| Official Name: | Lonquimay |
| Settlement Type: | Town and Commune |
| Flag Alt: | Flag |
| Shield Alt: | Coat of arms |
| Map Alt: | Location of the Lonquimay commune in the Araucanía Region |
| Pushpin Map: | Chile |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Chile |
| Pushpin Map Narrow: | 1 |
| Coordinates: | -38.4333°N -85°W |
| Coor Pinpoint: | city |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Chile |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Araucanía |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Malleco |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] [2] |
| Government Type: | Municipality |
| Leader Title: | Alcalde |
| Leader Party: | PPD |
| Leader Name: | Guillermo Vásquez Veroiza |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Footnotes: | [3] |
| Area Total Km2: | 3914.2 |
| Population Total: | 9925 |
| Population As Of: | 2012 Census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Urban |
| Population Blank1: | 3435 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Rural |
| Population Blank2: | 6802 |
| Demographics Type1: | Sex |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Men |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 5,414 |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Women |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 4,823 |
| Timezone: | CLT[4] |
| Utc Offset: | -4 |
| Timezone Dst: | CLST[5] |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -3 |
| Elevation M: | 925 |
| Area Code: | 56 + 45 |
| Website: | Municipality of Lonquimay |
Lonquimay is a town and commune in the Malleco Province of southern Chile's Araucanía Region.
It is the terminus of an abandoned broad gauge railway project which supporters cited as the most practical railway route through the Andes to Argentina, but which lacks a link between Lonquimay and Zapala in Argentina; revival of the project was announced in 2005 and progress begun within Chile. The line includes Chile's longest tunnel measuring 45630NaN0.
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Lonquimay spans an area of 3914.2sqkm and has 10,237 inhabitants (5,414 men and 4,823 women). Of these, 3,435 (33.6%) lived in urban areas and 6,802 (66.4%) in rural areas. The population grew by 12.5% (1,138 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[3]
As a commune, Lonquimay 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 Guillermo Vásquez Veroiza (PPD).[1] [2]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Lonquimay 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, Melipeuco, 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).
See also: White Earthquake and July 2011 Chilean winter storm. Located in the Andes, at 900m (3,000feet) above sea level, Lonquimay has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb), with an average annual precipitation of 1990mm. Summers have warm days and chilly to cool nights. Winters are chilly and wetter, with heavy snowfall. This climate favors winter sports, and at the foot of the Lonquimay is The Corralco Mountain and Ski Resort.