Valdivia is a city and commune located in southern Chile within the Los Ríos Region. It serves as the capital of both the Los Ríos Region and Valdivia Province. The city is situated at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia, and Cau-Cau Rivers, positioned approximately 15 km east of the coastal towns of Corral and Niebla.
The city was named in honor of its founder, Pedro de Valdivia. According to the 2025 national census, the commune has a population of 110,980 inhabitants, with 150,048 residents living specifically within the city limits. The local economy is primarily driven by tourism, wood pulp manufacturing, forestry, metallurgy, and beer production.
Valdivia is also an important center for education and environmental governance. It hosts the Austral University of Chile, which was founded in 1954, as well as the Centro de Estudios Científicos. Additionally, the city is home to one of the three environmental courts in Chile.