# Los Andes, Chile

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Not to be confused with [Andes](/source/Andes), a mountain range partially in Chile.

**Los Andes**, founded on July 31, 1791 as **Santa Rosa de Los Andes**, is a [Chilean](/source/Chile) [city](/source/List_of_cities_in_Chile) and [commune](/source/Communes_of_Chile) located in the [province of the same name](/source/Province_of_Los_Andes,_Chile), in [Valparaíso Region](/source/Valpara%C3%ADso_Region) ("Fifth Region" of Chile). It lies on the route between [Santiago](/source/Santiago,_Chile) and Chile's primary border crossing with [Argentina](/source/Argentina) by way of the summit of the [Uspallata Pass](/source/Uspallata_Pass) in the [Andes](/source/Andes) mountain range.

## Demographics

According to the 2002 [census](/source/Census) of the [National Statistics Institute](/source/National_Statistics_Institute_(Chile)), Los Andes spans an area of 1,248.3 km2 (482 sq mi) and has 60,198 inhabitants (30,247 men and 29,951 women). Of these, 55,388 (92%) lived in [urban areas](/source/Urban_area) and 4,810 (8%) in [rural areas](/source/Rural_area). The population grew by 21% (10,451 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[3]

## Administration

As a municipality, Los Andes is a third-level [administrative division of Chile](/source/Administrative_division_of_Chile) governed by a [municipal council](/source/Municipal_council), headed by an [alcalde](/source/Alcalde) who is directly elected every four years. The 2008–2012 alcalde is Mauricio Navarro S.. The council has the following members:[4]

- Marta Yochum G.
- Oscar Araya S.
- Alejandro Tapia C.
- Sergio Montenegro P.
- Ivan Salinas S.
- Julio Lobos L.[needs update]

Within the [electoral divisions of Chile](/source/Electoral_divisions_of_Chile), Los Andes is represented in the [Chamber of Deputies](/source/Chamber_of_Deputies_of_Chile) by Marco Antonio Núñez ([PDC](/source/Christian_Democratic_Party)) and Gaspar Rivas ([RN](/source/National_Renewal_(Chile))) as part of the 11th electoral district, together with [San Esteban](/source/San_Esteban,_Chile), [Calle Larga](/source/Calle_Larga), [Rinconada](/source/Rinconada), [San Felipe](/source/San_Felipe,_Chile), [Putaendo](/source/Putaendo), [Santa María](/source/Santa_Mar%C3%ADa,_Chile), [Panquehue](/source/Panquehue), [Llaillay](/source/Llaillay) and [Catemu](/source/Catemu). The commune is represented in the [Senate](/source/Senate_of_Chile) by [Ignacio Walker Prieto](/source/Ignacio_Walker) ([PDC](/source/Christian_Democratic_Party)) and [Lily Pérez San Martín](/source/Lily_P%C3%A9rez_San_Mart%C3%ADn) ([RN](/source/National_Renewal_(Chile))) as part of the 5th senatorial constituency (Valparaíso-Cordillera).[needs update]

## Economy

Los Andes principal economy is based on mining and agriculture, with vineyards and grapes being the principal fruit export. Copper and other minor minerals production is handled by Codelco Chile. From 1973 until 2004, the Automotores Franco Chilena S.A. plant assembled Peugeot and Renault automobiles from French and Argentine components in Los Andes. Peugeot production began with the [404](/source/Peugeot_404) and ended with the [206](/source/Peugeot_206); Renaults were also produced there between 1979 and 1991. Cars built by Automotores Franco Chilena were also exported to certain other Latin American markets.[5] The factory was refitted to become a vehicle preparation, sales, and repair center for the national Peugeot Citroën sales network.[6]

## Transport

Los Andes stands at the beginning of the now derelict [metre gauge](/source/Metre_gauge) [Transandine Railway](/source/Transandine_Railway), opened in 1910, which once ran to [Mendoza](/source/Mendoza,_Argentina) in [Argentina](/source/Argentina), providing a link between the [broad gauge](/source/Broad_gauge) line from [Valparaiso](/source/Valparaiso) to Los Andes, operated by the Chilean State Railway, and the broad gauge line from Mendoza to [Buenos Aires](/source/Buenos_Aires) operated by the [Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway](/source/Buenos_Aires_and_Pacific_Railway). It is now being reconstructed. Due to the lack of concrete actions to restore this link, the most recent estimations are that the line could be restored around October, 2009. However, as of June 2011, there is no indication of any restorative work underway.[7][8]

## Notable people

- [Laura Rodig](/source/Laura_Rodig) (1901-1972), painter, sculptor, illustrator, educator
- [Gaspar Rivas](/source/Gaspar_Rivas) (born 1978), politician
- [Rene Leon Gallardo](/source/Rene_Leon_Gallardo) historian

## References

1. ["Chile Time"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070911130719/http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-time.htm). WorldTimeZones.org. Archived from [the original](http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-time.htm) on 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2010-07-28.

1. ["Chile Summer Time"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070911130451/http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-summer-time.htm). WorldTimeZones.org. Archived from [the original](http://www.world-time-zones.org/zones/chile-summer-time.htm) on 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2010-07-28.

1. ["National Statistics Institute"](http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_estadistico/censos_poblacion_vivienda/censo_pobl_vivi.php) (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 November 2010.

1. ["Municipality of Los Andes"](http://www.munilosandes.cl) (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 November 2010.

1. ["Inicio"](http://francochilena.jimdo.com/) [Home] (in Spanish). Automotores Franco Chilena. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20161013083648/http://francochilena.jimdo.com/) 2016-10-13 at the Wayback Machine.

1. Villatoro, Octavio (2003-06-23). "Inicia proceso de reconversión: Cierra la planta de Peugeot" [Conversion process begins: Peugeot plant closure] (in Spanish). *[El Mercurio de Valparaíso](/source/El_Mercurio_de_Valpara%C3%ADso)*. Vol. 176, no. 60502. p. 11.

1. [Volvió el ferrocarril a Mendoza](http://www.argentour.com/local-cgi/ToForo/index.cgi?msg=1571)(in Spanish)

1. [Reconstruction](http://www.seconstruye.com/webnoticia/asp/interior.asp?id=17067) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070310140626/http://www.seconstruye.com/webnoticia/asp/interior.asp?id=17067) 2007-03-10 at the Wayback Machine in Spanish

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Los Andes, Chile](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Andes%2C_Chile) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Andes%2C_Chile?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.