Carrying capacity states

The carrying capacity for Rapa Nui is measured via statistical modeling that determines the population that the special territory of Rapa Nui can sustain while safeguarding against negative impacts and considering sustainable development criteria.

The carrying capacity states are:

What is LATENCY?

Rapa Nui is currently in a state of Latency.

Latency is the intermediate state, between optimum and saturated, of Rapa Nui’s carrying capacity. Latency indicates that the normal levels for the indicators defined in the law have been exceeded. It is important that the community is familiar with the temporary effects that this state entails:

• Prohibition of new hires and new, private economic activities for those persons who entered as tourists or temporary visitors.
• Existing fixed-term contracts may not be renewed. Employees must leave the territory at the end of their contract (except under the exceptions established in the law). Upon termination of the labor relationship for any reason, the employer must pay for the ticket(s) for the employee and their family to go back to the place they came from.

Ascendants and adult children of some persons may not remain on the island for more than 30 days.

Parents and adult children of a spouse or civil or common-law partner of a member of the Rapa Nui people that enter after a state of latency has been declared may not remain on the island for more than 30 days (unless there is a dependency relationship).

Carrying Capacity Plan

Law No. 21,070 establishes the Rapa Nui Carrying Capacity Plan as the primary management instrument. The plan compiles all the actions and investments that the Public Service Ministry has promised to improve the current carrying capacity state on Rapa Nui.

The State of Chile and the Rapa Nui Carrying Capacity Management Advisory Board worked jointly and collaboratively to draft the first plan.

The plan is in place for 4 years and compliance with it is mandatory for all state services that are committed to initiatives in it.

The Carrying Capacity Management Plan (Plan de Gestión de la Capacidad de Carga Demográfica de Rapa Nui, PGCD) includes 112 initiatives related to:

• Improvements in management
• Implementation of new projects and actions
• Strengthening institutional capacity (human and physical resources)
• Improvements to actions currently underway (redirection, increase)
• Better resource allocation

The measures are distributed among the following focus areas: