuración, incluyendo garantía de 3 años y mantenimientos semestrales.
  • Almacenamiento gestionado por la empresa: aproximadamente ₡6 millones por 4 años; si la municipalidad usa sus propios servidores, no tiene costo adicional.
  • Mantenimiento posterior a la garantía: modalidad trimestral, con costo separado (monto no especificado).

Puntos de debate o controversia

  • Un concejal (nombre no queda claro en la transcripción) respaldó la necesidad de modernizar el sistema actual, señalando que las transmisiones vigentes no permiten identificar quién habla ni seguir votaciones con claridad.
  • Se aclaró que el plazo legal de almacenamiento de documentación es 10 años, no 4 como se maneja erróneamente en algunas municipalidades.
  • El expositor señaló que el equipo de micrófono actual (marca "Marcadis", según transcripción) es tecnología obsoleta, ya absorbida por la marca Shure.

Para seguir

  • Si la administración municipal tiene interés, deberá abrir un proceso formal en SICOP; el concejo no tiene competencia para contratar directamente.
  • El expositor ofreció enviar la presentación y videos demostrativos por correo a los concejales.
  • Queda pendiente que el departamento de TI evalúe las deficiencias identificadas en el sistema actual.

Summary generated by AI (claude-sonnet-4-6) from the official broadcast transcript · may contain inaccuracies

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

1 minutes publishedindex updated on 28-07-2026Municipal transparency
Recent minutes indexed

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

Comptroller auditsSource: CGR · Municipal Observatory

Findingstotal
185
Highly complex
30
Audit reports
10
YearFindingsAltam.Compl.Median.Reports
2022383531
20204543561
201846820182
201739142143
2016144642
2015321

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

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

  • EL
    Empresas Lipigas S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2022–2025
  • BE
    Banco Estado Microempresas S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2022
  • cd
    Comite de Agua Potable Rural Sectores Unidos Curaco San Miguel
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2017
  • GS
    Gonzalo Silva Uribe
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2017
  • CP
    Consultorias Publicas Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025
  • A
    Apc-Haura
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2022–2023
  • SC
    Sociedad Concesionaria Región Sur S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2022–2023
  • FC
    Foraction Chili S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2023–2025
  • Cd
    Centro de Padres Jardín Infantil Manitos Contentas
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2017
  • TE
    Telefónica Empresas
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2025
  • IB
    Inversiones Bosquemar Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2022
  • IP
    Inversiones Puerto Mira SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2025
  • MC
    Management Chile It SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2025
  • al
    Ainel Limitada
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2025
  • IE
    Inmobiliaria Elisur
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2026
  • IG
    Ic Global Chile SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2025
  • HS
    Health Systems Design & Connection
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2025
  • LL
    Laura Lopez Jara
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2017
  • EC
    Ebp Chile SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2016
  • CA
    Contador Apr Claudio Aguilar EIRL
    Lobby / interest management · 1 audiencia · 2025
and 42 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

40.282
inhabitants
39.740
inhabitants
20022025

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

See the full trajectory to 2050
Since 2002
-1%
inhabitants
Estimated population 2050
38.326
-4% vs. 2035 (39.972)
Over 60 · 2050
40,16%
30,81% in 2035 · +9 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)77,96 %CENSO 2017 2017
School disengagement (leaves the system)0,7 %MINEDUC 2023
School enrollment676 studentsMINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
Municipal enrollment37,5 %MINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
PAES reading comprehension (DEMRE)587,1 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
PAES mathematics M1 (DEMRE)608,5 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
poblacion_censo38.907 inh.2024 Census 2024
Income poverty (CASEN 2022)8,7 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Pobreza multidimensional (CASEN 2022)18,6 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Indigenous peoples25,94 %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 607 students registered for the PAES.

Registro Social de Hogares

People in the RSH
39.283
19.897 households
Households in the most vulnerable 40%
11.989
60% of RSH households
Female-headed households
53%
10.530
Elderly (60+)9.89925%
Children and adolescents (<18)8.02320%
Foreign nationals2871%
Belonging to indigenous peoples10.38126%
People with moderate/severe dependency7202%
Single-person households9.21046%

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
8.469
52 schools
Students per teacher
9,8
861 teachers
national median: 10,15
Average attendance
90,9%
national median: 89,8%
Priority studentsSEP
71,5%
socioeconomic vulnerability
national median: 66,8%
Where they study · by provider
Public (municipal + SLEP) 50%Private subsidized 44%Private paid 6%
Pass rate
99%
national median: 98,2%
Dropoutschool withdrawal
1,73%
dropout during the year
national median: 1,77%

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

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

CESFAM
1
Clinics
0
Rural health posts
9
FONASA enrollees
37.384
94% of the population
Doctors employed
12
Health staff by contract type
Permanent staff: 225Contract staff: 101Fee contracts: 0
Primary-care medical visits · per year
28.476
53.628
20102025
Medical specialties served · 12 in the comuna (public system)
Internal MedicineAdult UrologyAdult Orthopedics and TraumaAdult General SurgeryAdult GynecologyAdult NeurologyAnesthesiologyPediatricsFamily MedicineObstetricsPediatric SurgeryAdult Cardiology

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
1.536
797
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 (37.263 in total)
CenterTypeProvider typeEnrollees% brackets A-B
Centro de Salud Familiar Dr. Alfredo Gantz MannFamily Health Center (CESFAM)Municipal33.59762%
Posta de Salud Rural Puerto NuevoRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal88967%
Centro Comunitario de Salud Familiar los LagosCommunity Family Health Center (CECOSF)Municipal81753%
Centro Comunitario de Salud Familiar Dr. Alberto DaiberCommunity Family Health Center (CECOSF)Municipal75567%
Posta de Salud Rural los EsterosRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal30172%
Posta de Salud Rural Choroico (la Unión)Rural Health Post (PSR)Municipal21771%
Posta de Salud Rural CatamutúnRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal19578%
Posta de Salud Rural Traiguén ( la Unión)Rural Health Post (PSR)Municipal16167%
Posta de Salud Rural MashueRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal13880%
Posta de Salud Rural LlancacuraRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal10370%
Posta de Salud Rural Santa ElisaRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal5082%
Posta de Salud Rural PilpilcahuínRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal4093%

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

Costs · 2025
Health spending accrued: $12.357.570.000 ($330.558/enrollee)MINSAL per capita: $7.873.535.000Municipal contribution: $743.787.000

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

Indigenous population
10.091
25.9% of the census population (Census 2024)
Indigenous communities
52
RNAI CONADI registry · Mar 2024
Land grants
18
indigenous lands registry 2022
PeoplePeople% of total
Mapuche10.01499.2%

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
86
Councils per 1,000 inhabitants
2.2
density of territorial organization
Non-profit organizations
883
the entire active civil fabric
Committees (water, housing, progress)
267
Sports
164
Social and aid
79
For the elderly
34
Cultural
28
Trade associations and cooperatives
3
Religious
3
Foundations and corporations
2
Fire brigades
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.

6 Local media · 1 AM · 2 Comunitaria · 3 FMSource: SUBTEL · broadcasting licences · Regional Media Survey (MSGG)

Local mediaTypedial
CCONCORDIAAM820 AM
FVFM VIDAFM95.9 FM
R1RADIO 1 LATINAFM88.1 FM
ASAgrupacion Social y Cultural Oasis · holderComunitaria107.1 FM
PIPrimera Iglesia Metodista Pentecostal · holderComunitaria107.3 FM
PdProduccion de Medios Luis Barrientos Reyes E.I.R.L. · holderFM98.3 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
321
0,8% of the census population (Census 2024)
Main origin
Venezuela
75 people · 23% of the foreigners
Main countries of origin
75 Venezuela
68 Argentina
66 Colombia
29 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
0
1 encampment (2024 Registry)
Housing deficit
567
3,9% of the comuna's households
Housing permits · 2024
78
7.935 m² · new construction
Subsidies Integrated System · DS01
840
paid · 2011–2025
Subsidies Solidarity Fund · DS49
566
beneficiaries · 2013–2024
Subsidies Rental · DS52
219
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

29.548homes · by type (2017)
House
14.516 · 96.2%
House
14.214 · 98.3%
Apartment
230 · 1.5%
Shack/hut/shanty
217 · 1.4%
Apartment
157 · 1.1%
Room in old house/tenement
63 · 0.4%
Other private
59 · 0.4%
Other private
48 · 0.3%
Shack/improvised dwelling
25 · 0.2%
Room in old house/tenement
7 · 0%
Traditional/indigenous dwelling
5 · 0%
Mobile
4 · 0%
Indigenous dwelling
3 · 0%
72%owner-occupied · tenure (2002)
Owned outright
6.097 · 58.9%
Owned, being paid off
1.341 · 13%
Rented
1.313 · 12.7%
Provided for work
1.132 · 10.9%
Free of charge
463 · 4.5%

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

Elderly careSource: Chile Cuida · National Assets / SENAMA

Long-stay residencesELEAM
1
Beds
15
1,5 per 1,000 over-60s

Long-stay facilities for the elderly registered in Chile Cuida. Comunas without ELEAM send their elders to other comunas. With projected ageing (see Demographic projection), this capacity defines whether one can age in one's own comuna.

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
$14.792.804.000
Own revenue
$4.696.963.000
32% of the total
Municipal Common Fund
$7.977.811.000
54% of the total
State transfers
$584.363.000
4% of the total
Ingreso total y desglose de ingresos propios

Total revenue · trend (2001–2025)

$1.934.424.000
$14.792.804.000
20012025

Own revenue breakdown (IPP) · 2025

30.9%
23.8%
12.1%
30.0%
Property tax$1.450.734.000
Business licenses$1.117.566.000
Vehicle permits$570.247.000
Cleaning fees$147.628.000
Other own revenue$1.410.788.000
Special-law revenues · 2025
Mining licenses (Law 19.143): $467.000Aquaculture licenses (Law 20.033): $14.437.000

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

Revenue by sector · 2025
31.0%
42.7%
26.4%
Municipal$14.792.804.000
Education$20.358.847.000
Health$12.580.566.000
Municipal Common Fund balance · 2025
Net recipient: it receives $6.955.071.000 more than it contributes.
Evolución por fuente de ingreso

Permanent own revenue (IPP) · trend

$641.336.000
$4.696.963.000
20012025

FCM received · trend

$767.395.000
$7.977.811.000
20012025

State transfers · trend

$209.491.000
$584.363.000
20012025

Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE

Current budget · 2025
$16.847.368.000
Accrued spending · 2025
$15.129.438.000
Execution rate
89.8%
Unexecuted: $1.717.930.000
Medium execution: it executed 89.8%. Left unspent: $1.717.930.000.

Accrued spending · trend

$1.957.579.000
$15.129.438.000
20012025

Distribution by management area · 2025

55.4%
33.0%
8.7%
Internal management$8.386.319.000
Community services$4.987.962.000
Social programs$1.321.783.000
Municipal activities$244.508.000
Recreational programs$74.379.000
Cultural programs$114.487.000

What the budget is spent on · 2025

Spending lineAmount% of spending
Municipal healthcare (primary care) · comuna health-sector spending$12.357.570.00081.7%
Goods and services (operations) · supplies, contracts, maintenance$5.744.455.00038.0%
Municipal personnel · municipal wages and fees$4.146.758.00027.4%
Cleaning, garbage and landfills · waste collection and disposal$1.764.611.00011.7%
Investment (works and projects)$821.445.0005.4%
Transfers to health$743.787.0004.9%
Electricity (facilities)$548.444.0003.6%
Transfers to education$430.000.0002.8%
Water (facilities)$236.311.0001.6%
Councillor stipends$87.671.0000.6%
Travel allowances$85.627.0000.6%
Commissions and representation$761.0000.0%

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

27.4%
38.0%
34.6%
Personnel (Subt. 21)$4.146.758.000
Goods and services (Subt. 22)$5.744.455.000
Others$5.238.225.000

Personnel by contract type · 2025

49.5%
25.0%
21.3%
Permanent staff$2.663.546.000
Contract staff$1.344.105.000
Fee contracts$139.107.000
Labor Code$85.134.000
Community progs.$1.143.629.000

Municipal headcount · 2022

59.2%
38.0%
Permanent staff84
Contract staff54
Fee contracts4
Total: 142 staffFee contracts: 2.8% of the headcountWomen: 51.4%Professionalization: 35.5%
Cost/staffer permanent: $25.643.369/yearCost/staffer contract: $17.083.093/yearCost/staffer fees: $40.414.000/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: $821.445.000 (5.4% of spending)Councillor stipends: $87.671.000Travel allowances: $85.627.000Commissions and representation: $761.000

Basic and general services · 2025

Garbage and landfills: $1.764.611.000Electricity: $548.444.000Water: $236.311.000

Final works approvals (DOM) · per year

53
78
20012025

Building permits issued · per year

147
222
20122025

What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data

Open profile in Monitor Mercado Público
Historic amount
$125.810.496.782
Purchase orders
89.548

Purchase-order amount · trend

$1.081.024.680
$5.631.178.338
20072026
Top suppliersAmountPOs
Servicios Generales de Aseos Aromos Limitada$7.162.014.60390
Agroestrategia$5.508.746.693178
Mauricio Bustos Bravo SpA$3.557.480.5091.793
Esmax Distribucion Limitada$3.497.762.5182.058
Osvaldo Arriagada Opitz$2.090.607.20252
Constructora Caicona SpA$2.053.676.5341
Juancarlosespinoza$2.046.485.18863
Empresa de Servicios Sanitarios de los Lagos S.A.$1.568.395.7219

Purchase mechanism · 2026

Tender $3.149.519.39556%
Agile Purchase $1.482.561.60726%
Framework Agreement $773.389.53314%
Direct award discretionary$225.707.8034%

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

Registered companies
3.620
domiciled in the comuna
Dependent workers
11.527

Pyramid by sales bracket

60.3%
14.9%
22.8%
Micro (≤2,400 UF)2.184 companies
Small (≤25k UF)540 companies
Medium (≤100k UF)59 companies
Large (>100k UF)13 companies
No sales/no info824 companies

Largest companies domiciled in the comuna

CompanyLine of businessSales bracketWorkers
Coop Agricola y Lechera de la Union Ltda.INDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERALarge 4 (>1M UF)1.681
Inversiones Anchile SpAINDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERALarge 4 (>1M UF)24
Transportes Sendero Austral SpATRANSPORTE Y ALMACENAMIENTOLarge 4 (>1M UF)17
Constructora Itinex LimitadaCONSTRUCCIONLarge 2417
Agricola y Ganadera el Pilar LimitadaAGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCALarge 295
Eco Salmon S.A.AGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCALarge 278
Equipos de Transportes Auquinco S aTRANSPORTE Y ALMACENAMIENTOLarge 168
Agricola Aviles LimitadaAGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCALarge 162
Javier Rodriguez Farmaceutica Santa Carolina EIRLCOMERCIO AL POR MAYOR Y AL POR MENOR; REPARACLarge 150
Constructora Ingebel SpACONSTRUCCIONLarge 1

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
2
US$ 160 M declared
Approved last 5 years
9
US$ 412 M declared
Construction jobsunder review
156
+ 10 in operations
Construction jobsapproved 5 yrs
1.267
peak labor
ProjectOwnerStatusInvestment (US$M)Constr. jobs
Parque Eólico El RanchoEIAParque Eólico Pidenco SpAUnder Review319,2300
PARQUE EÓLICO OVEJERA SUREIAParque Eólico Ovejera Sur SpAApproved280500
Incorporacion Nueva Planta de Quesos, Sector Los TamboresDIACooperativa Agrícola y Lechera de lApproved141,3700
Aserradero, secado y remanufactura de madera para exportación. FORACTIDIAForaction Chili SpAApproved55120
Sistema de Almacenamiento de Energía y Transmision ApachetaDIASae Volcán Apacheta SpAApproved4545
Parque Solar BurgosDIABlue Solar Veinte SpAApproved2170
Parque Solar MautzDIABlue Solar Dieciseis SpAApproved2175
PARQUE FOTOVOLTAICO LOS ALAMOSDIAEnergia Renovable Jade SpAApproved1556
Cierre Operacional Pozo Lastrero de Áridos Columo, Comuna de La Unión,DIAInversiones, Constructora y GestiónUnder Review0,56
Aumento de extracción y procesamiento, Pozo Vega TerceraDIAForestal Arauco S.A.Approved0,56
Sistema de Reutilización de Aguas Tratadas en Riego de Áreas Verdes, PDIACooperativa Agrícola y Lechera de lApproved0,255

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
39 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

MP2,5 · annual average
23,8µg/m³· above the Chilean standard
OMS 5
CL standard 20
4,8× the WHO 2021 guideline · 1,2× the Chilean standard · 51 days above daily standard (50 µg/m³)
1monitoring stations · 1 from the MMA Network· measures MP2,5· station: La Union
PM2.5 latest reading
25 µg/m³
15-08-2026 · 34 days above standard in the last 12 months
Monthly PM2.5 trend
norma 2007/24: 49,2 µg/m³08/24: 46,6 µg/m³09/24: 31,4 µg/m³10/24: 16,2 µg/m³11/24: 9,2 µg/m³12/24: 6 µg/m³01/25: 4,1 µg/m³02/25: 4,3 µg/m³03/25: 8,3 µg/m³04/25: 24,2 µg/m³05/25: 33,7 µg/m³06/25: 43,1 µg/m³07/25: 34,4 µg/m³08/25: 32 µg/m³09/25: 26 µg/m³10/25: 10,8 µg/m³11/25: 6,2 µg/m³12/25: 3,5 µg/m³01/26: 3,9 µg/m³02/26: 4,1 µg/m³03/26: 11,5 µg/m³04/26: 21,2 µg/m³05/26: 46,3 µg/m³06/26: 42,4 µg/m³07/26: 48,6 µg/m³08/26: 31,5 µg/m³07/2408/26
31,5 µg/m³
promedio 08/26

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

State protected wilderness areas (SNASPE) in the comuna
ValdiviaNational Reserve14.608 ha
Alerce CosteroNatural Monument1.356 ha

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

185
Species
71
Flora
112
Fauna
2
Funga
78
In conservation status
45
Endemic to Chile
Species in conservation category
SapoEupsophus roseusVUBelloto del norte, belloto (genérico)Beilschmiedia miersiiVURuilNothofagus alessandriiENBelloto del surBeilschmiedia berteroanaENPitaoPitavia punctataENQueuleGomortega keuleENCauque del norteOdontesthes brevianalisVUPancoraAegla denticulataCRPuyeBrachygalaxias bullockiVULamprea de agua dulceMordacia lapicidaENPocha del surCheirodon australeVUTolloDiplomystes camposensisENTolloDiplomystes nahuelbutaensisENPeladillaAplochiton zebraENCauqueOdontesthes mauleanumVUCarmelitaPercilia gillissiENPejerrey chilenoBasilichthys australisVUPancoraAegla manniVUCamarónVirilastacus araucaniusVULagartija de schröederLiolaemus schroederiVUPochaCheirodon kilianiENCarmelita de concepciónPercilia irwiniENGruñidor del sur, lagarto de corbataPristidactylus torquatusVURanitaRhinoderma rufumCRSapo hermosoTelmatobufo venustusENSapo australTelmatobufo australisVUBagrecitoTrichomycterus chiltoniENBagre grandeNematogenys inermisENTollo de agua dulceDiplomystes chilensisENSapo de isla mochaEupsophus insularisENRana chilenaCalyptocephalella gayiVURana de pecho espinoso de cordillera peladaAlsodes valdiviensisENPocha de los lagosCheirodon galusdaeVULinguePersea lingueVUHuillínLontra provocaxENOlivillo, teque, tique, palo muerto, aceitunilloAextoxicon punctatumVUAguilucho de cola rojizaButeo ventralisVUCanelo, boique, voigue, fuñe, choólDrimys winteriENBagrecitoTrichomycterus areolatusVULamprea de bolsaGeotria australisVUSapoEupsophus vertebralisVUPuyeGalaxias maculatusVUZorro 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 araucanaENPeladillaAplochiton taeniatusENLagartija de líneas blancas, lagartija de tres líneasLiolaemus lineomaculatusVUYuncoPelecanoides garnotiiENPiuquén, piquén, guayataChloephaga melanopteraENPidencitoLaterallus jamaicensisENTricahueCyanoliseus patagonusENComadrejita trompudaRhyncholestes raphanurusVUPudúPudu puduVUGuanacoLama guanicoeVUPeladillaAplochiton marinusENGüiñaLeopardus guignaVUBagreHatcheria macraeiVURanita de darwinRhinoderma darwiniiENPancoraAegla hueicollensisNTRana de ceja, ranita de antifazBatrachyla taeniataNTConcón, kongkong, lechuza batarazStrix rufipesNT
and 18 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.

10 Wetlands · 9 urban · 4.836 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)

CodeWetlandHectares
HUR-14-02Lago Rancourban2.519 /42.999
HUR-14-01Sist. Rios Llollelhue- Bueno- Radimadiurban2.225 /4.325
HUR-14-64Sist. de Rios Valdivianos- Rios Angachilla y Tornagaleonesurban40 /3.467
HUR-10-55Rio Rahue - Damas y Trib. (Rio Negro)urban23 /2.409
HUR-14-04Rio Radimadiurban19
HUR-14-43Humedales La Union 1urban4 /6
HPU-14-22Sin identificar3
HUR-14-66Sin informaciónurban2
HUR-14-44Humedales La Union 2urban1
HUR-14-67Humedal Maiténurban0

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. 14 projects totaling US$ 501 million, approved between 2002 and 2026. When a project spans several comunas, its investment is split among them.

Energy7 projects · US$ 256 M · 2018–2026
Parque Eólico Ovejera Sur SpAPARQUE EÓLICO OVEJERA SUR · Sistema de Transmisión S/E Pichirropulli - S/E Tineo
Miscellaneous industrial facilities2 projects · US$ 206 M · 2013–2024
Cooperativa Agrícola y Lechera de la Unión Ltda.Incorporacion Nueva Planta de Quesos, Sector Los Tambores · Declaración de Impacto Ambiental Planta Verde COLUN
Forestry1 project · US$ 28 M · 2024
Foraction Chili SpAAserradero, secado y remanufactura de madera para exportación. FORACTION CHILI SpA
Fishing and Aquaculture1 project · US$ 10 M · 2013
Salmones de Chile S.A.Piscicultura Macó
Others3 projects · US$ 1 M · 2002–2020
Enaex Servicios S.A.Ampliación de la Actividad de Transporte de Sustancias Peligrosas de ENAEX Servicios S.A. · Transporte de Gas Propano desde Argentina a Temuco - Chile IX - X Región

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
SAESA · also Socoepa, Cooprel, Luz Osorno
Empresa sanitaria (agua y alcantarillado)
ESSAL
Higher education
2 campuses 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
4
Sanctioned entities
4
companies, individuals and institutions
Total fines
12 UTA
3 with fines
Sanctioned entityAuditable unitCategoryFine (UTA)
Gonzalez Gatica Ernesto PatricioGIMNASIO SPORT GYM LA UNIÓNAmenities8
Juan Contreras Ulloa Comercial y Forestal E.I.R.LCOMERCIO LEÑAS CONTRERASAmenities3
Jacqueline Marie Mendy OcampoRESTOBAR BRUTTU'SAmenities1
Alex Limari VasquezLemarie’s RestorantAmenities

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.

Green areasSource: SINIM · SUBDERE (2022)

Green space per capita
8 m²
80% 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
C.D.P. La UniónPrison (CDP)
Where this comuna's waste goes
Vertedero de Morrompulli (Valdivia) · 13.731 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
22
Area affected
30 ha
mostly grassland
Cumulative last 5 seasons
295 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
17
At high or very high risk
4
1 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)

No scarcity decree in force today.
Years under decree since 2008
2
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
11,01°C
2035-2065 projection: +1,18°C
Annual precipitation
2.092 mm
projection: -1%
Hot days>30°C
2
projection: +3 days
Frost days
16

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
2.429
all crimes
Rate per 100,000 inhab.
6.118
Police cases · trend
3.107
2.429
20102025
By crime type · 2025
CrimeCasesRate/100k
Alcohol and drug use in public spaces4501.133
Property damage327824
Domestic violence324816
Threats298751
Larceny216544
Minor injuries146368
Burglary of an uninhabited place127320
Burglary of an inhabited place88222
Drug-related crimes77194
Weapons-related crimes63159
Crimes and offenses under the arms law55139
Other burglaries (forcible entry)42106

Showing the 12 crimes with most cases of 29.

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

What the municipality does

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

Surveillance cameras
65
Guards and inspectors
0
1 per 39.705 hab
Patrol fleet
2
cars, pickups, motorcycles, bikes
Patrol fleet by type
Pickups: 2
Surveillance cameras · trend
25
65
20202025

Road crashesSource: CONASET · Data Observatory (2024)

Crashes · 2024
198
Deaths
5
12,6 per 100,000 inhab.
Injured
148
19 serious
Pedestrian collisions
22
3 pedestrians 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.