Palena Province
Encyclopedia
Palena Province is one of the four provinces
in the southern Chile
an region of Los Lagos
(X). Due to the eruption of Chaitén Volcano and the subsequent destruction of Chaitén
, Futaleufú
is since March 2009 the new capital of Palena Province. The private Pumalín Park
is located in the province as is the town and territory of Huinay
which divides the park into two parts. Due to its location in front of Chiloé Island
it is sometimes called Continental Chiloé (Chiloé Continental). Palena Province is named after the Palena Lake, which in turn was named by the Italian Jesuit Nicolás Mascardi
after the town of Palena in Abruzzo
, Italy
.
, governed by a provincial governor appointed by the president
. The province comprises four communes, each governed by a municipality, headed by an alcalde
.
(INE), the province spans an area of 15301.9 sqkm and had a population of 18,971 inhabitants (10,255 men and 8,716 women), giving it a population density of 1.2 PD/sqkm. It is the seventh least populated province in the country. Of these, 7,624 (40.2%) lived in urban areas and 11,347 (59.8%) in rural areas. Between the 1992 and 2002 censuses, the population grew by 1.2% (223 persons).
Provinces of Chile
A province is the second largest administrative division in Chile, after a region. Each region is divided into provinces. There are 54 provinces in total....
in the southern Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an region of Los Lagos
Los Lagos Region
Los Lagos Region is one of Chile's 15 regions, which are first order administrative divisions, and comprises four provinces: Chiloé, Llanquihue, Osorno and Palena. The region contains the country's second largest island, Chiloé, and the second largest lake, Llanquihue.Its capital is Puerto Montt;...
(X). Due to the eruption of Chaitén Volcano and the subsequent destruction of Chaitén
Chaitén
Chaitén is a Chilean town, commune and former capital of the Palena Province in Los Lagos Region. The town is located north of the mouth of Yelcho River, on the east coast of the Gulf of Corcovado...
, Futaleufú
Futaleufú, Chile
Futaleufú is a Chilean town and commune located in Palena Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune is named after Futaleufú River. Due to the eruption of Chaitén Volcano and the subsequent destruction of Chaitén, Futaleufú has been the capital of Palena Province since March 2009. The town is close...
is since March 2009 the new capital of Palena Province. The private Pumalín Park
Pumalín Park
Pumalín Park is a private nature reserve in the Palena Province of Chile, created by the United States environmental foundation The Conservation Land Trust, which is endowed and led by the American business magnate Douglas Tompkins...
is located in the province as is the town and territory of Huinay
Huinay
Huinay, Chile is a tract of land belonging to the San Ignacio del Huinay Foundation. This territory covers nearly 350 km² in the Commune of Hualaihué, in Los Lagos Region of Chile. It lies between the Comau or Leptepu fiord and the border with the Republic of Argentina in the Palena Province. Its...
which divides the park into two parts. Due to its location in front of Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
it is sometimes called Continental Chiloé (Chiloé Continental). Palena Province is named after the Palena Lake, which in turn was named by the Italian Jesuit Nicolás Mascardi
Nicolás Mascardi
Nicolás Mascardi was an Italian jesuit priest and missioner in South America in the 17th century. He arrived to Chile in 1651. In 1669 he crossed the Andes from Chiloé Archipelago and did notably established a mission in the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake which lasted until his death...
after the town of Palena in Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Administration
As a province, Palena is a second-level administrative divisionAdministrative divisions of Chile
The administrative division or territorial organization of Chile exemplifies characteristics of a unitary state. State administration is functionally and geographically decentralized, as appropriate for each authority in accordance with the law....
, governed by a provincial governor appointed by the president
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
. The province comprises four communes, each governed by a municipality, headed by an alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
.
Communes
- ChaiténChaiténChaitén is a Chilean town, commune and former capital of the Palena Province in Los Lagos Region. The town is located north of the mouth of Yelcho River, on the east coast of the Gulf of Corcovado...
- FutaleufúFutaleufú, ChileFutaleufú is a Chilean town and commune located in Palena Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune is named after Futaleufú River. Due to the eruption of Chaitén Volcano and the subsequent destruction of Chaitén, Futaleufú has been the capital of Palena Province since March 2009. The town is close...
- HualaihuéHualaihuéHualaihué is a Chilean commune located in Palena Province, Los Lagos Region. The communal capital is the town of Hornopirén.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Hualaihué spans an area of and has 8,273 inhabitants . Of these, 2,406 lived in urban areas...
- PalenaPalena, ChilePalena is a Chilean commune located in Palena Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune is named after Palena Lake.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Palena spans an area of and has 1,690 inhabitants , making the commune an entirely rural area...
Geography and demography
According to the 2002 census by the National Statistics InstituteNational Statistics Institute (Chile)
The National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
(INE), the province spans an area of 15301.9 sqkm and had a population of 18,971 inhabitants (10,255 men and 8,716 women), giving it a population density of 1.2 PD/sqkm. It is the seventh least populated province in the country. Of these, 7,624 (40.2%) lived in urban areas and 11,347 (59.8%) in rural areas. Between the 1992 and 2002 censuses, the population grew by 1.2% (223 persons).