Los Lagos Region

The Los Lagos Region is one of Chile's 16 regions, made up of four provinces: Chiloé, Llanquihue, Osorno and Palena. It is a beautiful area that includes the country's second-largest island, Chiloé, and the second-largest lake, Llanquihue. The capital city is Puerto Montt, with other important towns such as Osorno, Castro, Ancud, and Puerto Varas.

Historically, the Huilliche people lived in this area and called it Futahuillimapu, meaning "great land of the south." One of the oldest archaeological sites in the Americas, Monte Verde, can be found here. In the 1850s, many Germans arrived to live near Llanquihue Lake.

Today, the region's economy relies on fishing, salmon aquaculture, forestry, and cattle farming. Tourism is also very important, especially in the Andes mountains, where people enjoy ski resorts, hot springs, and recreational fishing.

History

The area between Valdivia and Puerto Montt was described as one of six regions in 1950, based on geography, people, and the economy. These regions were used for planning until they became official in 1969.

In 1974, a new region called the “X Region” was created, including the areas of Valdivia, Osorno, Llanquihue, and Chiloé. The region started operating in 1976. In 1978, it was named “X Región de Los Lagos,” and in 1979, the province of Palena was added.

A big change happened on October 2, 2007, when Valdivia became a separate region called Los Ríos. In 2018, the numbers used for regions were removed, and the area became known officially as the “Región de Los Lagos.”

Geography

The Los Lagos Region is found in Chile. It is bordered to the north by the Los Ríos Region, to the south by the Aisén Region, to the west by the Pacific Ocean, and to the east by Argentina, specifically the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro, and Chubut. The area has wild coastal landscapes, like Caleta Zorra.

The region covers an area of 48,585 km² and, as of the 2024 INE Census, has a population of 890,284 people. It includes many natural spaces such as forests and special protected zones.

The area is mostly covered with Valdivian temperate rain forest. Along the coast, except for the southern part of Chiloé Island, the climate is mild with rainy winters. Further south, it rains often and there are no dry seasons.

The region has many protected areas, including 7 national parks, 2 private parks, and 2 natural monuments. Some of these are Alerce Andino, Chiloé, Corcovado, Hornopirén, Pumalín, Puyehue, and Vicente Pérez Rosales. Private parks include Tantauco Park and Las Vertientes – Reserva Natural Privada. Natural monuments are Islotes de Puñihuil and Lahuen Ñadi.

Economy

The Los Lagos Region's economy is based on farming, fishing, and tourism. Many people work in growing crops, raising animals, and taking care of water animals like fish and shellfish.

Fishing is very important here, especially raising salmon in farms. The region is also a big place for growing seaweed and mussels. In farming, the area grows a lot of potatoes and has many cows for meat and milk. Tourism is also strong, with many visitors coming to enjoy beautiful lakes, islands, and national parks. Other jobs come from building ships and using the region’s water for power.

Transportation

El Tepual Airport is located a few miles west of Puerto Montt and Cañal Bajo Carlos Hott Siebert Airport is a few miles east of Osorno. East of Osorno, the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass is a major mountain pass across the Andes to Argentina via Route 215.