The diocese covers an area of 25,000 sq. km. and has a population of 145,000, of whom 134,000 are Catholics; it comprises 20 parishes with 26 diocesan priests and 23 regular clergy, 2 male and 11 female religious communities (Ann. Pont., 1952, p. 330).
By the apostolic constitution *Summi Pontificatus* of Pope Pius XII, it was erected as a diocese on 19 April 1939, carved out of the diocese of San Carlos de Ancud, and the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was elevated to the dignity and title of cathedral.
BIBL.: AAS, 32 (1940), pp. 337-40.