According to the 2002 census of the Chilean National Statistics Institute, Tortel spans an area of 19,930.6 km2 (7,695 sq mi) and has 507 inhabitants (322 men and 185 women), making the commune an entirely rural area. The population grew by 13% (59 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[3]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Tortel is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Iván Fuentes Castillo (Nueva Mayoría) and David Sandoval (UDI) as part of the 59th electoral district, which includes the entire Aisén Region. The commune is represented in the Senate by Antonio Horvath Kiss (RN) and Patricio Walker Prieto (PDC) as part of the 18th senatorial constituency (Aisén Region).
Landmarks and main features
Tortel commune is one of the most remote in southern Chile and its unspoiled landscape is one of its principal attractions. Features include:
Caleta Tortel is a lumber town with an intricate walkway system built by the town’s inhabitants which run several kilometres around the cove (“caleta”). Without these walkways, the only way to communicate and travel between houses would be by boat, given the density of the vegetation and the steepness of the hills around the cove.[6] The walkway system has become part of the town’s culture and a local tourist attraction.