The new community of High Bio Bio

The town of High Bio Bio that was segregated from the present town of St. Barbara, located in the southeast area of ​​the region and the border with Argentina. Has an area of ​​3 000 379.5 square kilometers (the largest in the region of Bio Bio), representing 22.4% of the territory of the province of Bio Bio.

Its population is 20.293 inhabitants, corresponding to 5.8% of the population of that province, intercensal a growth of 17.6%, the largest of the jurisdictional area.

Back in the 80s there was a request to create the town of High Bio Bio, which is not subsequently made. This was based on the fact that the town of St. Barbara had two very different realities from cultural perspectives and productive, considering that its eastern part is occupied by a group of communities pehuenches, with marked social deprivation and serious problems of integration to development.

In turn, the western sector is inhabited by non-indigenous population, with a very different level of development and with an agricultural and livestock-intensive features, integrated into the country's central valley.

With the same arguments, the proposal was again raised at the beginning of the decade of the 90's by former Congressman Octavio Jara Wolf and later by the provincial governor Juan Carlos Coronata.

The town of High Bio Bio has an approximate area of ​​2.100 km2 and is the largest in the province, leaving the town of St. Barbara with a remaining area 260 thousand km2. For the population, High Bio Bio would have an estimated total of 6,300 inhabitants, St. Barbara turn 14,000.

The commune has a basic equipment such as schools, general practice, health centers, police, headquarters of the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), National Indigenous Development Corporation (CONADI) and Supply Company Isolated Areas (Emaza). It is also a modern high school.

The creation of this commune was part of a commitment by the Government of Chile in the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the OAS in the framework of the intervention in the dispute raised in connection with the construction of the Ralco dam.

Executive's decision reflects the need to periodically adjust the territorial structure of the country demographic dynamism, growth in economic activity and meeting the demands of the community, using technical criteria to ensure the viability of the new community as a territorial unit .