Economy

Puerto Montt is the capital of the Los Lagos Region and the Llanquihue Province, and the main sea port at the lower end of Chile's western continental land. The city is the principal commercial, services, and financial hub of the Chilean Northern Patagonia—Zona Austral.

Puerto Montt is also the gateway to the Chiloé Archipelago and Chiloé Island across the Chacao Channel, and the many other smaller islands in Chile's inland Sea of Chiloé.

The city's economy is now based upon agriculture, cattle, and forestry on the surrounding islands, and fishing and salmon aquaculture in the fjords and nearby Pacific Ocean.

History

During the 19th century, before and after the founding of Puerto Montt, the extraction and commercialization of wood, mainly larch, was the main economic activity in the area. Other existing items since the creation of the city were, to a lesser extent, alcohol distilleries, grain oil factories, breweries and the sale of items imported from Germany or Valparaíso. Puerto Montt, as the capital, was vital in the entry and exit of merchandise to the area, since the seaway was the only way to get the products out - the train would only arrive in 1912.

;Salmon aquaculture

The city is configured as the hub of one of the largest salmon aquaculture industries in the world. Hatcheries, fisheries and packing plants are mostly located south of Puerto Montt. Fresh salmon is flown daily to world markets and frozen salmon is shipped by ocean to all destinations. The tremendous growth of the region, mainly due to the salmon industry, but also due to rapid expansion of forestry, cattle, and tourism, has proven the massive economic potential of Puerto Montt and its surrounding area.

International relations

The city of Puerto Montt hosts a number of international relations institutions, such as the Regional Unit of International Affairs (URAI) of the Regional Government of Los Lagos, responsible for analyzing and managing the region’s bilateral and multilateral relations with Latin America and the rest of the world; the Tourism and International Relations Commission of the Regional Council of Los Lagos; the regional office of the National Migration Service; the regional office of the General Directorate for Export Promotion (ProChile); the Department of Migration and International Police of the Investigations Police; the Migrant Office, and the International Relations Officer of the Municipality of Puerto Montt.

In the field of higher education internationalization, the main actor in Puerto Montt is the Directorate of International Relations of the University of Los Lagos.

Consulates

  • (Honorary Consulate)
  • (Consulate)
  • (Honorary Consulate)
  • (Honorary Vice-Consulate)
  • (Honorary Consulate)
  • (Honorary Vice-Consulate)
  • (Honorary Consulate)

Transport

El Tepual Airport is the main commercial airport serving the city. Three airlines operate regular flights to and from Santiago, Punta Arenas, Balmaceda, and Antofagasta. The airlines operating at the airport are LATAM Airlines (the country's largest), Sky Airline and JetSmart. The flight time to Santiago is approximately two hours.

Additionally, Marcel Marchant Aerodrome (La Paloma) connects the city with remote locations within the Patagonian Fjords.

Train services to the city by Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado, after a long absence since the 2000s, returned in 2025 with a local service from Llanquihue to the city's La Paloma Station, with plans to reopen stations to the north in the coming years.

Administration

As a commune, Puerto Montt is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an Alcalde with 10 councilors and represented in the Chamber of Deputies by 5 members and in the Senate by 2 people and with support of a Regional Council of 6 members.

The 2024–2028 mayor is Rodrigo Wainraihgt Galilea (RN). The current members of the council are:

  • José Segura Díaz (RN)
  • Verónica Cárdenas Navarro (RN)
  • Yerco Rodríguez Guichapani (UDI)
  • Fernando Brinder Álvarez (Ind./UDI)
  • Mirta Vega Barría (REP)
  • Montserrat Muller Sanhueza (REP)
  • Barbara Álvarez Mendez (PPD)
  • Barbara Cáceres Martínez (PL)
  • Sebastián Almonacid Fuica (PS)
  • Evelyn Chávez Chávez (FA)

Within the electoral division of Chile, representatives of Puerto Montt, District 26 (Puerto Montt, Cochamó, Maullín, Calbuco, Castro, Ancud, Quemchi, Dalcahue, Curaco de Vélez, Quinchao, Puqueldón, Chonchi, Queilén, Quellón, Chaitén, Hualaihué, Futaleufú and Palena) in the Chambers of Deputies 2018-2022 are Jenny Álvarez Vera (PS), Gabriel Ascencio Mansilla (PDC), Alejandro Santana Tirachini (RN), Carlos Kuschel Silva (RN) and Alejandro Bernales (Liberal Party).

The current Representatives in the Senate period 2014-2022 are Rabindranath Quinteros Lara (PS) and Ivan Moreira Barros (UDI).

Regional councilors members 2018-2022 are Ricardo Kuschel Silva (RN), Jaime Brahm Barril (RN), Juan Ortiz Roble (UDI), Manuel Rivera Altamirano (PS), Juan Carcamo Carcamo (PDC) and Valentina Alvarez (Ind/PPD).

Education

Puerto Montt has 175 registered schools varying from educational levels such as pre-school, primary school, secondary school, special school as well as technical-professional and adult schools.

  • Arabe Siria School is a Catholic, public school teaching from pre-school to primary school.
  • Alerce Rural School is a Catholic, public school from pre-school to primary school with some support to children with special needs.
  • Angelmo Elementary School is a public school with education levels from pre-school to primary school with support to children with special needs.
  • Adventist Private School is a religious, private and subsidized school owned by Seventh-day Adventist Church Corporation and teach from pre-school to primary school.
  • The British School Patagonia is part of Red de colegios Patagonia and a private and subsidized school, from pre-school to secondary school
  • Pumahue School, member of Cognita School is a private, non-subsidized school, from pre-school to secondary school.
  • Salesiano Padre Jose Fernández Perez, is a Catholic, private and subsided school, that ranging from pre-school to secondary school with support to children with special needs, as well as technical and adults school.
  • Deutsche Schule (German Institute) of Puerto Montt is a private, non-subsidized school member of DS CHILE "Association of German schools in Chile" with an international exchange and support from Germany, teaching from pre-school to secondary school.
  • Industrial Lyceum of Puerto Montt is a public, secondary school with a focus on technical professions.
  • Lafquen Montessori School, Known to use Montessori method is a private and subsidized school, from pre-school to secondary-school with support to children with special needs.
  • Mother Isabel Larragaña Adult school is a Catholic and Private school with a primary and secondary school program for adults.
  • Joaquin de los Andes Auditory and Language Special School is an holistic, private and subsidized school for pre-school children with SLI and Deafness.

Universities

  • Universidad de Los Lagos, Campus Puerto Montt (Chinquihue)
  • Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh), Campus Puerto Montt
  • Universidad San Sebastián, Campus Patagonia
  • Universidad Santo Tomás, Campus Puerto Montt

Notable people

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  • Bordemar, group of folkloric music.
  • Raúl Ruiz, filmmaker.
  • Enrique Paris, physician and politician who served as Minister of Health of Chile between 2020 and 2022.
  • María Luisa Cordero, television presenter and psychiatrist.
  • Rodolfo Stange, police officer (general director), politician and former senator, member of the Government Junta during the Military Dictatorship of Chile.

<gallery mode="packed">

Primera Fotografía Puerto Montt 1862.jpg|The city of Puerto Montt in 1862.

Angelmo Puerto Montt1.JPG|Angelmó.

Stadium Chinquihue World Cup U17.jpg|Chinquihue Stadium.

Puerto Montt 2009.jpg|View of Puerto Montt's sea-side downtown in foreground and Osorno volcano in the background.

</gallery>

References

Notes

  • Tourism Official Website
  • Municipality of Puerto Montt
  • Puerto Montt City Guide

See also

  • Tenglo Island