According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Yerbas Buenas had a population of 16,134 (8,380 men and 7,754 women). Of these, 1,595 (9.9%) lived in urban areas (the town of Yerbas Buenas), and 14,539 (90.1%) lived in rural areas. The population grew 4.1% (634 persons) between the censuses of 1992 and 2002.[3]
Yerbas Buenas is a historical town with a cultural heritage and distinctive Spanish-style architecture. The town is a typical example of the preserved rural colonial architecture found sometimes in small towns and in large haciendas (estates) in Latin America. Whole streets are composed only of Spanish-style buildings from the colonial period, which is very rare in Chile.
Historical Museum
The Historical Museum of Yerbas Buenas is housed in a preserved, colonial building that is not only one of the oldest surviving in the town and province but also a silent witness of the dawn of Chile's independence. This was the house where the SpanishbrigadierAntonio Pareja, commander of the royalist army, stayed on the night of April 26, 1813, the eve of the first significant military encounter between the royalist and the patriot armies in the independence struggle of Chile. ColonelJuan de Dios Puga, commander of the patriot force, was killed in the battle as was one third of his army. This building became a National Historic Monument on August 22, 1984 and the sector of the town around the building has been declared a "Typical Zone" (Zona típica).
Administration
As a commune, Yerbas Buenas is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2024-2028 Mayor is Jonathan Norambuena (IND).The municipal council has the following members:[1][2]
