Rawson is a department in the province of Chubut, Argentina. With 3,922 km² of surface, it is the smallest department of the province. It limits to the north with the department of Viedma, to the west with that of Gaiman, to the south with that of, and to the east with the Atlantic Ocean. At the same time it is the second most populated department of the province. The largest and most important city is Trelew and the second is Rawson. It is crossed by the Chubut River, in whose valley sits almost all its population. The law that determined the political division of the province, in 1955 also established the limits of the district.
In turn, it is the second most populated department and the department with the highest population density in the province. In this department, as well as Gaiman and Biedma, they have a large community of Welsh origin.