| Official Name: | Los Andes |
| Settlement Type: | City and Commune |
| Flag Alt: | Flag |
| Shield Alt: | Coat of arms |
| Map Alt: | Map of Los Andes commune in the Valparaíso Region |
| Pushpin Map: | Chile |
| Pushpin Map Narrow: | yes |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location in Chile |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Chile |
| Coordinates: | -32.8333°N -107°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Chile |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Los Andes |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Government Type: | Municipality |
| Leader Title: | Alcalde |
| Leader Name: | Manuel Rivera Martínez |
| Established Title: | Santa Rosa de Los Andes |
| Established Date: | 31 July 1791 |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 1248.3 |
| Elevation M: | 819 |
| Population Total: | 63009 |
| Population As Of: | 2012 Census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Urban |
| Population Blank1: | 55388 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Rural |
| Population Blank2: | 4810 |
| Demographics Type1: | Sex |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Men |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 30,247 |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Women |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 29,951 |
| Timezone: | CLT[3] |
| Utc Offset: | -4 |
| Timezone Dst: | CLST[4] |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -3 |
| Area Code: | 56 + 34 |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | BSk |
| Website: | Official website |
Los Andes, founded on July 31, 1791 as Santa Rosa de Los Andes, is a Chilean city and commune located in the province of the same name, in Valparaíso Region ("Fifth Region" of Chile). It lies on the route between Santiago and Chile's primary border crossing with Argentina by way of the summit of the Uspallata Pass in the Andes mountain range.
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Los Andes spans an area of 1248.3sqkm and has 60,198 inhabitants (30,247 men and 29,951 women). Of these, 55,388 (92%) lived in urban areas and 4,810 (8%) in rural areas. The population grew by 21% (10,451 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[2]
As a municipality, Los Andes is a third-level administrative division of Chile governed by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008–2012 alcalde is Mauricio Navarro S.. The council has the following members:[1]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Los Andes is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Marco Antonio Núñez (PDC) and Gaspar Rivas (RN) as part of the 11th electoral district, together with San Esteban, Calle Larga, Rinconada, San Felipe, Putaendo, Santa María, Panquehue, Llaillay and Catemu. The commune is represented in the Senate by Ignacio Walker Prieto (PDC) and Lily Pérez San Martín (RN) as part of the 5th senatorial constituency (Valparaíso-Cordillera).
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 and ended with the 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]
Los Andes stands at the beginning of the now derelict metre gauge Transandine Railway, opened in 1910, which once ran to Mendoza in Argentina, providing a link between the broad gauge line from Valparaiso to Los Andes, operated by the Chilean State Railway, and the broad gauge line from Mendoza to Buenos Aires operated by the 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]