Pucón, Chile

Pucón
City and Commune
View of Pucón along Lincoyán street and Villarrica Lake
Flag Coat of arms Map of Pucón commune in the Araucanía Region Pucón Location in Chile
Coordinates: 39°16′36″S 71°58′28″W / 39.27667°S 71.97444°W / -39.27667; -71.97444Coordinates: 39°16′36″S 71°58′28″W / 39.27667°S 71.97444°W / -39.27667; -71.97444
Country	Chile
Region	Araucanía
Province	Cautín
Foundation	February 27, 1883
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Alcalde	Carlos Barra Matamala
Area
• City and Commune	1,248.5 km2 (482.0 sq mi)
Elevation	227 m (745 ft)
Population (2012 Census)
• City and Commune	22,081
• Density	18/km2 (46/sq mi)
• Urban	13,837
• Rural	7,270
Sex
• Men	10,705
• Women	10,402
Time zone	CLT (UTC−4)
• Summer (DST)	CLST (UTC−3)
Area code(s)	country 56 + city 45
Website	www.municipalidadpucon.cl (in Spanish)

Pucón (Mapudungun: "entrance to the cordillera") is a Chilean city and commune administered by the municipality of Pucón. It is located in the Province of Cautín, Araucanía Region, 100 km to the southeast of Temuco and 780 km to the south of Santiago. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Villarrica, and Villarrica volcano is located roughly 17 km to the south.

Pucón's location by a lake and volcano, along with its relatively stable climate, especially in summer, make it a popular destination for tourists. It offers a variety of sports and adventure/recreational activities for tourists, including water skiing, snow skiing, backpacking, white water rafting and kayaking, horse back riding, natural hot springs, zip line rides, skydiving and guided ascents of Villarrica volcano.

Pucón was established in 1883 as a fort in the aftermath of the Occupation of Araucanía when the Chilean state subdued the native population of Araucanía Region. It was a strategically advantageous spot because of its location at entrance of the Trancura Valley, where the Argentinean army had once pursued a group of Mapuches through Mamuil Malal Pass during the Conquest of the Desert.