title: Paillaco
text: # Paillaco
  
  Paillaco is a city and commune in southern Chile. It is located in Valdivia Province of Los Ríos Region, and is about 48 km southeast of Valdivia.
  
  ## Demographics
  
  According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Paillaco spans an area of 896 $km^2$ (346 sq mi) and has 19,237 inhabitants (9,620 men and 9,617 women). Of these, 9,973 (51.8%) lived in urban areas and 9,264 (48.2%) in rural areas. The population grew by 6% (1,085 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
  
  ## Administration
  
  As a commune, Paillaco 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 was Ramona Reyes. The council has the following members:
  
  * José Teobaldo Aravena Pérez (PC)
  * Ruth Lucy Castillo Prieto (PDC)
  * Sergio Orlando Castro Barrera (RN)
  * Héctor Alberto Avilés Fuentes (UDI)
  * Gabriel Iván Medina Alarcón (PR)
  * Gonzalo Rubén Galilea García (RN)
  
  Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Paillaco is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Enrique Jaramillo (PDC) and Gastón Von Mühlenbrock (UDI) as part of the 54th electoral district, together with Panguipulli, Los Lagos, Futrono, Lago Ranco, Río Bueno and La Unión. The commune is represented in the Senate during the 2014–2022 period by Alfonso de Urresti (PS) and Ena von Baer (UDI) as part of the 16th senatorial constituency (Los Ríos Region).
  
  ## Education
  
  Previously the area had a German school, Deutsche Schule Paillaco.
  
  