Los Lagos is a region in southern Chile. The region's official name is X Región de Los Lagos. The area's indigenous inhabitants, the Mapuche and Huilliche, were never conquered by the Spanish empire and retained autonomy until their territory was annexed by the freshly-independent Republic of Chile during a series of brutal military campaigns between 1861 and 1883, known as the Occupation of Araucanía.
Population
~825,000
Capital
Puerto Montt
Area
~49,000 km²
Isla de Chiloé
Isla de Chiloé is the second largest island in Chile (after Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego) and the fifth largest in South America. The Spanish empire first explored the island in 1553 and the settlement of Castro was founded in 1567. During the Chilean war for independence, Chiloé was the Spanish empire's final stronghold, eventually falling to the republic in 1826 (eight years after Chile's declaration of independence). Today, Castro is the largest city on the island (population ~45,000) and famous for its colorful palafitos, traditional wooden stilt houses. A 2.4 km suspension bridge across Canal de Chacao will soon connect Chiloé with mainland Chile. The bridge has been financed by foreign corporations and is currently under construction.
Lago Llanquihue
Lago Llanquihue is Chile's second largest lake (after Aysén's Lago General Carrera) and located ~20 kilometers north of Puerto Montt, the region capital. In the 1850s, the area experienced a population surge as German immigrants settled on the lake's shore and surrounding villages. The lake is neighbored by Volcán Osorno and Volcán Calbuco, both active volcanos. The largest settlements on the lake's shore are: Puerto Varas, Llanquihue, Puerto Octay and Frutillar Bajo.
Huilliche
The Huilliche are the indigenous inhabitants of Los Lagos. Frequently grouped as part of the Mapuche people, both groups maintained autonomy beyond the frontier of European colonization until the mid-18th century, when Chile initiated its Occupation of Araucanía and Argentina began its Conquest of the Desert. The Huilliche language, along with Mapudungun (the primary language of the Mapuche), are the only two surviving indigenous languages of central-Chile.
Volcan Chaitén
In May 2008, Volcan Chaitén erupted for the first time in over 9,000 years. The eruption forced residents of nearby Chaitén (located ~10 km southwest of the volcano) to evacuate. Ash from the eruption spread across the continent, covering Futaleufú in a thick layer of ash.
Towns on the Bicycle Patagonia Tour
Futaleufú
Villa Santa Lucía
