# Vicuña Commune, Elqui Province, Coquimbo Region – Population

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/chile/coquimbo/elqui/vicuna/

Commune · Elqui Province 

# Vicuña

Vicuña is a commune of Chile in Elqui Province, Coquimbo Region. It had an estimated **30,187 people** in 2022 on 7,577 km² (about 4.0 per km²). 83 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 176 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.

- 30,187people (2022)
- 7,577km²
- 176mapped services
- 988 mtypical elevation

## How many people live in Vicuña?

Vicuña had an estimated **30,187 people** in 2022 — 5.2% of Elqui Province, 132nd of 345 communes. There are 1,031 women for every 1,000 men (below the Elqui Province figure of 1,048). Spread over 7,577 km², that is about **4.0 people per km²**, 295th of 345 communes.

20.2% of people are children under 15 and 14.5% are 65 or older; the median age is about 37 years (it is 35 across Elqui Province). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 53 children and older people.

0–4 ****1,709**

5–9 ****2,181**

10–14 ****2,217**

15–19 ****1,891**

20–24 ****1,855**

25–29 ****2,124**

30–34 ****2,273**

35–39 ****2,018**

40–44 ****2,037**

45–49 ****2,037**

50–54 ****2,008**

55–59 ****1,856**

60–64 ****1,598**

65–69 ****1,359**

70–74 ****1,082**

75–79 ****832**

80+ ****1,110**

Source: [UNFPA and Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas de Chile (INE) via OCHA HDX, population 2022 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-chl).

## Where is Vicuña?

Vicuña lies in [Elqui Province](https://wherepedia.org/chile/coquimbo/elqui/), [Coquimbo Region](https://wherepedia.org/chile/coquimbo/), [Chile](https://wherepedia.org/chile/). It borders 6 other communes: [Alto del Carmen](https://wherepedia.org/chile/atacama/huasco/alto-del-carmen/), [Andacollo](https://wherepedia.org/chile/coquimbo/elqui/andacollo/), [La Higuera](https://wherepedia.org/chile/coquimbo/elqui/la-higuera/), [La Serena](https://wherepedia.org/chile/coquimbo/elqui/la-serena/), [Paihuano](https://wherepedia.org/chile/coquimbo/elqui/paihuano/) and [Río Hurtado](https://wherepedia.org/chile/coquimbo/limari/rio-hurtado/). By area it is the 24th largest of 345 communes in Chile. It covers 44.3% of [Elqui Province](https://wherepedia.org/chile/coquimbo/elqui/). The centre of Vicuña is about 399 km in a straight line from Santiago, the capital. It is about 79 km from La Serena, the main town of Elqui Province. The centre point is at 29.8767° S, 70.4357° W.

Source: [La Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile (BCN) via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-chl).

## Things to see in and around Vicuña

OpenStreetMap lists 19 named sights in Vicuña: 7 museums; 6 attractions; 3 viewpoints; 3 memorials.

- Museo Entomológico y de Historia Natural · museum
- Museo Estación Gualliguaica · museum
- Museo Gabriela Mistral · museum
- Museo Histórico del Elqui · museum
- Museo de Arte Sacro · museum
- Museo del Pisco Capel · museum
- Museo del Recuerdo Upasol · museum
- Embalse Puclaro · viewpoint
- Mirador El Pangue · viewpoint
- Mirador Tres Cruces · viewpoint
- Aldea Elquina · attraction
- Centro Turístico Capel · attraction
- Gabriela Mistral International Dark Skies Sanctuary · attraction
- Observatorio Cerro Mamalluca · attraction
- Pisquera AbA Oficial · attraction
- Torre Bauer · attraction
- Caicai Vilú · memorial
- Estatua Diaguita · memorial
- Monumento Gabriela Mistral · memorial

### Nearby, outside Vicuña

- Monumento Natural Tres Cruces · nature reserve, Paihuano15 km
- Mirador del Quebrada · viewpoint, Paihuano18 km
- Mirador de Las Estrellas · viewpoint, Paihuano18 km

Source: [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: Vicuña

- Time zoneUTC−3 (summer UTC−4) · America/Santiago
- CurrencyPeso (CLP)
- Country calling code+56
- LanguagesSpanish
- Plug typesType C, L · 220 V
- Driving sideRight
- Postcode format7 digits (#######)

### Nearest airports

- La Florida Airport (LSC) · La Serena-Coquimbo74 km
- Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Airport (UAQ) · San Juan270 km

### Daylight

Days are longest in Dec (about 14.0 hours, sunrise around 06:35) and shortest in Jun (about 10.2 hours, sunrise around 08:34, sunset around 18:48).

Source: [GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.geonames.org/); [Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03](https://www.wikidata.org/); [OurAirports (public domain)](https://ourairports.com/data/).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Villages and localities in Vicuña

Open gazetteers list **83 villages, towns and localities** in Vicuña. The largest with a recorded population: Vicuña (27,771). Settlements here lie between about 325 m and 4,123 m above sea level (median 988 m).

- Aguas del Volcán
- Algarrobo
- Almendral
- Andacollito
- Asentamiento
- Balada
- Balala
- Cabrito
- Caliche
- Calingasta
- Callejón Cuatro Esquinas
- Cancha de Esquí
- Chapilca
- Cortadera
- Damascal
- Diaguita
- Diaguitas
- Dos Pinos
- El Arenal
- El Cebollín
- El Chañar
- El Durazno
- El Empalme
- El Molle
- El Morro
- El Pangue
- El Peral
- El Porotal
- El Tambo
- Gualliguaica
- Guanta
- Hierro Viejo
- Huancara
- Inía
- La Calera
- La Calera Baja
- La Campana
- La Compañía
- La Lechuza
- La Polvareda
- La Puntilla
- La Troya
- La Viñita
- Las Cañas
- Las Juntas
- Las Mercedes
- Las Papas
- Llanos de Guanta
- Los Cuartitos
- Los Linderos
- Los Quemados
- Lourdes
- Mamalluca
- Marquesa
- Matancilla
- Miraflores
- Nueva Talcuna
- Pablo Neruda
- Pangue
- Peralillo
- Peralillo Oriente
- Población Estación
- Población Gabriela Mistral
- Población Nueva El Molle
- Población O'Higgins
- Polla Alta
- Posesión
- Pullaye
- Quebrada San Carlos
- Quintas del Valle
- Rivadavia
- San Carlos
- San Isidro
- Totoralillo
- Trancas
- Varillar
- Vicuña
- Villa El Arrayán
- Villa Francisco Romero Alquinta
- Villa Puclaro
- Villaseca
- Viñita Alta
- Yumbe

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/); [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

## Landscape and landmarks of Vicuña

Named natural and historic features inside Vicuña, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

60 rivers and streams; 1 reservoir or tank; 1 lake.

- Cruzada
- Embalse La Laguna
- Estero El Empalme
- Estero Matancilla
- Estero Negro
- Estero Punilla
- Estero de Guanta
- Estero de Pucalume
- Estero de los Tilos
- Pastos Buenos
- Puclaro Dam
- Quebrada Balala
- Quebrada Calabozo
- Quebrada Carricitos
- Quebrada Cementerio
- Quebrada Chiquero
- Quebrada Difunto
- Quebrada El Arrayán
- Quebrada El Espantajo
- Quebrada Elquina
- Quebrada Grande
- Quebrada Guachacán
- Quebrada Hipólito
- Quebrada Hormiga

…and 38 more.

### Hills and mountains

65 mountains; 11 mountain passes; 5 hills; 1 peak.

- Cerro Doña Ana · 5,551 m
- Cerro Escabroso · 5,369 m
- Cerro de Tapado · 5,321 m
- Cumbre Nevada · 4,995 m
- Cerro de la Laguna · 4,832 m
- Cerro Herrera · 4,830 m
- Cerro Colorado · 4,791 m
- Paso de la Deidad · 4,773 m
- Cerro del Medio · 4,728 m
- Cerro Ingaguas · 4,722 m
- Cerro Canto · 4,626 m
- Cerro El Pidén · 4,618 m
- Paso de la Lagunita · 4,596 m
- Cerro La Campana · 4,560 m
- Cerro Cementerio · 4,498 m
- Paso de los Bañitos · 4,476 m
- Cerro El Azufre · 4,468 m
- Cerro El Tallo · 4,344 m
- Cerro de Hipólito · 4,336 m
- Cerro de Incaguasi · 4,333 m
- Cerro La Despensa · 4,312 m
- Cerro Quebrada Seca · 4,307 m
- Cerro Colorado · 4,288 m
- Infiernillo · 4,267 m

…and 58 more.

### Getting around

3 airfields; 1 airport; 1 railway station.

- Aeródromo Huancara
- Aeródromo Miraflores
- El Durazno
- Vicuna
- Vicuña Airport

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in Vicuña and the best time to visit

Using the climate of Elqui Province, the warmest month is Jan (average 15 °C) and the coolest is Jul (4 °C), after allowing for this place being about 487 m higher than the climate reference point (about 6.5 °C per 1,000 m). About 84 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Jun (21 mm) and the driest Apr (2 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **November to April**.

- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec

Month Average °C Rain mm 

Jan 15 2 

Feb 14 3 

Mar 13 2 

Apr 10 2 

May 7 16 

Jun 5 21 

Jul 4 19 

Aug 5 12 

Sep 7 3 

Oct 9 3 

Nov 12 2 

Dec 14 2 

Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/).

## Nearest hospital, bank and fuel from Vicuña

Need Nearest mapped Distance 

Hospital Hospital De Paihuano · Paihuano 18 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-30.02530&mlon=-70.51770#map=17/-30.02530/-70.51770) 

Bank ATM Banco Estado · Vicuña 32 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-30.03463&mlon=-70.71269#map=17/-30.03463/-70.71269) 

ATM Banco de Chile · Paihuano 28 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-30.12350&mlon=-70.49270#map=17/-30.12350/-70.49270) 

Petrol pump Petrobras · Vicuña 17 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-29.98077&mlon=-70.56261#map=17/-29.98077/-70.56261) 

Hotel El Oasis de Huanto · Vicuña 5.5 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-29.84620&mlon=-70.39123#map=17/-29.84620/-70.39123) 

School Escuela de Huanta · Vicuña 5.6 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-29.84837&mlon=-70.38720#map=17/-29.84837/-70.38720) 

College Liceo Mistraliano Paihuano · Paihuano 19 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-30.02765&mlon=-70.51866#map=17/-30.02765/-70.51866) 

Police station TENENCIA Paihuano · Paihuano 19 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-30.02941&mlon=-70.51629#map=17/-30.02941/-70.51629) 

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Straight-line distance from the centre of the division, within 40 km.

## Hospitals, banks and other services in Vicuña

Places mapped inside Vicuña in open map data, by type.

- Hospitals4
- Banks2
- Petrol pumps3
- Hotels52
- Shopping malls1
- Schools32
- Pharmacies5
- Restaurants70
- Police stations4
- Dental clinics3

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Other communes in Elqui Province

- Andacollo
- Coquimbo
- La Higuera
- La Serena
- Paihuano

## Quick answers

- Where is Vicuña?In Elqui Province, Coquimbo Region, Chile
- What is the population of Vicuña?30,187 (2022 estimate)
- What is the median age in Vicuña?About 37 years (2022 estimate)
- What is the population density of Vicuña?About 4.0 people per km²
- What borders Vicuña?Alto del Carmen, Andacollo, La Higuera, La Serena, Paihuano and Río Hurtado
- What is there to see in Vicuña?Aldea Elquina, Caicai Vilú, Centro Turístico Capel, Embalse Puclaro
- What time zone is Vicuña in?UTC−3 (summer UTC−4)
- What currency is used in Vicuña?Peso (CLP)
- What language is spoken in Vicuña?Spanish (main languages nationally)
- How many villages are in Vicuña?83 named settlements (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap)
- What is the elevation of Vicuña?Settlements lie between 325 m and 4,123 m
- How many reservoirs and tanks are in Vicuña?1 named in GeoNames
- What is the highest point in Vicuña?Cerro Doña Ana (5,551 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit Vicuña?November to April
- Where is the nearest hospital to Vicuña?Hospital De Paihuano, about 18 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest bank to Vicuña?ATM Banco Estado, about 32 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest ATM to Vicuña?Banco de Chile, about 28 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest petrol pump to Vicuña?Petrobras, about 17 km from the centre
- How many hospitals are in Vicuña?4 mapped
- How many banks are in Vicuña?2 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in Vicuña?3 mapped
- What is the P-code of Vicuña?CL04106 (OCHA common operational dataset)