Punitaqui Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Punitaqui

Town and Commune

Coat of arms

Punitaqui

Location in Chile

Chile

Founded

1785

Government

• Type

Municipality

Area

• Total

1,339.3 km² (517.1 sq mi)

Elevation

450 m (1,480 ft)

Population

(2012)

• Total

10,418

• Density

7.7787/km² (20.1467/sq mi)

• Urban

3,615

• Rural

5,924

Demonym(s)

Punitaquino

Sex

• Men

4,791

• Women

4,748

Time zone

UTC-4 (CLT)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-3 (CLST)

Postal code

04304

Area code(s)

+(56) 5

Website

Municipality of Punitaqui

Punitaqui is a small and interesting town and commune in Chile. It is located in the Limarí Province, which is part of the Coquimbo Region. A commune is like a local government area.

History of Punitaqui
- The 1997 Punitaqui Earthquake
Punitaqui's Population
How Punitaqui is Governed
Images for kids
See also

History of Punitaqui

Punitaqui has a long history. It was founded way back in 1785. For many years, it was part of a larger area called the Ovalle Department. In 1976, Chile changed how its regions were organized. After this change, Punitaqui became its own commune.

The 1997 Punitaqui Earthquake

On October 15, 1997, Punitaqui experienced a very strong earthquake. The quake was measured at 7.1 on the moment magnitude scale. It caused a lot of damage, not just in Punitaqui, but also in other parts of Chile.

People felt the earthquake far away. It affected areas from the Antofagasta Region in the north to the Araucanía Region in the south. Cities like Santiago and Valparaíso lost phone and radio services.

Sadly, 8 people lost their lives because of the earthquake. Many more were injured, and a large number of people, about 59,913, lost their homes. Most of the damage and people affected were in the Elqui and Limarí provinces.

Punitaqui's Population

Let's look at who lives in Punitaqui! According to a census taken in 2002, the commune has an area of about 1,339.3 square kilometers. At that time, 9,539 people lived there.

Of these residents, 4,791 were male and 4,748 were female. The population of Punitaqui grew by 9.4% between 1992 and 2002. This means 816 more people came to live there.

Most people in Punitaqui live in rural areas, which are like the countryside. About 5,924 people live in rural parts. The remaining 3,615 people live in urban areas, which are more like towns.

How Punitaqui is Governed

Punitaqui is a commune, which is a local government area in Chile. It is managed by a municipal council. This council helps make decisions for the town.

The leader of the commune is called an alcalde. This is like a mayor. The people of Punitaqui vote directly for their alcalde every four years. From 2016 to 2020, the alcalde was Carlos Araya Bugueño.

Punitaqui is also part of larger government groups. It is in the 9th electoral district for the Chamber of Deputies of Chile. This is one of the two houses of the Chilean parliament. The commune is also part of the 4th senatorial constituency for the Senate of Chile.