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Overview

Economy
It is possible to be identified at least six economic branches, each one of which contributes more of 10% to the regional product. The Region contributes with 9,5% to the national GIP. The manufacturing industry is the most important sector (20% of the GIP), follow transport and communications, as well as commerce (with 15% and 12% respectively).

Mining
The mining industry is very important in the Region, standing out, in the first place, the copper deposit "Andean Division", that has 25% of the total of the copper reserves of Codelco Chile. This is located in The Andes at 3,800 meters height, in the province of Los Andes, where the mines Andean and South - South are located. Hier is where Windows are fabricated, copper is also exported as a liquid concentrate. In the province of Quillota, there are great limestone deposits, hier is also located the local cement industry.

Industry
The Region offers advantages for the installation of great companies, reason why there are industrial complexes such as the Smelting and Refinery of Windows, these Compania Nacional de Mineri'a ENAMI have the main installation of copper refinement; the Petroleum Refinery of Con Con; the company "El Melon", cement producers; the Smelting Company "Fundicion Changres" and the automotive industry Peugeot-Renault.
There are also a set of agro-industrial companies, they prepare fruits and vegetables for the export (deposit of fruits, refrigerating and packings), as well as conserveras, congealed plants dehydrators, products, etc. There is, also an important set of fishing industries, they elaborate flour of fish and marine products

Tourism
There are Infrastructure for tourism, which is located in the coastal highway and cities and towns from Papudo, to Santo Domingo. Mainly in summer season.
In the Andean area, the Region has a center of winter sports, wellknown is a ski center, in the Andean locality of Portillo.
In the premountain range the Region has thermal centers, ' Banos del Corazón' and "Termas de Jahuel".
National parks, National Park La Campana, located in the commune of Olmué, province of Quillota.
In the province of Los Andes, the Sanctuary of Auco must stand out, with great affluence of faithfuls who venerate Santa Teresa de los Andes.

Climate of Aconcagua
With a climate of Mediterranean type. Rains are little, the winds of the Pacific Ocean are little frequent. The valley has a high luminosity. The cloudy days are little and the number of cleared days are between 240 and 300 in a year. The annual precipitation average is of 250mm, concentrated in winter. The months of November to April are considered dry. In Summer the temperature can go up to 32° C. the annual average temperature is 14,2ºC and the Maxima average reaches 30ºC in January. The daily thermal amplitude in summer fluctuates between 15 and 20ºC. In Winter it rains, it snows and temperature is arround 7° C.

Flora and fauna
In the Vegetation predominates the thorny scrub, because of the climate and the relief.
The National Park La Campana, located in the communes of Hijuelas and Olmué, in the Mountain range of the Coast, has a surface of 8,000 hectares. It has diverse vegetacionales associations, forest esclerófilo and the forest of Chilean Palms or Palmas de Ocoa.
From the superior course of the Aconcagua river to inferior course the vegetation is diverse. There are shrubs of xerófita, guayacán, chagual, hawthorn and the cinnamon. There are also vegetacional association like the forest esclerófilo and the always green forests of the bottom of the gorges and hill slopes. This vegetacional association is conformed mainly by peumos and boldos.
The fauna is made up of birds, like the perdices, quails and tórtolas. Also the smaller reptiles and mammals like the fox, quique, rodents and more than 30 endemic species, within the groups of amphibians, reptiles and birds.
The greater amount of birds, we found in the average course of the river, like the colonies of herons and gulls.

Water availability
the demand of water as much for irrigation, as for the industry, mining and the population, mainly surpasses the 500 million m3 per year, concentrating itself in the middle and inferior zone of the valley. The available resources come from the superficial channels and from underground waters. The main water source is the Aconcagua river, with affluents of the river Putaendo and the matting Catemu, Los Loros, Lo Campo, Los Litres, Rabuco, Limache and Melon. The underground waters, come from six water-bearing located throughout the valley. The available volumes of water allow to establish, that with a reasonable use of them and combining the resources of Petorca and Ligua Valleys the demand of water would be totally satisfied.

Hydrography
It has more than 35 summits (1200 to 6110 meters of altitude above sea level), giving origin to an innumerable amount of "quebradas" through them run more than 20 matting, they drain his crystalline waters in 4 lagoons and 8 rivers, these water irrigates five valleys and cross seven cordilleranos drawers as well.
The regional hydrography is constituted by the hydrographic hole of the Aconcagua River and its tributary ones, that covers a surface of 7,640 Km2 (46.6% of the regional surface). This river has a length of 190 km and keep following. It flows from the Southeastern to northwest. It is the main axis of the agricultural activity of the region.

Water Quality
One of the main environmental problems of the region is the contamination in the Aconcagua river, since this constitutes the main source of hydric resource in the region. The polluting agents come from the domestic, agricultural and industrial activity that is developed in the surroundings. The unloading of riles, increases the industrial and mining contamination that directly affects the Aconcagua river. The provinces that present greater amount of contaminated hectares by served waters are San Felipe, Quillota and Los Andes.

Grounds in danger
Product of intense precipitations and the extraction of the vegetal layer, the slopes of the valley have erosion processes. This is a loss of ground and risk for the community. The zone in addition is damaged by the increasing activity of extraction of barren of the channel of the river. Another factor of deterioration of the ground, constitutes waters with polluting agents who are used for irrigation.

Aconcagua River
The Aconcagua river is born in the Mountain range of The Andes, in the confluence of the rivers Juncal and Blanco. The hole of the river extends from 32º South 14` and 70º 00 - 71º 31` the west. The river crosses 214 km from east to west, from the Juncal river to its opening in the bay of Concón. In his middle course, flows in a tributary from the Pocuro matting and of the Putaendo river, which has a 1192 km2 river basin and one length of 82 km. The maximum volumen of water flowing in one second is observed in the Matting San Francisco and it is 0.938 m3/s. And minimum it is in the Catemu station, with an annual average of 0.004 m3/s.Environment

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