Small Town Series: Chile
Good Morning!
Here is another installment of the Small Town series. Today's country is Chile. All of these small towns have 50,000 inhabitants or less. I will be covering 7 different towns in today's post. I have included as much as I can about each small town.
Population numbers come from worldpopulationreview.com
Tomé- 46,698 inhabitants
Tomé is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is bordered by Coelemu to the north, Ránquil and Florida to the east, Penco to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The local economy is based mainly on textile manufacturing and fishing industry.
Limache- 35, 876 inhabitants
Limache is a Chilean town and township in the Marga Marga Province, Valparaíso Region. Limache is the only township of Chile that has two urban areas: San Francisco de Limache on the north side of the Pelumpén stream, and Limache Viejo on the south side. Limache is famous for its tomato production and the religious feast of "The Virgin of the 40 Hours" (Spanish: La Virgen de las 40 Horas). The Feast of the Virgin of the 40 Hours (La Fiesta de la Virgen de las 40 Horas) begins in Limache 40 hours before the last Sunday in February with masses every hour, culminating on Sunday with a procession through the city.
Victoria- 24,659 inhabitants
Victoria is a city and commune in Malleco Province of La Araucanía Region, Chile. It is the second most populous city in the Malleco Province, and is the gateway to the area known as Araucanía Andina, with attractions such as the Tolhuaca National Park, the Tolhuaca Hot Springs, Malalcahuello National Reserve, and the communes of Curacautín and Lonquimay. The climate is influenced by the vicinity of the temperate rainforest in Chile. Victoria was founded in 1881 by Bernardo Muñoz Vargas by order of General Gregorio Urrutia, on a plateau overlooking the Traiguén River valley. Initially when founded in 1881, the city was very poor: consisting of only a few huts and some trade - mainly for the garrison of the fort. Swiss settle came to Victoria in 1883. The commander of the fort, Bernardo Muñoz Vargas was responsible for some of the early urban planning. Creating some dumps, open streets, and a wooden bridge crossing the nearby river Traiguén. The Swiss settlers were followed by Germans in Valdivia, who established a mill and a brewery on the banks of Traiguén; and exploited the extensive virgin forest creating some sawmills.
Puerto Natales- 20,000 inhabitants
Puerto Natales is a port city on the Señoret Channel in Chile’s southern Patagonia. It’s the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park to the northwest, and the port for boats touring the Patagonian fjords. The Municipal Historical Museum in the city center exhibits artifacts from the region’s indigenous population. To the north is the vast Mylodon Cave, once inhabited by prehistoric, slothlike mylodons.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/chile/southern-patagonia/puerto-natales
Frutillar- 15,525 inhabitants
Frutillar is a city in southern Chile's Lake District, with views of Osorno Volcano. It sits on the western edge of vast Llanquihue Lake, and has black sand beaches. German-style wooden buildings characterize the town, reflecting its colonial past. The German Colonial Museum explores this history and has a 19th-century mill. Concerts and performances are staged at the glass-fronted Lake Theater.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/chile/frutillar
Rio Bueno- 15,456 inhabitants
Río Bueno is a city and commune in southern Chile administered by the Municipality of Río Bueno. It is located in Ranco Province in Los Ríos Region. Río Bueno takes its name from the Bueno River which flows through the city and commune. Rio Bueno is one of the better rivers to fish.
Bulnes- 12,715 inhabitants
Bulnes is a Chilean city and commune in Diguillín Province, Ñuble Region.
Freire- 7,813 inhabitants
Freire is a Chilean town and commune in Cautín Province, Araucanía Region. The town of Freire lies at the junction of Chile Highway 5 and the Route CH-199, which links Freire with Villarrica and Pucón.
San Pedro de Atacama- 2,500 inhabitants
San Pedro de Atacama is a town set on an arid high plateau in the Andes mountains of northeastern Chile. Its dramatic surrouding landscape incorporates desert, salt flats, volcanoes, geysers and hot springs. The Valle de la Luna in the nearby Los Flamencos National Reserve is a lunarlike depression with unusual rock formations, a huge sand dune and pink-streaked mountains. It is said that the high quantities of quartz and copper in the region gives its people positive energy, and the good vibes of northern Chile's number-one tourist draw, San Pedro de Atacama, are sky high.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/chile/northern-chile/san-pedro-de-atacama
Puyuhuapi- 1,000 inhabitants
