O'Higgins Region

Lore & Background

In pre-Quaternary times, extensive Nothofagus forests covered much of the region. The area is part of the very restricted range of the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis. In the high Andes lie the copper mine of El Teniente and the copper mine prospect of Catedral, which is in an area of glaciers and rock glaciers.

Reader's Guide

The O'Higgins Region is significant for its economic contributions, particularly through CODELCO's El Teniente mine, which supplies 7.7% of Chile's copper production, and its agricultural sector, which accounts for 30.1% of the region's GDP and includes one out of every four hectares of fruit orchards in Chile. The region is also known as the 'huaso province,' reflecting its cowboy culture, and features traditional weaving in Doñihue. Its population is a mixture of European (including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Swiss, British, Greek, and Yugoslavian settlers) and indigenous races, creating a homogeneous culture known as Chileanidad. The region is co-governed by a presidential regional delegate and a popularly elected governor, with administration resting in a regional government and council of twenty members.

Did You Know?

• The region is named after Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, one of Chile's founding fathers.
• The El Teniente mine supplies 7.7% of Chile's copper production.
• The agricultural sector accounts for 30.1% of the region's GDP.
• One out of every four hectares of fruit orchards in Chile is in the O'Higgins Region.
• The region is known as the 'huaso province,' reflecting its cowboy culture.

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