Osorno, Chile
Encyclopedia
Osorno is a city and commune in southern Chile
and capital of Osorno Province
in the Los Lagos Region
. It had a population of 145,475, as of the 2002 census. It is located 945 kilometres (587.2 mi) south of the national capital of Santiago
, 105 kilometres (65.2 mi) north of the regional capital of Puerto Montt
and 260 kilometres (161.6 mi) west of the Argentine
city of San Carlos de Bariloche
, connected via International Route 215 through the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass
.
by his companion of conquest, Lieutenant General Don Francisco de Villagra
; with the name of Santa Marina de Gaete, on the site of a Huilliche
village named Chauracavi. However, the death of Valdivia prevented the realization of this plan when he was about to materialize.
On March 27, 1558, the city is finally founded by the governor, García Hurtado de Mendoza; with the new name of Villa de San Mateo de Osorno, in honor of his grandfather, Count of Osorno
. It was destroyed again by the indigenous Huilliche
people in October 1602.
On November 22, 1792, Tomás de Figueroa took possession of the ruins. Under the orders of Ambrosio O'Higgins, Osorno was again rebuilt by Juan Mackenna
, and declared officially re-populated in 1796. O'Higgins, in turn, was awarded the title of Marquess of Osorno.
Osorno owes its legacy to fairly recent Chilean settlement, when the government subdued the region's indigenous Mapuche
peoples in the mid-19th century and opened the land to Chilean and European immigration soon to follow. Large percentage of locals in Osorno are descendants of Spanish (the livestock grazing industry owes its foundation to the Basques
) and other European immigrants.
Around 1850, the government of Chile began inviting German settlers to the colony to promote growth in the region; the settlers found Osorno's climate and geography to be very similar to their own. With their help, Osorno was made the home of the National Cattle ranch of Chile, boosting the regional economy significantly. Present-day Osorno has preserved 19th century architecture and urban layout, represented by six picturesque houses which have been designated national monuments
.
Osorno has a long history of rivalry with Valdivia, and in a 2006 referendum, the Osorno Province
rejected its proposed incorporation into the new Los Ríos Region
, of which Valdivia is now the capital.
. Before that Bernhard Eunom Philippi
recruited nine working families to emigrate from Hesse
to Chile.
The origin of the German immigrants in Chile began with the Law of Selective Immigration of 1845. The objective of this law was to bring people of a medium social/high cultural level to colonize the southern regions of Chile; these were between Valdivia
and Puerto Montt
. Some report that 20,000 immigrated as a result. According to another source, no more than 5,600 out of about 11,000 German emigrants to Chile between 1846 and 1914 settled in Southern Chile. The process was administered by Vicente Pérez Rosales
by mandate of the then-president Manuel Montt
. The German immigrants revived the domestic economy and they changed the southern zones. An example of this constructive spirit was stated by the leader of the first colonists Carlos Anwandter
, who proclaimed to all the colonists:
For ten years after the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
, immigrants came from Germany. They established themselves principally in the Llanquihue
in the towns of Frutillar
, Puerto Octay
, Puerto Varas
, Osorno and Puerto Montt
.
Osorno sits in sight of Volcán Osorno, an active but minor volcano. The city's most prominent geographical feature is the Rahue River
that runs north-south through its center. A smaller stream breaks off as well, running east before turning south and giving the city some natural boundaries. Located near the river front on the east side is the city's heart, the Plaza de Armas
, a large, one-block park with fountains, benches, and tree-lined avenues. On the park's east side is La Catedral
of Saint Matthew
, one of the city's major landmarks, notable for its modern architecture. The cathedral serves as mother church
of the Catholic
Diocese of Osorno. Along the south side is Juan Mackenna
Avenue, the city's major city centre street. Other points of interest are the main campus of the Universidad de Los Lagos
and the Osorno Rodeo Stadium. The recently opened casino
Plaza Sol de los Lagos is a new popular attraction for tourists and locals alike.
Osorno hosts a number of annual celebrations. The Festival de la Carne y la Leche (Milk and Meat Festival) is a music festival
held annually in late January, features performances by national music pop singers and bands. The Festival del Folklore Campesino (Country Folk Festival) held annually in mid-February, features performances of regional music folk artists.
Another celebration is the Feria Ganadera Sago Fisur (Sago-Fisur Cattle Fair) held annually in early November, hosted by the largest ranch in the area highlights the current state of agricultural activity. Fireworks displays are held every year around the city on September 18, the Chilean Independence Day, commemorating independence from Spain
.
Osorno is also a gateway for many tourist attractions. Puyehue National Park
is a major attraction, with pristine lakes, forests, and game preserves. The volcanic area
provides natural hot springs, now the site of the Aguas Calientes spa. Puyehue Hot Springs is adjacent to the park.
Los Lagos Region was named for the many lakes in the area, many of which have tourist-friendly yet isolated beaches; closest to Osorno are Puyehue
and Rupanco
.
Antillanca ski resort, less than a hundred kilometers away, is one of the highest-quality resorts in Chile. Ecotourism is also encouraged by the indigenous Huilliche
communities, who inhabit the Pacific coastal zone. Much of the funds brought in by tourism is being used to protect native plant and tree species, most notably the Alerce
, a threatened cyprus
. The thick forests open onto beautiful beaches and bays, such as Maicolpué, Bahía Mansa and Pucatrihue.
are popular sports in the city. Osorno fields a football team, Provincial Osorno
, in the third level national football league
. Provincial Osorno plays home games at the Estadio Ruben Marcos Peralta, which has a seating capacity
of 10,800.
Osorno's official basketball team in the National Basketball League is named Osorno Basquetbol. Their home games are held at the Gimnasio María Gallardo, which has a seating capacity
of almost 4,500.
Chilean rodeo
is popular in Osorno, as it is in most of the center-south zone of the country. Osorno's rodeo stadium, the Medialuna de Osorno, is considered one of the bests in the country, and was the qualifying arena for the southern region of the national rodeo in 2006.
Boxing
is also one of the city's pastimes; Osorno produced Chile's boxing representative at the 1972 Summer Olympics
, Martín Vargas
. Additionally, the mountainous terrain surrounding Osorno is ideal for skiing
and snowboarding
, sports popularized by the large tide of German immigrants. It is the closest city to the Antillanca ski resort, only 98 km away.
Osorno is an important agricultural
center, and agriculture makes up the bulk of the Osorno province's economic activity. Wheat
and oats
grow abundantly, but the land is also well suited to the breeding of Chilean horse
s and cattle
Some of the finest Chilean beef products originate in the Osorno ranches.
Osorno's proximity to the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass
that makes it a key point in the national economy. The mountain pass
connects Osorno to the Argentine
city of Bariloche
, and is one of primary arteries that ties the two countries' southern regions together. The pass is particularly important due to the fact that it crosses the Andes
mountains at very low altitude, allowing it to remain open when other passes are blocked by snow.
Despite all this, Osorno has seen some economic stagnation in the past several decades. Agriculture alone has not allowed it to keep pace with the booming, rapidly-industralizing Chilean economy; lacking both industrial and information sectors. In an effort to combat this, the city has forged international business ties with certain Dutch
companies, since it was discovered that the local climate is ideal for the growing of tulip
s. Likewise, Osorno has recently entered the international meat market. Besides offering high-quality beef, the isolated region is also completely free of the recent rash of cattle plagues, such as Mad Cow
and foot-and-mouth disease
, guaranteeing the safety of Chilean meats.
Osorno is now faced with a unique opportunity: the arable land is ideally suited for the growing of beets, soy, and corn, crops gaining in popularity with the recent development of biocombustibles, fuels derived from crops, such as corn-derived ethanol
. It is hoped that the Chilean government's announcement that it will not apply the same steep taxes to agricultural fuels as it does to petroleum products, as well as the increasing demand for more environment-friendly fuels, may mean that Osorno will again become a major economic hub.
As Chile continues to develop as one of South America's economic leaders and one of the most stable states in the area, tourism is on the rise, as visitors flock to Osorno's natural beauty and old-European atmosphere.
.jpg)
, which offers 2-hour flights to Santiago
. Buses also depart for the capital daily. The Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass
also marks the city as a major gateway
to and from Argentina
.
of the National Statistics Institute
, Osorno spans an area of 951.3 sqkm and has 145,475 inhabitants (70,743 men and 74,732 women). Of these, 132,245 (90.9%) lived in urban area
s and 13,230 (9.1%) in rural areas. The population grew by 13.9% (17,706 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
, headed by an alcalde
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is aime Alberto Bertin Valenzuela.
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Osorno is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
by Mr. Javier Hernández (UDI) and Mr. Sergio Ojeda (PDC
) as part of the 55th electoral district, (together with San Juan de la Costa and San Pablo
). The commune is represented in the Senate
by Camilo Escalona Medina (PS
) and Carlos Kuschel Silva (RN
) as part of the 17th senatorial constituency (Los Lagos Region).
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and capital of Osorno Province
Osorno Province
Osorno Province is one of the four provinces in the southern Chilean region of Los Lagos . The province has an area of and a population of 221,509 distributed across seven communes . The provincial capital is the city of Osorno....
in the Los Lagos Region
Los Lagos Region
Los Lagos Region is one of Chile's 15 regions, which are first order administrative divisions, and comprises four provinces: Chiloé, Llanquihue, Osorno and Palena. The region contains the country's second largest island, Chiloé, and the second largest lake, Llanquihue.Its capital is Puerto Montt;...
. It had a population of 145,475, as of the 2002 census. It is located 945 kilometres (587.2 mi) south of the national capital of Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, 105 kilometres (65.2 mi) north of the regional capital of Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune spans an area of and had a population of 175,938 in 2002. It is located 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago...
and 260 kilometres (161.6 mi) west of the Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
city of San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche, is a city in the , situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake and is located inside Nahuel Huapi National Park...
, connected via International Route 215 through the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass
Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass
Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass it is one of the main mountain pass through the southern Andes along the border between Argentina and Chile.Together with Paso Libertadores, it is one of the easiest of the Argentina-Chile passes, and one of the few with asphalted roads in the region...
.
History
The city was originally planned to be founded in 1553, under the Government of Pedro de ValdiviaPedro de Valdivia
Pedro Gutiérrez de Valdivia or Valdiva was a Spanish conquistador and the first royal governor of Chile. After serving with the Spanish army in Italy and Flanders, he was sent to South America in 1534, where he served as lieutenant under Francisco Pizarro in Peru, acting as his second in command...
by his companion of conquest, Lieutenant General Don Francisco de Villagra
Francisco de Villagra
Francisco de Villagra Velázquez was a Spanish conquistador, and three times governor of Chile.-Early life:Born at [Santervás de Campos], he was the son of Alvaro de Sarría and Ana Velázquez de Villagra, who were not married. For this reason he took the name of his mother...
; with the name of Santa Marina de Gaete, on the site of a Huilliche
Huilliche
The Huilliche is an ethnic group of Chile, belonging to the Mapuche culture. They live in mountain valleys in an area south of Toltén River and on Chiloé Archipelago...
village named Chauracavi. However, the death of Valdivia prevented the realization of this plan when he was about to materialize.
On March 27, 1558, the city is finally founded by the governor, García Hurtado de Mendoza; with the new name of Villa de San Mateo de Osorno, in honor of his grandfather, Count of Osorno
Osorno la Mayor
Osorno la Mayor is a municipio in Palencia province, Castile and León, Spain. The Chilean city of Osorno is named after this place.-General information:*Covers 88.6 square kilometers and has roughly 1,500 residents....
. It was destroyed again by the indigenous Huilliche
Huilliche
The Huilliche is an ethnic group of Chile, belonging to the Mapuche culture. They live in mountain valleys in an area south of Toltén River and on Chiloé Archipelago...
people in October 1602.
On November 22, 1792, Tomás de Figueroa took possession of the ruins. Under the orders of Ambrosio O'Higgins, Osorno was again rebuilt by Juan Mackenna
Juan Mackenna
Brigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
, and declared officially re-populated in 1796. O'Higgins, in turn, was awarded the title of Marquess of Osorno.
Osorno owes its legacy to fairly recent Chilean settlement, when the government subdued the region's indigenous Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
peoples in the mid-19th century and opened the land to Chilean and European immigration soon to follow. Large percentage of locals in Osorno are descendants of Spanish (the livestock grazing industry owes its foundation to the Basques
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
) and other European immigrants.
Around 1850, the government of Chile began inviting German settlers to the colony to promote growth in the region; the settlers found Osorno's climate and geography to be very similar to their own. With their help, Osorno was made the home of the National Cattle ranch of Chile, boosting the regional economy significantly. Present-day Osorno has preserved 19th century architecture and urban layout, represented by six picturesque houses which have been designated national monuments
National Monuments of Chile
The National Monuments of Chile , also abbreviated MN, are the constructions, elements and places that form part of the country's cultural heritage, and they are protected by law...
.
Osorno has a long history of rivalry with Valdivia, and in a 2006 referendum, the Osorno Province
Osorno Province
Osorno Province is one of the four provinces in the southern Chilean region of Los Lagos . The province has an area of and a population of 221,509 distributed across seven communes . The provincial capital is the city of Osorno....
rejected its proposed incorporation into the new Los Ríos Region
Los Ríos Region
The XIV Los Ríos Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Valdivia. Pop. 356,396 . It began to operate as region on October 2, 2007. It was created by subdividing the Los Lagos Region in southern Chile...
, of which Valdivia is now the capital.
Colonization of Southern Chile
The Chilean government encouraged German immigration in 1848, a time of revolution in GermanyRevolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
. Before that Bernhard Eunom Philippi
Bernhard Eunom Philippi
Berhard Eunom Philippi was a German naturalist, explorer and colonization agent for Chile.-Biography:His father was John Wilhelm Eberhard Philippi and his mother Mary Anne Krumwiede. In 1818 the family moved to Switzerland, where Rodolph and his brother Bernard entered the school of Johann...
recruited nine working families to emigrate from Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
to Chile.
The origin of the German immigrants in Chile began with the Law of Selective Immigration of 1845. The objective of this law was to bring people of a medium social/high cultural level to colonize the southern regions of Chile; these were between Valdivia
Valdivia, Chile
Valdivia is a city and commune in southern Chile administered by the Municipality of Valdivia. The city is named after its founder Pedro de Valdivia and is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia and Cau-Cau Rivers, approximately east of the coastal towns of Corral and Niebla...
and Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune spans an area of and had a population of 175,938 in 2002. It is located 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago...
. Some report that 20,000 immigrated as a result. According to another source, no more than 5,600 out of about 11,000 German emigrants to Chile between 1846 and 1914 settled in Southern Chile. The process was administered by Vicente Pérez Rosales
Vicente Pérez Rosales
Vicente Pérez Rosales was a politician, traveller, merchant, miner and Chilean diplomat that organized the colonization by Germans and Chileans of the Llanquihue area. Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park is named after him....
by mandate of the then-president Manuel Montt
Manuel Montt
Manuel Francisco Antonio Julián Montt Torres was a Chilean statesman and scholar. He was twice elected President of Chile between 1851 and 1861.-Biography:...
. The German immigrants revived the domestic economy and they changed the southern zones. An example of this constructive spirit was stated by the leader of the first colonists Carlos Anwandter
Carlos Anwandter
Carlos Anwandter was a German political exile that emigrated to Valdivia, Chile in 1850 after participating in the Revolutions of 1848...
, who proclaimed to all the colonists:
For ten years after the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
, immigrants came from Germany. They established themselves principally in the Llanquihue
Lake Llanquihue
Lake Llanquihue is the second largest lake in Chile with an area of about . It is situated in the southern Los Lagos Region in the Llanquihue and Osorno provinces. The lake's fan-like form was created by successive piedmont glaciers during the Quaternary glaciations...
in the towns of Frutillar
Frutillar
Frutillar is a city and commune located in southern Chile in the Los Lagos Region. The bay of Frutillar is placed on the banks of Lake Llanquihue, the largest lake entirely within Chile.-History:...
, Puerto Octay
Puerto Octay
Puerto Octay is a town and commune located on the north shore of Llanquihue Lake in Los Lagos Region in the south of Chile. It was settled by German colonists in 1852. Puerto Octay was an important port with regular traffic to Puerto Varas before the coming of railway in 1912.-History:Its origin...
, Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas is a city and commune located in the southern Chilean province of Llanquihue, in the Los Lagos Region.The city is well known for its German traditions, its food, its fish and seafood, the natural environment, its casino and 5 star hotels. Only from Puerto Montt, located on the shore...
, Osorno and Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune spans an area of and had a population of 175,938 in 2002. It is located 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago...
.
The city
Rahue River
Rahue River is a river of Chile located in Los Lagos Region. It rises at the western end of the Rupanco Lake. In its middle course, the river flows through the city of Osorno in a north-south direction. Rahue river empties into the Bueno River 40 km inland from the Pacific Ocean.-References:...
that runs north-south through its center. A smaller stream breaks off as well, running east before turning south and giving the city some natural boundaries. Located near the river front on the east side is the city's heart, the Plaza de Armas
Plaza de Armas
The Plaza de Armas is the name for the main square in many Latin American cities. In Mexico this space is known as El Zócalo, and in Central America as Parque Central...
, a large, one-block park with fountains, benches, and tree-lined avenues. On the park's east side is La Catedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of Saint Matthew
Matthew the Evangelist
Matthew the Evangelist was, according to the Bible, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the four Evangelists.-Identity:...
, one of the city's major landmarks, notable for its modern architecture. The cathedral serves as mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of the Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Diocese of Osorno. Along the south side is Juan Mackenna
Juan Mackenna
Brigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
Avenue, the city's major city centre street. Other points of interest are the main campus of the Universidad de Los Lagos
Universidad de Los Lagos
The University of Los Lagos is a university in Chile. It is a derivative university part of the Chilean Traditional Universities. It currently operates two campuses: the main campus in Osorno, and another in Valdivia and Puerto Montt, the regional capital....
and the Osorno Rodeo Stadium. The recently opened casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
Plaza Sol de los Lagos is a new popular attraction for tourists and locals alike.
Osorno hosts a number of annual celebrations. The Festival de la Carne y la Leche (Milk and Meat Festival) is a music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
held annually in late January, features performances by national music pop singers and bands. The Festival del Folklore Campesino (Country Folk Festival) held annually in mid-February, features performances of regional music folk artists.
Another celebration is the Feria Ganadera Sago Fisur (Sago-Fisur Cattle Fair) held annually in early November, hosted by the largest ranch in the area highlights the current state of agricultural activity. Fireworks displays are held every year around the city on September 18, the Chilean Independence Day, commemorating independence from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Osorno is also a gateway for many tourist attractions. Puyehue National Park
Puyehue National Park
Puyehue National Park is located in the Andes, in Los Ríos and Los Lagos Region of Chile. It covers . The Route 215 passes through the park. It connects with the Argentine Route 231 via Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass....
is a major attraction, with pristine lakes, forests, and game preserves. The volcanic area
Antillanca Group
Antillanca Group is a volcanic group of scoria cones, maars and small stratovolcanoes. Casablanca stratovolcano is the tallest volcano of the group, which shelters the Antillanca ski resort on its west flank. Aguas Calientes and Puyehue Hot springs also form part of this volcanic group...
provides natural hot springs, now the site of the Aguas Calientes spa. Puyehue Hot Springs is adjacent to the park.
Los Lagos Region was named for the many lakes in the area, many of which have tourist-friendly yet isolated beaches; closest to Osorno are Puyehue
Puyehue Lake
Puyehue Lake is an Andean piedmont lake located in the border of Los Lagos Region with Los Ríos Region of Chile...
and Rupanco
Rupanco Lake
Rupanco Lake is located in Los Lagos Region of Chile. The closest city, Osorno, has a primary school named after it as well.-External links:**...
.
Antillanca ski resort, less than a hundred kilometers away, is one of the highest-quality resorts in Chile. Ecotourism is also encouraged by the indigenous Huilliche
Huilliche
The Huilliche is an ethnic group of Chile, belonging to the Mapuche culture. They live in mountain valleys in an area south of Toltén River and on Chiloé Archipelago...
communities, who inhabit the Pacific coastal zone. Much of the funds brought in by tourism is being used to protect native plant and tree species, most notably the Alerce
Fitzroya
Fitzroya is a monotypic genus in the cypress family.-Species:The single living species, Fitzroya cupressoides, is a tall, long-lived conifer native to the Andes mountains of southern Chile and Argentina, where it is an important member of the Valdivian temperate rain forests...
, a threatened cyprus
Cupressaceae
The Cupressaceae or cypress family is a conifer family with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27 to 30 genera , which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130-140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdioecious or dioecious trees and shrubs from 1-116 m tall...
. The thick forests open onto beautiful beaches and bays, such as Maicolpué, Bahía Mansa and Pucatrihue.
Sports
Football and basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
are popular sports in the city. Osorno fields a football team, Provincial Osorno
Provincial Osorno
Provincial Osorno is a football club based in Osorno, Los Lagos Region, Chile. They currently play in the Tercera División, the third tier of the Chilean football system...
, in the third level national football league
Tercera División de Chile
Tercera División A de Chile , is the third tier of Chilean football . It is organized by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile and the Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Amateur de Chile...
. Provincial Osorno plays home games at the Estadio Ruben Marcos Peralta, which has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 10,800.
Osorno's official basketball team in the National Basketball League is named Osorno Basquetbol. Their home games are held at the Gimnasio María Gallardo, which has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of almost 4,500.
Chilean rodeo
Chilean rodeo
Rodeo is a traditional sport in Chile. It was declared the national sport in 1962. It has since thrived, especially in the more rural areas of the country. Chilean rodeo is different from the rodeo found in North America...
is popular in Osorno, as it is in most of the center-south zone of the country. Osorno's rodeo stadium, the Medialuna de Osorno, is considered one of the bests in the country, and was the qualifying arena for the southern region of the national rodeo in 2006.
Boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
is also one of the city's pastimes; Osorno produced Chile's boxing representative at the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, Martín Vargas
Martín Vargas
Martín Vargas Fuentes is a former boxer from Chile, who represented his native country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. He attempted to obtain Chile's first boxing world title four times...
. Additionally, the mountainous terrain surrounding Osorno is ideal for skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
, sports popularized by the large tide of German immigrants. It is the closest city to the Antillanca ski resort, only 98 km away.
Economy
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
center, and agriculture makes up the bulk of the Osorno province's economic activity. Wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and oats
OATS
OATS - Open Source Assistive Technology Software - is a source code repository or "forge" for assistive technology software. It was launched in 2006 with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive...
grow abundantly, but the land is also well suited to the breeding of Chilean horse
Chilean Horse
The Chilean Horse is a breed virtually unknown outside South America despite being the oldest registered native American breed, the oldest registered breed of Iberian origin, the oldest registered horse breed in South America and the oldest registered stock horse breed in the Western...
s and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
Some of the finest Chilean beef products originate in the Osorno ranches.
Osorno's proximity to the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass
Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass
Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass it is one of the main mountain pass through the southern Andes along the border between Argentina and Chile.Together with Paso Libertadores, it is one of the easiest of the Argentina-Chile passes, and one of the few with asphalted roads in the region...
that makes it a key point in the national economy. The mountain pass
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
connects Osorno to the Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
city of Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche, is a city in the , situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake and is located inside Nahuel Huapi National Park...
, and is one of primary arteries that ties the two countries' southern regions together. The pass is particularly important due to the fact that it crosses the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
mountains at very low altitude, allowing it to remain open when other passes are blocked by snow.
Despite all this, Osorno has seen some economic stagnation in the past several decades. Agriculture alone has not allowed it to keep pace with the booming, rapidly-industralizing Chilean economy; lacking both industrial and information sectors. In an effort to combat this, the city has forged international business ties with certain Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
companies, since it was discovered that the local climate is ideal for the growing of tulip
Tulip
The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, which comprises 109 species and belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, and Iran to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of...
s. Likewise, Osorno has recently entered the international meat market. Besides offering high-quality beef, the isolated region is also completely free of the recent rash of cattle plagues, such as Mad Cow
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
and foot-and-mouth disease
Foot-and-mouth disease
Foot-and-mouth disease or hoof-and-mouth disease is an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic and wild bovids...
, guaranteeing the safety of Chilean meats.
Osorno is now faced with a unique opportunity: the arable land is ideally suited for the growing of beets, soy, and corn, crops gaining in popularity with the recent development of biocombustibles, fuels derived from crops, such as corn-derived ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
. It is hoped that the Chilean government's announcement that it will not apply the same steep taxes to agricultural fuels as it does to petroleum products, as well as the increasing demand for more environment-friendly fuels, may mean that Osorno will again become a major economic hub.
As Chile continues to develop as one of South America's economic leaders and one of the most stable states in the area, tourism is on the rise, as visitors flock to Osorno's natural beauty and old-European atmosphere.
Transportation
The city is served by Canal Bajo Carlos Hott Siebert AirportCanal Bajo Carlos Hott Siebert Airport
Cañal Bajo Carlos Hott Siebert Airport is an airport located east of Osorno, a city in the Los Lagos Region of Chile.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:* at Aerodromo.cl...
, which offers 2-hour flights to Santiago
Santiago
Santiago is the capital city of Chile. Santiago may also refer to:*Santiago *Santiago , a Spanish given name*Santiago!, a shortened form of the Reconquista battle cry "Santiago y cierra, España"...
. Buses also depart for the capital daily. The Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass
Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass
Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass it is one of the main mountain pass through the southern Andes along the border between Argentina and Chile.Together with Paso Libertadores, it is one of the easiest of the Argentina-Chile passes, and one of the few with asphalted roads in the region...
also marks the city as a major gateway
Port of entry
In general, a port of entry is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has a staff of people who check passports and visas and inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. International airports are usually ports of entry, as are road and rail crossings on a...
to and from Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Demographics
According to the 2002 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of the National Statistics Institute
National Statistics Institute (Chile)
The National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
, Osorno spans an area of 951.3 sqkm and has 145,475 inhabitants (70,743 men and 74,732 women). Of these, 132,245 (90.9%) lived in urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s and 13,230 (9.1%) in rural areas. The population grew by 13.9% (17,706 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
Notable residents
- Tomás BurgosTomas BurgosTomás Burgos Sotomayor was a Chilean philanthropist, one of the strongest supporters of the "mutualist movement" and the founder of "Villa Lo Burgos", the present city of Purranque....
, Philanthropist - Eleuterio RamírezEleuterio RamírezEleuterio Ramírez Molina was a Chilean military figure. He founded the Foro Militar military newspaper in 1871.-References:...
, Chilean Army officer during de Pacific War against Perú and Bolivia. Also called Hero of Tarapacá. - Martín VargasMartín VargasMartín Vargas Fuentes is a former boxer from Chile, who represented his native country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. He attempted to obtain Chile's first boxing world title four times...
, Olympic boxer - Juan MackennaJuan MackennaBrigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
, Governor of Osorno, hero of Chilean independence.
Administration
As a commune, Osorno is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal councilMunicipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
, headed by an alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is aime Alberto Bertin Valenzuela.
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Osorno is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Chile
The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
by Mr. Javier Hernández (UDI) and Mr. Sergio Ojeda (PDC
Christian Democratic Party
Christian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
) as part of the 55th electoral district, (together with San Juan de la Costa and San Pablo
San Pablo, Chile
San Pablo is a Chilean town and commune located in the Osorno Province in the Los Lagos Region. It is located 27 km from the city and provincial capital of Osorno. The commune is mostly rural. Its activity is almost entirely agricultural and ranching...
). The commune is represented in the Senate
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
by Camilo Escalona Medina (PS
Socialist Party of Chile
The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973...
) and Carlos Kuschel Silva (RN
National Renewal (Chile)
National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement...
) as part of the 17th senatorial constituency (Los Lagos Region).
External links
Municipality of Osorno- Information and Pictures of Osorno Diario Austral de Osorno Osorno's major newspaper OsornoChile.Net - Information and Pictures of Osorno
- Images of Osorno Chileno's Chile Travel Blog Osorno Sports and News Portal
- Osorno on Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...