Mulchén

Mulchén is a city and commune in Bío Bío Province of Bío Bío Region, Chile. It was first settled in 1871 by soldiers during the so-called Pacification of the Araucania. In 1875 Mulchén was officially founded.

The city is surrounded by a meander of the Bureo River on all sides except the south, where it is bounded by the Mulchén River. It is located 32 km south of the city of Los Ángeles, close to Chile Highway 5.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Mulchén spans an area of 1,925.3 km² (743 sq mi) and has 29,003 inhabitants (14,513 men and 14,490 women). Of these, 21,819 (75.2%) lived in urban areas and 7,184 (24.8%) in rural areas. The population fell by 3.1% (931 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.

Administration

As a commune, Mulchén is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Francisco Jara Delgado (UDI).