| Official Name: | Puerto Octay |
| Settlement Type: | Town and Commune |
| Map Alt: | Location of Puerto Octay commune in Los Lagos Region |
| Pushpin Map Narrow: | yes |
| Pushpin Map: | Chile |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 150 |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location in Chile |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Chile |
| Coordinates: | -40.9667°N -126°W |
| Coor Pinpoint: | town |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Chile |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Los Lagos |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Osorno |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 22 December 1891 |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Government Type: | Municipality |
| Leader Party: | Independent |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Gerardo Gunckel |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 1795.7 |
| Population Total: | 10236 |
| Population As Of: | 2002 Census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Urban |
| Population Blank1: | 3403 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Rural |
| Population Blank2: | 6833 |
| Demographics Type1: | Sex |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Men |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 5,391 |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Women |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 4,845 |
| Website: | Municipality of Puerto Octay |
| Timezone: | CLT[3] |
| Utc Offset: | -4 |
| Timezone Dst: | CLST[4] |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -3 |
| Area Code: | 56 + 64 |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | Cfb |
Puerto Octay is a town and commune in Osorno Province located on the north shore of Llanquihue Lake in Los Lagos Region in the south of Chile. It was settled by German colonists in 1852. Puerto Octay was an important port with regular traffic to Puerto Varas before the railway opened in 1912.
Its origin dates back to the German colonization in 1852 driven by Bernhard Philippi. Years later it became one of the major ports on Lake Llanquihue. On 22 December 1891 the municipality was established, under the Presidency of the Republic Jorge Montt.[5]
See also: German colonization of Valdivia, Osorno and Llanquihue. Puerto Octay currently has a rich and varied architecture, mostly built of wood, which is the historical reflection of the colonization process, driven by the State of Chile in the mid-nineteenth century, with families coming from Germany.
Some prominent buildings are the House Niklitschek, Hotel Haase, Wulf House, the current Colegio San Vicente de Paul and Werner House. What is extraordinary about this city is that despite the lapse of more than 100 years, it is still possible to assess this type of buildings.
In order to preserve this architectural heritage, Puerto Octay is currently in the process of being declared a Typical Zone. This will identify a representative area of identity and history, which will be legally protected by the State of Chile.
Birds: thrush, dove, parrot, rooster from the mountain (extinct), kestrel, heron, sparrows, swallows.
Mammals: cougar, nutria, among others.
Fish: salmon native (locally extinct), mackerel, trout.
Referring to tourism in the district lake, Lake Llanquihue has beautiful beaches for vacations, fishing and water sports. The most notable include Rupanco Islet, La Baja, Puerto Maitén and Fonck.
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Puerto Octay spans an area of 1795.7sqkm and has 10,236 inhabitants (5,391 men and 4,845 women). Of these, 3,403 (33.2%) lived in urban areas and 6,833 (66.8%) in rural areas. The population fell by 7.4% (815 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[2]
As a commune, Puerto Octay is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years.[1]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Puerto Octay is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Fidel Espinoza (PS) and Carlos Recondo (UDI) as part of the 56th electoral district, together with Puyehue, Río Negro, Purranque, Fresia, Frutillar, Llanquihue, Puerto Varas and Los Muermos. The commune is represented in the Senate by Camilo Escalona Medina (PS) and Carlos Kuschel Silva (RN) as part of the 17th senatorial constituency (Los Lagos Region).