La Unión, Dairy production center in Los Ríos Region, Chile
La Unión is a city in the Los Ríos Region of southern Chile, located between farming lands and forested mountains toward the west. The municipal area includes Alerce Costero National Park in its western section, featuring protected native forest.
The town was founded in 1821 during Bernardo O'Higgins' administration to maintain control over the Central Valley territories south of Valdivia. This founding was part of the early consolidation of Chilean authority in the southern region.
The name La Unión comes from where the Llollelhue and Radimadi rivers meet, and in the Mapudungun language it can also mean Spirit Union. The town was named to reflect this natural joining of waters.
When visiting, note that the location is rural in character but well connected to nearby larger cities. Access to the national park in the west is best managed with your own transport or through local guides.
Until 2001, the town served as a residential base for workers of the Catamutún coal mines, which shaped the area's early industrial character. After these mines closed, the local economy gradually shifted toward farming and forestry activities.
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