Vilcún


Vilcún is a Chilean town and commune in Cautín Province, Araucanía Region. The town is an important gateway for tourists visiting Conguillío National Park and Llaima volcano.
The commune also includes the localities of Cherquenco, San Patricio, General López and Cajón.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Vilcún spans an area of and has 22,491 inhabitants. Of these, 9,024 lived in urban areas and 13,467 in rural areas. The population grew by 7.7% between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.

Administration

As a commune, Vilcún 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 Patricio Villanueva Rubilar.
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Vilcún is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Enrique Estay and Fuad Chahín as part of the 49th electoral district,. The commune is represented in the Senate by Alberto Espina Otero and Jaime Quintana Leal as part of the 14th senatorial constituency.