| Mayor: Arturo Pineda Rivera | Surface Area: 992,9 Km² |
| Population Density: 23,8 inhabitants/Km² |
| Population (1992 census): 23.643 inhabitants | Urban Population: 14.181 inhabitants | Rural Population: 9.462 inhabitants |
Around 1897 Loncoche, (which means ‘important man’s head’ in the indigenous language) began to boom due to the arrival of a group of people dedicated to the timber industry.
Due to the great importance of the timber industry, there was a high demand for physical land and progress was evident. Through a supreme decree on 22 September, 1900 the highway towns of Loncoche and Lefcahuello (situated in the pampas), were founded and were assigned to the department of Valdivia.
11 years later, the area’s inhabitants formed a petition and on 22 May, 1911 the comunas (countys) of Gorbea and Loncoche were created.
In 1902 major engineering construction work began on the Pitrufquén to Loncoche railway line and included a tunnel between Afquintue and Loncoche, 400 metres long, 6.40 metres high and 5 metres wide.
Since its founding Loncoche it has always been a work town and emerged to become the most progressive comuna of the Cautín Province and the Araucanía Region. Today, it is the location of some of the region’s most important industries, such as the Sociedad Agrícola y Lechera de Loncoche S.A (Agriculture and Dairy Society of Loncoche). It is also the centre of the timber industry (principally pine). Wooden and prefabricated houses of all types are made here, as well as furniture, which is currently exported to a number of foreign markets.
For some time, Loncoche has been seen as the the passage the country’s north via the Cuesta Lastarria By Pass, which gave origin to a new and quick route between Loncoche and Gorbea.
Due to its geographical location, equidistant between Temuco and Valdivia, Loncoche enjoys an independent life, relying upon very good infrastructure routes and a railway line.