Agricultural activity
In the horticultural sector, this region is the third national producer, after the regions of Biobío and Maule, standing out legumes and potatoes. The latter, during the 205-2006 season, increased the planted surface in a 15%, in other words, in about 2.400 hectares.
Another entry of great development is cereals, being wheat its main crop. After, are oats and barley.
At the industrial area, stands out the crop growing of hops and raps. The latter production nears a 100%, of the planted surfaces as well as of the national production.
The fruit sector outstands for its apples, berries (raspberry, cranberry and strawberry) and cherries, which are all mainly export bound.
The cattle sector
In this sector, outstands the bovine existence which is destined to milk production and its by products) butter, cheese and yogurt). Thus, in milk production numbers, the Araucanía is situated second after the Region of the Lagos.
Also, stands out the pork existence, which is incorporated to the regional corned beef industry. The most sold products are long pork sausage, bologna sausage, pâté and rolled pork.
Forest sector
The forestry activity has shown an important increase in the last decades, especially in the Malleco province, situating the region (since 2000) in the second place at national level, after the Biobío, in the number of planted hectares.
According to Conaf, there are in this region, 910.000 hectares of native forest and 363.000 forest plantations (industrial).
Regarding the latter, the main species are Pine (Pinus radiate) with 218.029 hectares. Eucalyptus globulus with 94.527 hectares and Eucalyptus nitens with 42.496 hectares.
These surfaces yield raw material for cellulose plants that are in other regions and for furniture manufacturing.
Human geography
According to the 2002 Census, 588.408 persons live at urban zones and 281.127 at rural areas. Regarding the region’s gender composition, the data pointed out that the 50, 5% (438.837) of the population are women and the 49, 5% 8430.698) are men.
In the inter censual period, the housing area had an increase of 34, 2%. This figure is situated above the national average, which reached a 30, 6%, situating it in the fifth place among the regions that grew most in this issue.
In the educational environments, according to 2007 INE reports, this region’s instructional level is one of the lowest of the country, due to the fact that most of the population (46,6%) has received only basic education. Besides, is the zone in which a major average of persons has never received instruction whatsoever (4, 8%) or has received only a pre basic instruction (4, 7%).
