Valdivia is a city and commune located in southern Chile, administered by the Municipality of Valdivia. It is situated at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia, and Cau-Cau Rivers, approximately 15 km east of the coastal towns of Corral and Niebla. The city was named in honor of its founder, Pedro de Valdivia.
Since October 2007, Valdivia has served as the capital of both the Los Ríos Region and the Valdivia Province. According to the 2025 national census, the commune has a population of 110,980 inhabitants, with 150,048 residents living within the city limits.
The local economy is primarily driven by tourism, wood pulp manufacturing, forestry, metallurgy, and beer production. The city also serves as an important academic and judicial hub, housing the Austral University of Chile, the Centro de Estudios Científicos, and one of the three environmental courts in Chile.