Territorial inequalities in Chilean coastal caletas: A composite index approach

In Chile, 474 artisanal fishing villages ( caletas ) face marked territorial inequalities. Recent social and environmental transformations have modified their development conditions. This study generates an inequality map using the Sustainable Development Index for Caletas (SDIC), a tool designed to prioritize public policy interventions. The SDIC integrates four main dimensions: territorial infrastructure, social conditions, economic conditions, and environmental considerations. Indicator weights are calculated using entropy and subsequently discretized to facilitate analysis. We analyze the distributions of dimensions and perform thematic mapping and local spatial autocorrelation analysis to identify territorial patterns, using publicly available data. Results reveal that 62% of caletas exhibit low or medium-low development, concentrated in the northern and southern zones. Spatial clusters of high development were identified in urban areas, while rural zones, especially Chiloé, show concentrations of low development. The largest gaps are observed in infrastructure and economic capacity, evidencing the need for differentiated interventions according to specific territorial contexts.