{{Infobox settlement <!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions --> | name = Freire | native_name = | native_name_lang = es | settlement_type = Town and Commune | image_skyline = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_flag = | flag_alt = Flag | image_shield = | shield_alt = Coat of arms | nickname = | motto = | image_map = Comuna de Freire.svg | map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Chile | pushpin_map_narrow = 1 | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_map_alt = Location in Chile | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Chile | coordinates = {{coord|38|57|21|S|72|37|32|W|region:CL-AR|display=inline,title}} | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Chile | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Araucanía | subdivision_type2 = Province | subdivision_name2 = Cautín | established_title = Founded | established_date = 7 December 1882 | founder = | named_for = | seat_type = | seat = | government_footnotes = <ref name="Official">{{cite web |url= http://www.munifreire.cl/ |title= Municipality of Freire |accessdate= 2 September 2010 |language= es |archive-date= 1 August 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150801181551/http://munifreire.cl/ |url-status= dead }}</ref> | government_type = Municipality | leader_party = | leader_title = Alcalde | leader_name = Luis Armando Arias Lopez (2021-2025) | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = <ref name="INE">{{cite web |url= http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_estadistico/censos_poblacion_vivienda/censo_pobl_vivi.php |title= National Statistics Institute |accessdate=26 September 2010|language=es}}</ref> | area_note = As of 2012 Census | area_total_km2 = 935.2 | area_rank = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 88 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 22390 | population_as_of = 2017 Census | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = Freirense | population_rank = | population_blank1_title = Urban | population_blank1 = | population_blank2_title = Rural | population_blank2 = | demographics_type1 = Sex | demographics1_footnotes = | demographics1_title1 = Men | demographics1_info1 = | demographics1_title2 = Women | demographics1_info2 = |timezone = CLT | utc_offset = −4 |timezone_DST = CLST | utc_offset_DST = −3 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = 56 + 45 | iso_code = | website = [http://www.munifreire.cl/ Municipality of Freire] | footnotes = }}
'''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 {{convert|935.2|sqkm|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="INE"/>
The town of Freire lies at the junction of Chile Highway 5 and Route CH-199, which links Freire with Villarrica and Pucón.
==Demographics== {{Historical populations |align=left |source={{cite web|url=https://www.ine.gob.cl/estadisticas/sociales/censos-de-poblacion-y-vivienda/censo-de-poblacion-y-vivienda|publisher=National Statistics Institute|title=Censo de Población y Vivienda}} |percentages=pagr |1895 |1727 |1907 |3704 |1920 |12901 |1930 |25532 |1940 |27654 |1952 |22262 |1970 |19671 |1982 |21486 |1992 |22997 |2002 |25514 |2017 |24606 |2024 |26164 }} According to the 2017 census of Population and Housing by the National Statistics Institute (''Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas'' or INE) Freire had 25,514 inhabitants; of these, 10,979 (38.9%) lived in urban areas and 20,531 (92.1%) in rural areas. At that time, there were 17,670 men and 16,560 women. The population grew by 10.9% (2,517 persons) between the 2012 and 2017 censuses.<ref name="INE"/>
==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:<ref name="Official"/> * Luis García Friz * Luis Marchant Morales * Sebastian Daniel Rojas Rivera * Yanina Barría Rojas * Patricio Ríos González * José Oñate Orias
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Freire is represented in the Chamber of Deputies as a part of the 23rd electoral district (together with Cholchol, Temuco, Padre Las Casas, Nueva Imperial, Carahue, Cunco, Puerto Saavedra, Teodoro Schmidt, Pitrufquén, Nueva Toltén, Gorbea, Loncoche, Villarrica, Pucón, Curarrehue). The commune is represented in the Senate as part of the 11th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-South).
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{in lang|es}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20150801181551/http://www.munifreire.cl/ Municipality of Freire]
{{Communes in Araucanía Region}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Communes of Chile Category:Populated places in Cautín Province Category:1895 establishments in Chile