| Official Name: | Paillaco |
| Settlement Type: | City and Commune |
| Map Alt: | Location of the Commune of Paillaco |
| Pushpin Map Narrow: | yes |
| Pushpin Map: | Chile |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 100 |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location in Chile |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Chile |
| Coordinates: | -40.0667°N -125°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Chile |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Los Rios |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Valdivia |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Government Type: | Municipality |
| Leader Title: | Alcalde |
| Leader Name: | Ramona Reyes |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 896.0 |
| Elevation M: | 68 |
| Population Total: | 19088 |
| Population As Of: | 2012 Census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Urban |
| Population Blank1: | 9973 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Rural |
| Population Blank2: | 9264 |
| Demographics Type1: | Sex |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Men |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 9,620 |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Women |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 9,617 |
| Timezone: | CLT |
| Utc Offset: | −4 |
| Timezone Dst: | CLST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −3 |
| Area Code: | 56 + 63 |
| Website: | Municipality of Paillaco |
Paillaco is a city and commune in southern Chile. It is located in Valdivia Province of Los Ríos Region, and is about 48 km southeast of Valdivia.
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Paillaco spans an area of 896sqkm and has 19,237 inhabitants (9,620 men and 9,617 women). Of these, 9,973 (51.8%) lived in urban areas and 9,264 (48.2%) in rural areas. The population grew by 6% (1,085 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[2]
As a commune, Paillaco 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 was Ramona Reyes. The council has the following members:[1]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Paillaco is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Enrique Jaramillo (PDC) and Gastón Von Mühlenbrock (UDI) as part of the 54th electoral district, together with Panguipulli, Los Lagos, Futrono, Lago Ranco, Río Bueno and La Unión. The commune is represented in the as part of the 16th senatorial constituency (Los Ríos Region).
Previously the area had a German school, Deutsche Schule Paillaco.[3]