| Official Name: | Melipueco |
| Settlement Type: | Town and Commune |
| Flag Alt: | Flag |
| Shield Alt: | Coat of arms |
| Map Alt: | Map of Melipeuco commune in the Araucania Region |
| Pushpin Map: | Chile |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Chile |
| Pushpin Map Narrow: | 1 |
| Coor Pinpoint: | city |
| Coordinates: | -38.85°N -113°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Chile |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Araucanía |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Cautín |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] [2] |
| Government Type: | Municipality |
| Leader Title: | Alcalde |
| Leader Party: | UDI |
| Leader Name: | Eduardo Navarrete Fuentes |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Footnotes: | [3] |
| Area Total Km2: | 1107.3 |
| Elevation M: | 461 |
| Population Total: | 5590 |
| Population As Of: | 2012 Census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Urban |
| Population Blank1: | 2333 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Rural |
| Population Blank2: | 3295 |
| Demographics Type1: | Sex |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Men |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 2,906 |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Women |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 2,722 |
| Timezone: | CLT[4] |
| Utc Offset: | -4 |
| Timezone Dst: | CLST[5] |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -3 |
| Area Code: | country 56 + city 45 |
Melipeuco (pronounced as /es/) is a town and commune (Spanish; Castilian: comuna) in Chile, located at the foot of the Andes, in the Province of Cautín, Araucanía Region. Melipeuco is 12km (07miles) from the southern entrance of the Conguillío National Park. The Nevados de Sollipulli, an ice-filled volcanic caldera surrounded by numerous hot water springs and geysers, lie south of the town. Lake Carilafquén is also located in this area. At the edge of the Nevados de Sollipulli, at the Alpehue intersection 33km (21miles) away, there are several hot springs with water from 40C70C, even in the middle of glacier blocks.
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Melipeuco spans an area of 1107.3sqkm and has 5,628 inhabitants (2,908 men and 2,720 women). Of these, 2,333 (41.5%) lived in urban areas and 3,295 (58.5%) in rural areas. The population grew by 5.9% (315 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[3]
As a commune, Melipeuco is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Eduardo Navarrete Fuentes (UDI).[1] [2]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Melipeuco is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Enrique Estay (UDI) and Fuad Chahín (PDC) as part of the 49th electoral district, together with Victoria, Curacautín, Lonquimay, Vilcún, Lautaro, Perquenco and Galvarino. The commune is represented in the Senate by Alberto Espina Otero (RN) and Jaime Quintana Leal (PPD) as part of the 14th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-North).