Los Sauces
Town and Commune
Location in the Araucanía Region Los Sauces Location in Chile
Coordinates: 37°58′S 72°50′W / 37.967°S 72.833°W / -37.967; -72.833
Country	Chile
Region	Araucanía
Province	Malleco
Government [1][2]
• Type	Municipality
• Alcalde	Gastón Mella Arzola. (PDC)
Area [3]
• Total	849.8 km2 (328.1 sq mi)
Elevation	153 m (502 ft)
Population  (2012 Census)[3]
• Total	7,169
• Density	8.4/km2 (22/sq mi)
• Urban	3,638
• Rural	3,943
Demonym	Saucino
Sex [3]
• Men	3,847
• Women	3,734
Time zone	UTC-4 (CLT[4])
• Summer (DST)	UTC-3 (CLST[5])
Area code	56 + 45
Website	Municipality of Los Sauces

Los Sauces (Spanish pronunciation: [los ˈsawses]) is a Chilean town and commune in the Malleco Province, Araucanía Region.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Los Sauces spans an area of 849.8 km² (328 sq mi) and has 7,581 inhabitants (3,847 men and 3,734 women). Of these, 3,638 (48%) lived in urban areas and 3,943 (52%) in rural areas. Between the 1992 and 2002 censuses, the population fell by 15.7% (1,414 persons).^[3]

Administration

As a commune, Los Sauces 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 Ramón Vilches Álvarez (PDC), and the council has the following members:^[1][2]

• Jaime Badilla E. (Ind./RN)
• Nelda Gallegos (RN)
• Pedro Carrillo F. (UDI)
• Eva Calderón M. (PDC)
• Victor Gonzalez (UDI)
• Jose Ortega E. (PDC)

Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Los Sauces is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Gonzalo Arenas (UDI) and Mario Venegas (PDC) as part of the 48th electoral district, together with Angol, Renaico, Collipulli, Ercilla, Purén, Lumaco and Traiguén. The commune is represented in the Senate by Alberto Espina Otero (RN) and Jaime Quintana Leal (PPD) as part of the 14th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-North).