| Pucón | |
|---|---|
| — City and Commune — | |
| View of Púcon along Lincoyán street and Villarrica Lake | |
| Map of Pucón commune in the Araucanía Region | |
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Pucón
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| Coordinates: | |
| Region | Araucanía |
| Province | Cautín |
| Foundation | February 27, 1883 |
| Government[1][2] | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Alcalde | Edita Mansilla Barría (PPD) |
| Area[3] | |
| • Total | 1,248.5 km2 (482 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 227 m (745 ft) |
| Population (2002 Census)[3] | |
| • Total | 21,107 |
| • Density | 16.9/km2 (43.8/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 13,837 |
| • Rural | 7,270 |
| Sex[3] | |
| • Men | 10,705 |
| • Women | 10,402 |
| Time zone | CLT (UTC−4) |
| • Summer (DST) | CLST (UTC−3) |
| Area code(s) | country 56 + city 45 |
| Website | Municipality of Pucón |
Pucón (Mapudungun: "entrance of the cordillera") is a Chilean city and commune administered by the municipality of Pucón located in the Province of Cautín, Araucanía Region, 100 km to the southeast of Temuco and 780 km to the south of Santiago.
Pucón's unrivaled location by a lake and a volcano and quite stable weather (especially in the summer) make it a popular destination for tourists. It offers a variety of sports and adventure/recreational activities for tourists, including water skiing, snow skiing, backpacking, white water rafting and kayaking, horse back riding, natural hot springs, zip line rides, and guided ascents of Villarrica volcano.
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Pucón was established in 1883 as a fort in the aftermath of the Occupation of Araucanía when the Chilean state subdued the native population of Araucanía. The location of Pucón was found strategic because of being at the entrance to the Trancura Valley, a place that had become of the authorities' awareness since the Argentine army had chased a group of Mapuches into it though Mamuil Malal Pass during the Conquest of the Desert.
The first hotel in Pucón was Gudenschwager established in 1923, but it was in 1934 with the establishment of Gran Hotel Pucón that tourism became a popular activity in the zone. In 1940 the first road between Villarrica and Pucón was built and in the 1970s the road to Caburga Lake was finished.
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Pucón spans an area of 1,248.5 km2 (482 sq mi) and has 21,107 inhabitants (10,705 men and 10,402 women). Of these, 13,837 (65.6%) lived in urban areas and 7,270 (34.4%) in rural areas. The population grew by 47% (6,751 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[3]
Pucón is a major centre of adventure tourism in Chile. During the summer, tourist attractions include hiking, rafting, horse back riding, birdwatching, fishing and canopy. Due to its privileged natural surroundings, near a volcano and several lakes, nature reserves and thermal baths, Pucón is a destination which can rely on tourism all year round. In winter and spring, it is possible to go skiing or snowboarding on the trails of the Villarrica volcano.
As a commune, Pucón is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Edita Mansilla Barría (PPD).[1][2]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Pucón is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by René Manuel García (RN) and Fernando Meza (PRSD) as part of the 52nd electoral district, (together with Cunco, Curarrehue, Villarrica, Loncoche, Gorbea and Toltén). The commune is represented in the Senate by José Garcia Ruminot (RN) and Eugenio Tuma Zedan (PPD) as part of the 15th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-South).
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