Communes of Chile

A commune (comuna) is the smallest administrative subdivision in Chile and may contain cities, towns, villages, hamlets as well as rural areas. In highly populated areas such as some cities, there may be no practical distinction between the city and the commune which contains it. In sparsely populated areas, a commune may contain substantial rural area together with several settled areas which could range from hamlets to towns or cities.

Each commune is governed by a directly-elected body or municipality (municipalidad), consisting of one mayor (alcalde) and a group of councilmen (concejales), for a period of four years. According to Chilean law, a single municipality may administer one or more communes. Currently, the only such case is the municipality of Cabo de Hornos, which administers the communes of Antártica and Cabo de Hornos.

Chile's 346 communes are grouped into 53 provinces, which are themselves grouped into 15 regions.

List of communes by region and province

Traditionally, Chilean regions are listed in geographical order starting with the most northern extreme, but leaving the Metropolitan Santiago Region to the end of the list.

The following listing reflects this ordering scheme with the provinces within each region, and the communes in each province also being listed from north to south.

XV Arica and Parinacota Region

Arica Province

Parinacota Province

I Tarapacá Region

Iquique Province

Tamarugal Province

II Antofagasta Region

Antofagasta Province

El Loa Province

Tocopilla Province

III Atacama Region

Copiapó Province

Chañaral Province

Huasco Province

IV Coquimbo Region

Elqui Province

Choapa Province

Limarí Province

V Valparaíso Region

Valparaíso Province

Isla de Pascua Province

Isla de Pascua

Los Andes Province

Petorca Province

Quillota Province

San Antonio Province

San Felipe de Aconcagua Province

VI O'Higgins Region

Cachapoal Province

Cardenal Caro Province

Colchagua Province

VII Maule Region

Talca Province

Cauquenes Province

Curicó Province

Linares Province

VIII Biobío Region

Concepción Province

Arauco Province

Biobío Province

Ñuble Province

IX Araucanía Region

Cautín Province

Malleco Province

XIV Los Ríos Region

Valdivia Province

Ranco Province

X Los Lagos Region

Llanquihue Province

Chiloé Province

Osorno Province

Palena Province

XI Aisén Region

Coihaique Province

Aisén Province

Capitán Prat Province

General Carrera Province

XII Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region

Magallanes Province

Antártica Chilena Province

Cabo de Hornos (formerly Navarino)
Antártica

Tierra del Fuego Province

Última Esperanza Province

RM Santiago Metropolitan Region

Santiago Province

Cordillera Province

Chacabuco Province

Maipo Province

Melipilla Province

Talagante Province