Freire, Chile


Freire is a Chilean town and commune in Cautín Province, Araucanía Region. According to the 2012 census, the commune population was 21,750 and has an area of.
The town of Freire lies at the junction of Chile Highway 5 and Route CH-199, which links Freire with Villarrica and Pucón.

Demographics

According to the 2017 census of Population and Housing by the National Statistics Institute Freire had 25,514 inhabitants; of these, 10,979 lived in urban areas and 20,531 in rural areas. At that time, there were 17,670 men and 16,560 women. The population grew by 10.9% between the 2012 and 2017 censuses.

Administration

As a commune, Freire 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 2021-2025 alcalde is Luis Armando Arias Lopez, and the council has the following members:
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Freire is represented in the Chamber of Deputies as a part of the 23rd electoral district. The commune is represented in the Senate as part of the 11th senatorial constituency.