- History
- Current structure Regions Provinces Communes Current list of administrative divisions
- Proposed structural changes
- References
{{Politics 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. For the interior government and administration within the State, the territory of the republic has been divided into 16 regions (regiones), 56 provinces (provincias) and 346 communes (comunas) since the 1970s process of reform, made at the request of the National Commission on Administrative Reform (Comisión Nacional de la Reforma Administrativa or CONARA). State agencies exist to promote the strengthening of its regionalization, equitable development and solidarity between regions, provinces and communes within the nation. Since 2005, the creation, abolition and designation of regions, provinces and communes, the altering of their boundaries, and the establishment of the regional and provincial capitals are part of constitutional law. The Ministries of Chile (except the Ministries of the Interior, National Defense, Foreign Affairs and Secretary General of the Presidency) are devolved to regional level, being represented by regional ministries, integrating the so-called "regional cabinet," chaired by the regional intendent. History{{Expand Spanish|Historia de la organización territorial de Chile|topic=gov|date=April 2010}}The political and administrative division of Chile has had four major periods: before 1833, from 1833 to 1925, from 1925 to 1976 and from 1976 onwards. Before 1974, Chile was divided into: - Provinces (provincias) - First level
- Departments (departamentos) - Second level
In October 2007, two new regions came into force: The I Tarapacá Region was divided laterally to create XV Arica and Parinacota Region to the north, and similarly, the X Los Lagos Region was split to create XIV Los Ríos Region to its north. Also there are plans to create a joint region between the provinces of Linares and Cauquenes by splitting the VII Maule Region. On March 11, 2010, the creation of the Marga Marga Province gave Chile a new total of 56 provinces. Current structureChile is administratively divided into: - 16 Regions (regiones) - First level administrative division
- 56 Provinces (provincias) - Second level administrative division
- 346 Communes (comunas) - Third level administrative division
Regions{{Main|Regions of Chile}}The regional government is headed by the intendant (intendente), appointed by the President of the Republic. The intendant is advised by the Regional Ministerial Secretaries (Secretaría Regional Ministerial or SEREMIs).[1] The administration of the region lies in the regional government, constituted by the intendente and the Regional Council (Consejo Regional). Provinces{{Main|Provinces of Chile}}The government and administration of each province lies in the provincial governorate (Gobernación Provincial), headed by a governor (gobernador), appointed by the President of the Republic. It exercises its powers in accordance with the instructions from the regional intendant. It is advised by the Provincial Economic and Social Council (Consejo Económico y Social Provincial or CESPRO). The only exception is the Santiago Province, which makes no provision for a provincial governorate in its regulations. Instead, the position corresponds to the intendant of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago. In January 2001, the Provincial Delegation of Santiago was created with the position of a Provincial Delegate, who exercises the functions of a provincial governor on behalf of the respective intendant. Communes{{Main|Communes of Chile}}The local administration of each commune or group of communities resides in the municipality (municipalidad), consisting of an alcalde and a communal council (Consejo Comuna), elected directly for a period of 4 years renewable. Municipalities represent the decentralization of central power. They are advised by an Economic and Social Communal Council (Consejo Económico y Social Comunal or CESCO), composed of representatives from the most important of the community's organizations and activities. There are 346 communes and 345 municipalities, as the municipality of Cabo de Hornos manages the grouping of communities of Cape Horn and Antártica. There are proposals to create a number of new communities to be studied by the Secretariat of Regional and Administrative Development (Subsecretaría de Desarrollo Regional y Administrativo or [https://web.archive.org/web/20080820012630/http://www.subdere.gov.cl/1510/propertyname-2403.html SUBDERE]). Current list of administrative divisionsRegion | Capital | Provinces | Capital | Communes |
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XV Arica and Parinacota Region | Arica | Arica | Arica | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Arica Camarones{{div col end}} | Parinacota | Putre | colwidth=22em}}General Lagos Putre{{div col end}} | I Tarapacá Region | Iquique | El Tamarugal | Pozo Almonte | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Camiña Colchane Huara Pica Pozo Almonte{{div col end}} | Iquique | Iquique | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Iquique Alto Hospicio{{div col end}} | II Antofagasta Region | Antofagasta | Tocopilla | Tocopilla | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}María Elena Tocopilla{{div col end}} | El Loa | Calama | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Calama Ollagüe San Pedro de Atacama{{div col end}} | Antofagasta | Antofagasta | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Antofagasta Mejillones Sierra Gorda Taltal{{div col end}} | III Atacama Region | Copiapó | Chañaral | Chañaral | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Chañaral Diego de Almagro {{div col end}} | Copiapó | Copiapó | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Copiapó Caldera Tierra Amarilla{{div col end}} | Huasco | Vallenar | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Vallenar Freirina Huasco Alto del Carmen{{div col end}} | IV Coquimbo Region | La Serena | Elqui | Coquimbo | colwidth=22em}}Andacollo Coquimbo La Higuera La Serena Paiguano Vicuña{{div col end}} | Limarí | Ovalle | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Ovalle Río Hurtado Monte Patria Combarbalá Punitaqui{{div col end}} | Choapa | Illapel | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Illapel Salamanca Los Vilos Canela{{div col end}} | V Valparaíso Region | Valparaíso | Petorca | La Ligua | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}La Ligua Cabildo Zapallar Papudo Petorca{{div col end}} | Los Andes | Los Andes | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Los Andes San Esteban Calle Larga Rinconada{{div col end}} | San Felipe de Aconcagua | San Felipe | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}San Felipe Llaillay Putaendo Santa María Catemu Panquehue{{div col end}} | Quillota | Quillota | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Quillota La Calera Nogales Hijuelas La Cruz {{div col end}} | Valparaíso | Valparaíso | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Valparaíso Viña del Mar Concón Quintero Puchuncaví Casablanca Juan Fernández{{div col end}} | Marga Marga | Quilpué | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Quilpué Limache Olmué Villa Alemana {{div col end}} | San Antonio | San Antonio | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Algarrobo El Quisco El Tabo Cartagena San Antonio Santo Domingo{{div col end}} | Isla de Pascua | Hanga Roa | Isla de Pascua{{div col end}} | VI Región del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins | Rancagua | Cachapoal | Rancagua | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Codegua Coínco Coltauco Doñihue Graneros Las Cabras Machalí Malloa Olivar Peumo Pichidegua Quinta de Tilcoco Rancagua Requínoa Rengo Mostazal San Vicente de Tagua Tagua{{div col end}} | Colchagua | San Fernando | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Chépica Chimbarongo Lolol Nancagua Palmilla Peralillo Placilla Pumanque San Fernando Santa Cruz{{div col end}} | Cardenal Caro | Pichilemu | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}La Estrella Litueche Marchigüe Navidad Paredones Pichilemu{{div col end}} | VII Maule Region | Talca | Curicó | Curicó | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Curicó Hualañé Licantén Molina Rauco Romeral Sagrada Familia, Chile Teno Vichuquén{{div col end}} | Talca | Talca | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Talca San Clemente Pelarco Pencahue Maule San Rafael Curepto Constitución Empedrado Río Claro{{div col end}} | Linares | Linares | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Linares San Javier de Loncomilla Parral Villa Alegre Longaví Colbún Retiro Yerbas Buenas{{div col end}} | Cauquenes | Cauquenes | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Cauquenes Chanco Pelluhue{{div col end}} | XVI Ñuble Region | Chillán | Itata | Quirihue | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Cobquecura Coelemu Ninhue Portezuelo Quirihue Ránquil Treguaco {{div col end}} | Diguillín | Bulnes | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Bulnes Chillán Chillán Viejo El Carmen Pemuco Pinto Quillón San Ignacio Yungay{{div col end}} | Punilla | San Carlos | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Coihueco Ñiquén San Carlos San Fabián San Nicolás {{div col end}} | VIII Biobío Region | Concepción | Biobío | Los Ángeles | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Alto Biobío Antuco Cabrero Laja Los Ángeles Mulchén Nacimiento Negrete Quilaco Quilleco San Rosendo Santa Bárbara Tucapel Yumbel{{div col end}} | Concepción | Concepción | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Concepción Coronel Chiguayante Florida Hualpén Hualqui Lota Penco San Pedro de la Paz Santa Juana Talcahuano Tomé{{div col end}} | Arauco | Lebu | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Arauco Cañete Contulmo Curanilahue Lebu Los Álamos Tirúa{{div col end}} | IX Araucanía Region | Temuco | Malleco | Angol | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Angol Collipulli Curacautín Ercilla Lonquimay Los Sauces Lumaco Purén Renaico Traiguén Victoria{{div col end}} | Cautín | Temuco | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Temuco Carahue Cholchol Cunco Curarrehue Freire Galvarino Gorbea Lautaro Loncoche Melipeuco Nueva Imperial Padre Las Casas Perquenco Pitrufquén Pucón Saavedra Teodoro Schmidt Toltén Vilcún Villarrica{{div col end}} | XIV Los Ríos Region | Valdivia | Valdivia | Valdivia | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Valdivia Corral Lanco Los Lagos Mariquina Máfil Paillaco Panguipulli {{div col end}} | Ranco | La Unión | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}La Unión Futrono Lago Ranco Río Bueno {{div col end}} | X Los Lagos Region | Puerto Montt | Osorno | Osorno | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Osorno Puerto Octay Purranque Puyehue Río Negro San Pablo San Juan de la Costa{{div col end}} | Llanquihue | Puerto Montt | colwidth=22em}}Calbuco Cochamó Fresia Frutillar Llanquihue Los Muermos Maullín Puerto Montt Puerto Varas{{div col end}} | Chiloé | Castro | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Ancud Castro Chonchi Curaco de Vélez Dalcahue Puqueldón Queilén Quellón Quemchi Quinchao{{div col end}} | Palena | Chaitén | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Futaleufú Hualaihué Palena{{div col end}} | XI Aisén Region | Coihaique | Coihaique | Coihaique | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Coihaique Lago Verde{{div col end}} | Aisén | Puerto Aisén | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Aisén Cisnes Guaitecas{{div col end}} | General Carrera | Chile Chico | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Chile Chico Río Ibáñez{{div col end}} | Capitán Prat | Cochrane | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Cochrane O'Higgins Tortel{{div col end}} | XII Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region | Punta Arenas | Última Esperanza | Puerto Natales | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Puerto Natales Torres del Paine{{div col end}} | Magallanes | Punta Arenas | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Laguna Blanca Punta Arenas Río Verde San Gregorio {{div col end}} | Tierra del Fuego | Porvenir | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Porvenir Primavera Timaukel{{div col end}} | Antártica Chilena | Puerto Williams | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Cabo de Hornos Antártica{{div col end}} | Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) | Santiago | Chacabuco | Colina | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Colina Lampa Tiltil{{div col end}} | Cordillera | Puente Alto | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Puente Alto San José de Maipo Pirque{{div col end}} | Maipo | San Bernardo | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}San Bernardo Buin Paine Calera de Tango{{div col end}} | Talagante | Talagante | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Isla de Maipo El Monte Padre Hurtado Peñaflor Talagante{{div col end}} | Melipilla | Melipilla | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Curacaví María Pinto Melipilla San Pedro Alhué{{div col end}} | Santiago | Santiago | {{Div col|colwidth=22em}}Cerrillos Cerro Navia Conchalí El Bosque Estación Central Huechuraba Independencia La Cisterna La Granja La Florida La Pintana La Reina Las Condes Lo Barnechea Lo Espejo Lo Prado Macul Maipú Ñuñoa Pedro Aguirre Cerda Peñalolén Providencia Pudahuel Quilicura Quinta Normal Recoleta Renca San Miguel San Joaquín San Ramón Santiago Vitacura{{div col end}} | {{clear}}Proposed structural changesSUBDERE continues to examine the proposed creation of the provinces of Villarrica, San Carlos, Admiral Simpson, Aconcagua and others. References1. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.nam.cl/assets/08IELR06Pressfinal.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2010-03-29 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707011826/http://www.nam.cl/assets/08IELR06Pressfinal.pdf |archivedate=2011-07-07 |df= }}
{{Americas topic|Administrative divisions of}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Administrative Divisions Of Chile}} 3 : Subdivisions of Chile|Country subdivisions in South America|Local government in Chile |