The acting national director of the National Statistics Institute, Daniela Moraga Farías, presented the 2026 Participatory Public Report on Tuesday, 28 July. During the event, she outlined the main results of INE’s institutional performance, the progress made during the last period, and the challenges that will shape INE’s work in the coming years.

The Aging of the Population

In January 2026, INE published population estimates and projections for the entire country that were based on the 2024 Population and Housing Census and disaggregated by sex and age. The main findings are that INE expects Chile’s population to reach 20,150,948 in 2026. Furthermore, natural growth (the difference between births and deaths) is projected to be negative starting in 2028, and the population is projected to peak at 20.6 million in 2035 and begin a gradual decline in 2036, reaching approximately 17 million by 2070. By 2070, half of the country’s population will be aged 60 or over, whereas in 1992, only 9.7% fell into this age bracket.

Vital Statistics

In May 2026, INE published “Demographic Overview of Chile, according to Vital Statistics Data on Births and Deaths”, 2023–2025 (provisional). This report noted that between 1993 and 2025, births decreased by 46.9%, while deaths increased by 65.8%, reflecting a sustained process of population aging. In 2025, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) fell below one child per woman (0.99) for the first time, which places Chile among the countries with the lowest fertility rates in the world.

Next steps for population and housing statistics

In the second half of this year, INE will release new versions of the Geographical Viewer for Census Results and the Neighborhood Units Platform (Dato Vecino). In addition, it will publish regional population projections, prepare commune-level projections for 2027, and conduct new analyses using census data, such as the study on commuting to work.

Household Budget Survey

In September 2026, data collection for the 10th Household Budget Survey (HBS) will begin. This process will run through August 2027, and the results will serve as the primary source for updating the CPI basket and weights. The HBS will cover 22,600 dwellings in regional capitals and their major metropolitan areas, and its results will be published in 2028.

Modernization of main products

During 2025 and 2026, the CPI consolidated the use of scanner data, which accounts for nearly 30% of monthly price observations, and INE plans to expand this and other innovative sources. In addition, the start of the 10th HBS marks the beginning of the process to change the CPI base year (2028=100).

In July 2026, the National Employment Survey incorporated an experimental component in order to measure qualification mismatches by educational level, and it updated the ISCED 2011 classification, thereby strengthening the analysis of the Chilean labour market.

INE announced its use of a new indicator, the Unit Value Index of Imported Goods in the Manufacturing Industry (IVUBIM), which will replace the Import Price Index for the Manufacturing Industry (IPIIM) effective July 2026. The new indicator incorporates an updated methodology, and it is based on administrative records from the National Customs Service.

Collaboration with Other Public Agencies

The director highlighted INE’s collaboration with other institutions for the 8th Microenterprise Survey, which was conducted in collaboration with the Undersecretariat of Economy and Small Businesses; and the National Urban Survey on Public Safety (ENUSC), which was conducted with the Undersecretariat for Crime Prevention. In addition, INE participated in the modernization of intercensal agricultural surveys through the implementation of the National Agricultural Survey (ENA), which was carried out in collaboration with ODEPA.

Future Challenges: Establishing a Framework for Multi-Source Statistics

In 2025 and 2026, INE strengthened the statistical infrastructure that supports the production of multi-source statistics. As part of this effort, INE updated its Statistical Population Register and developed the first Register of Establishments (with nearly two million georeferenced units) under the framework of the Statistical Register of Economic Units. INE also consolidated the Institutional Data Platform (with more than 80 integrated series) and completed the implementation of the data lake through technical cooperation with Mexico’s INEGI.

During the second half of 2026, the first version of Business Demographic Indicators will be published, and it was announced that the upcoming 2026 Structural Survey of Wages and Labour Costs (EERCL) would be compiled using administrative records exclusively.

Director Moraga concluded by highlighting the challenges for 2026–2030: updating statistical products, modernizing data dissemination and user access, strengthening the technological infrastructure with advanced analytics and artificial intelligence, and maintaining high quality standards to advance the National Statistical System.

2026 Participatory Public Report