Santiago

Santiago
Santiago skyline.
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Santiago commune in Greater Santiago
Country	Chile
Region	Santiago Metropolitan Region
Province	Santiago Province
Foundation	February 12 1541
Government
• Mayor	Pablo Zalaquett Said (UDI)
Area
• Urban	641.4 km2 (247.6 sq mi)
• Metro	15,403.2 km2 (5,947.2 sq mi)
Elevation	520 m (1,706 ft)
Population  (2009)
• City	5,278,044
• Density	8,964/km2 (23,216/sq mi)
• Urban	6,676,745
• Metro	7,003,122
Time zone	UTC-4 (Chile Time (CLT))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-3 (Chile Summer Time (CLST))
Website	municipalidaddesantiago.cl

Santiago (Template:Audio-es), is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation (Greater Santiago). It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of 520 m (1,700 ft) AMSL. Although Santiago is the capital, legislative bodies meet in nearby Valparaíso.

Approximately two decades of uninterrupted economic growth have transformed Santiago into one of Latin America's most modern metropolitan areas, with extensive suburban development, dozens of shopping malls, and impressive high-rise architecture. The city has some of Latin America's most modern transportation infrastructure, such as the growing Santiago Metro (the metropolitan underground train system) and the new Costanera Norte, a toll-based highway system that passes below downtown and connects the Eastern and Western extremes of the city in a 25-minute drive. Santiago is headquarters to many important companies and is a regional financial center.

Usage note

Municipality of Santiago

Throughout this article the term Santiago will normally refer to the Greater Santiago area; however, there are several other entities which bear the name of Santiago and need to be explained: The commune (comuna) of Santiago (sometimes referred to as Santiago Centro), is a subdivision of the Santiago Province, which is itself a subdivision of the Santiago Metropolitan Region. Greater Santiago includes the majority of the Santiago Province, and some areas of neighboring provinces (see Political divisions). The Great Santiago inhabitants are called Santiaguinos/as. The commune of Santiago is administered by the Santiago municipality (Municipalidad de Santiago), a separate legal entity with an elected mayor and council. It encompasses the oldest part of Greater Santiago, enclosed by old rail lines, including downtown, historical neighborhoods and all major government infrastructure, including the government palace La Moneda. It has an area of 22.4 km² (8.6 sq mi) and a population of 200,792 (2002 census).

History

Founding of the city

1541 founding of Santiago

Santiago was founded by Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Valdivia on February 12, 1541 with the name Santiago del Nuevo Extremo, as a homage to Saint James and Extremadura, Valdivia's birth place in Spain. The founding ceremony was held on Huelén Hill (later renamed Cerro Santa Lucía). Valdivia chose the location of Santiago because of its climate, abundant vegetation and the ease with which it could be defended—the Mapocho River then split into two branches and rejoined further downstream, forming an island. The couriers from the Inca ruler Manco Cápac II forewarned Indigenous people had hidden their food and showed hostile to the occupiers. It was the Spanish invaders during the expected arrival of the food and hunger suffering they needed another 20 days until it Pedro de Valdivia succeeded skills with the people to negotiate and to coerce cooperation.

Santiago was founded on 12 February 1541 by Pedro de Valdivia, under the name "Santiago del Nuevo Extremo". In the same act, the environment of the province of Nueva Extremadura "collected. The ceremony took place on the hill Cerro Santa Lucia (by Picunche-natives "huelen referred to), which is now a park on the outskirts of the historic center. Valdivia chose the location because the river Mapocho here a larger island formed. This situation was favorable to the city against the attacks of the Mapuche to defend.

The floor of the new town consisted of straight roads of 12 Varas (14.35 m) width, in equal intervals of 138 Varas (165.08 m) or perpendicular to each other were. With nine roads in the east-west direction and 15 in the north-south direction, there were 126 Blocks that formed the so-called "Manzanas" or square cut.

Attempted destruction

The resistance of the indigenous population lived on soon and resulted in a series of further conflicts. On the September 11 of 1541 began an organised uprising of Picunche and Michimalongo-led attack on Santiago. Which lead a war of three years. At the time the Conquistadores were in a very precarious situation. Suffering from persistent food shortages and were in almost complete isolation from the rest of the world.

Pedro de Valdivia sent in January of 1542 an emissary, Alonso de Monroy, with five tabs to Peru to request help. After 20 harsh months for the Conquistadors, De Monroy, was back from Peru with a reinforcement goods. This stopped the isolated and demoralized situation of the soldiers in Santiago. The uprising ultimately failed and the indigenous population moved down South and the city remained city relatively safe.

Colonial Santiago

Map of Santiago at the beginning of the colonial eighteenth century. The South is located at the top of the image.

While James was on the verge of extinction by the Indian attack, an earthquake and a series of flood, the city began to settle rapidly. Of the 126 blocks designed by Gamboa, in 1558 and had been occupied forties, and in 1580, the full quote while the land near hosted tens of thousands of head of livestock. In the architectural field, they begin to build the first important buildings in the city, highlighting the start of construction in stone of the first Cathedral in 1561 and the Church of San Francisco in 1572, both being built mainly in Adobe and stone.

The bridge Calicanto on the River Mapocho was the main symbol of the city, after its opening in 1779.

In 1767, the corregidor Luis Manuel de Zañartu, began one of the major architectural works throughout the colonial period: the Bridge Calicanto, which helped unite efficiently the city with The Chimba (north of river) and the start of construction of the cutwater is to avoid the excesses of the Mapocho. Although the bridge was able to be built, the embankments were destroyed by the river constantly. In 1780, Governor Agustín de Jáuregui hired the Italian architect Toesca Joaquin, who designed, among other important works, the façade of the Cathedral, La Moneda Palace The design of the canal San Carlos and the final construction of embankments, the government of Ambrosio O'Higgins, where they finally opened in 1798. The government of O'Higgins also highlighted by the opening of the road to Valparaíso in 1791,

Independence

Battle of Maipú 1818

On 12 February 1817 was held in Colina, just north of Santiago, the Battle of Chacabuco. There Argentine and Chilean independence armies, led by José de San Martín and Bernardo O'Higgins fought the Spanish royalists. Chile subsequently proclaimed on the same day its independence.

During the authoritarian era of the so-called Republic (from 1830 to 1891) the school system was introduced and the cultural life experienced started to flourish. In 1843 the Universidad de Chile was founded. In 1888 another university Universidad Pontificia Católica was also founded. By 1885 there were 189,322 people living in Santiago.

XIX Century

During the years of the Republic called Conservative, institutions are created primarily for educational reasons and it become milestones of the planning period, as the University of Chile, the Normal School of preceptors, the School of Arts and Crafts and the Quinta Normal, which included the Museum of Fine Arts (now Museum of Science and Technology) and the National Museum of Natural History. However, major progress for the city continued to be those of a hydrological between 1835 and 1840 studies are designed to verify the feasibility of channeling Mapocho River, which would live in 1865 after being funded by the residents of the city. Moreover, from 1850 begin to fade the old canals that open pit roamed the city streets as a form of irrigation and disposal of sewage, the first being replaced by sewer systems and gas distribution networks, water water and public lighting. In 1851, moreover, established the first telegraph system connecting the capital with the port of Valparaiso. However, a tragic event enlutaría to the city where more than 2,000 people died in the fire at the Church of the Company on December 8, 1865.

A new momentum in the urban development of the capital took place during the so-called Liberal Republic and the administration of the city's mayor, Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna. Among his main works highlighted the remodeling of the Cerro Santa Lucia which despite its central location was no more than a dump. Vicuña Mackenna insisted, even personal debt in the architectural design of imitating European neoclassical flows and ordered the afforestation of the rocky cliff.

Map of Santiago in 1895.

Vicuña Mackenna, in an effort to "transform" to Santiago, began construction of the "Camino de Cintura" that surrounded the whole city, which until then had an extension similar to the current commune of Santiago. A new redevelopment of the Alameda finally enshrine the central artery of the city and as a long walk for the more affluent families in the city. The economic boom which the aristocracy lived, mainly due to the dividends earned by the mining of copper and nitrate (Chilean increased with the victory in the War of the Pacific), will allow the development of various palaces in the capital of neoclassical characteristics, especially in the area southeast of the capital on existing neighborhoods and Eighteen Republic.

These families were of great importance for urban development in Santiago, since much of the financing of the works came from private contributions of the famous residents of the city or philanthropic works. One example was Cousiño Luis, who in 1870 ordered the construction of a large park in the old Champs de Mars, a flat used primarily for practices of the Army of Chile and the establishment of ramadas during the Fiestas Patrias. With the work of European landscapes in 1873, opened the Parque O'Higgins. [10] The park, with a public access, became an obligatory tour of Santiago due to the large gardens, lakes and carriages. Similarly, other important buildings were opened during the era, such as the Teatro Municipal and the Riding Club. At the same time, James received the International Exposition, held in 1875 in the grounds of the Quinta Normal.

Santa Lucía

On transport, the city became the main hub of the railways in Chile, which would be well into the nineteenth and twentieth century the main means of transport at the national level. The first railroad reached the city on September 14, 1857 in an emerging Central Station of Santiago, which would be opened permanently in 1884. For those years, the city is connected by rail to Valparaiso and longitudinal rail crossing much of the country from north to south. With regard to urban transport, the streets of Santiago were paved and there were 1107 cars and 572 car lease to 1875, while 45,000 people daily using existing tram services. With regard to telecommunications, the telegraph network was extended to 1875 and came from Caldera to Lota, while the first telephones were installed during the 1880s, to 1889, The West Coast Company Co. (the first phone company) had more than 1,200 lines in Santiago and 476 subscribers, and following year established the connection to the city of Valparaíso. The mainstream media were newspapers, with the largest circulation of The Rail, owned by the National Party, along with The Independent Conservatives and Freedom of the radicals.

Meanwhile, at the end of the century, were made work for the installation of systems for collecting rainwater to prevent flooding in the city center and eventually the works would start channeling Mapocho River, which was necessary the destruction of two of the main symbols of the colonial era of the city and the embankments Calicanto Bridge, which occurred on August 10, 1888. By that time, Santiago had a population close to 256,000 inhabitants, spread over an area of 3766 hectares. Many of these people lived in slums, excluded from urban development promoted by the oligarchy. These inhabitants were concentrated at the edges of the city, in neighborhoods of Yungay and Chuchunco east, Ovalle and north of El Arenal and La Chimba called "Potrero de la Muerte" in the former estate of the tenement on the south .

Crisis, boom and immigration

Statue of Salvador Allende in La Moneda palace

In the 1930s began to transform the city into a modern, industrialized city. Around the Presidential Palace (La Moneda) was the administrative districtBarrioCívico with many ministries and other public facilities. The population increased by immigration from northern and southern Chile and rapidly around 1940 exceeded the limit of one million. Until 1960 it had doubled to two million. This led, especially in the poor neighborhoods of Santiago to a worsening of social situation. Numerous children were considered malnourished, many families were left homeless and unemployment is high. After the election victory of Salvador Allende, have been since 1970 the wages of workers and employees by 35 to 60 percent. The prices for the rent and basic needs funds were frozen. Education and health care were free. Each child got shoes and a daily liter of milk free. The infant mortality rate in the capital region fell around 20 percent. The focus of economic policy was the expropriation of foreign companies and banks.

In the reign of Germán Riesco Errázuriz (1901-1906) was reduced the metal part of the coin currency and thus devalued the peso clearly which led to an increase in inflation. A wave of speculation permeated the country and shook the economy of the capital region. Drastic price rises were the result, there were Arbeiteraufständen and large demonstrations in Santiago. The Government continued the military; about 200 people died when the conflict.

The conversion of the city in a modern, industrialized city, began in the 1930s. Around the Presidential Palace (Palacio de La Moneda) was the administrative district Barrio Cívico many ministries and other public institutions. Population rose rapidly to by the migration from Northern and southern Chile and exceeded the limit of one million to 1940. Until 1960 it had doubled to two million. This led particularly in the slums of Santiagos to increase the social situation. Many children were considered undernourished, many families were homeless, and high unemployment. After the victory of Salvador Allende, were since 1970 the wages of workers and employees 35 to 60 percent increased. Prices for the rent and important Grundbedarfsmittel were frozen. Education and health care made free of charge. Every child received shoes and daily a litre Gratismilch. The child rate in the capital region to fell by 20 percent. The focus of the policy was in the expropriation of foreign enterprises and banks.

Towards the Great Santiago

Greater Santiago, 1965.

In the following decades, Santiago flourished and continued to grow with high rise. In 1940, the city accumulated 952,075 inhabitants, in 1952 this figure reached 1,350,409 inhabitants, the census of 1960 totaled 1,907,378 Santiago. This growth was reflected in the urbanization of rural areas on the periphery, where they settled middle-class families with low and stable housing: in 1930, the urban area had an area of 6,500 hectares, which in 1960 came to 20,900 and 1980 came to 38,296. Although most of the communities continued to grow, it is mainly concentrated in outlying communities such as Canyon to the west, north and Conchalí the tank and the Farm to the south. In the case of the upper class, it began to approach the sector of the pre-Las Condes and La Reina. The center, by contrast, has lost population, leaving more space for the development of trade, banking and government activities.

The growth took place without any regulation and started only to be implemented during the 1960s with the creation of various development plans of the Greater Santiago, which reflect the new reality of a city much larger . In 1958 the Plan was launched in Santiago and inter proposing the organization of urban territory, setting a limit of 38,600 hectares and semi-urban, for a maximum population of 3,260,000 inhabitants, the construction of new roads (such as Avenida Américo Vespucio Circunvalación and the Pan American highway), the widening of the existing and the establishment of "industrial cordons. The celebration of the World Cup in 1962 gave new impetus to the improvement works of the city. In 1966 he established the Metropolitan Park of Santiago in the Cerro San Cristóbal and MINVU began eradicating callampas populations and construction of new homes and remodeling San Borja, which was built near the Diego Portales Building.

In 1967 was inaugurated the new International Airport Pudahuel, and after years of discussion, in 1969 it would begin construction of the Metro de Santiago, the first phase would run under the western section of the Alameda and would be inaugurated in 1975. Metro became one of the most prestigious of the city and in subsequent years to expand, reaching two perpendicular lines at the end of 1978. Telecommunications have an important development, as reflected by the construction of the Torre Entel, which since its construction in 1975 would be one of the symbols of the capital to be the tallest structure in the country for two decades.

After the coup of 1973 and the establishment of the military regime, urban planning had no major changes until the start of 1980, when the government adopted a neoliberal economic model and the role of organizer of the state going to market. In 1979 the master plan is amended, extending the urban radio to more than 62,000 hectares for housing development, causing a further expansion of the city, arriving at 40,619 has extended the early 1990s, especially in the area Florida in the 1992 census became the country's most populous municipality with 328,881 inhabitants. Meanwhile, a strong earthquake struck the city on March 3, 1985, which caused few casualties but left many homeless and destroyed many old buildings.

Economic crisis and recovery

Alameda Avenue

Sanhattan, a financial district in eastern Santiago

Starting in 1981, Chile and Santiago for that matter, went into a deep economic and financial crisis. The Chilean solution to the crisis was heterodox in the sense that many policies appeared to have been arbitrary, and policy mistakes were made and corrected along the way. However, the economy recovered relatively quickly, and since has built a strong financial sector that allowed the country to avoid the financial turmoil observed during 1995 and 1997-98 in other emerging market economies.

Geography

Satellite image of Santiago

The city lies in the center of the Santiago Basin, a large bowl-shaped valley consisting of a broad and fertile plain surrounded by mountains. It is flanked by the main chain of the Andes on the east and the Chilean Coastal Range on the west. On the north, it is bound by the Cordón de Chacabuco, a transverse mountain range of the Andes, whereas at the southern border lies Angostura de Paine, where an elongated spur of the Andes almost reaches the Coastal Range. Santiago Basin is part of the Intermediate Depression and is remarkably flat, interrupted only by a few hills. Among those are Cerro Renca, Cerro Blanco and Cerro Santa Lucía.

The Andes mountains around Santiago are quite tall, culminating in Tupungato volcano at 6,570 m (21,555 ft). Other volcanoes include Tupungatito, San José and Maipo. Cerro El Plomo is the highest mountain visible from Santiago's urban area.

Santiago is situated mainly on a plain known as the Santiago basin. This basin is part of the Intermediate Depression and is clearly delimited by the string of Chacabuco in the north, the Andes Mountains in the east, the narrowness of Paine in the south and the Cordillera de la Costa. Approximately has a length of 80 km in a north-south direction and 35 km from east to west.

For hundreds of millions of years, the current territory of the city was covered by the ocean and marine sediment, the only land mass near the existing Coastal Cordillera. The morphology of the region begin to take its present form since the late Paleozoic, when it begins the subduction of the Nazca Plate under the South American plate, then belonging to the continent of Gondwana. This subduction generated foldings of the crust from the Triassic, lifting the rocks that give rise to the Andes. Subsequently, new activities generate tectonic subsidence of the great rock mass forming the depression lifted.

The regional morphology would change. Glacial periods with ice cover the region forming moraines. The strong volcanism in that time, generate a series of volcanic eruptions releasing large pyroclastic flows and causing the melting of glaciers. This would create more sediment deposition in the valley, later supplemented by fluvial entrainment. The sedimentation of the valley would continue for thousands of years and even fun, for violent volcanic eruptions, remontarían be less than 5000 years ago. These sediments would allow the existence of a fertile basin and cover the relief before the formation andina, leaving exposed only the tops of some hills, called "closed island".

At present, Santiago lies mainly in the plain of the basin, with an altitude between 400 in the western areas and reaching the 540 on the Plaza Baquedano, presented some hills in the area of Cerrillos. The metropolitan area has surrounded some of these islands, mountains, as in the case of Cerro Santa Lucia, Cerro Blanco, the Renca Calán and that 800 meters is the highest point of the city. Southwest of the city there is a string of rocky hills several islands within the highlighting Cerro Chena. To the west are also presented some of the main stage of the Cordillera de la Costa, the Oak Hill High with 2185 meters of altitude, and the Maipo River area alone in the mountain range loses height.

Pollution problems at Santiago City

During recent decades, urban growth has expanded the boundaries of the city to the east closer to the Andean Precordillera allophones cones existing droppings. Even in areas such as La Dehesa, Lo Curro and El Arrayan has been reached to overcome the barrier of 1000 meters of altitude. Some low-lying foothills of the Andes emerge and goes into the basin, as is the If the mountain range of The Pyramid and the hill Cerro San Cristobal, in the northeastern sector of Santiago.

To the east, stands the massive call Ramon Sierra, a mountain chain formed in the foothills of the Precordillera due to the action of the fault Ramon, reaching 3296 meters at the Cerro de Ramon. 20 km further east is the Cordillera of the Andes with its mountain ranges and volcanoes, many of which exceed 6,000 m and in which some glaciers are maintained. The higher the Tupungato volcano with 6570 meters, [17] located near the volcano Tupungatito of 5913 meters of altitude. To the northeast lie Lead Hill (5,424 meters) and Nevado El Plomo 6070 meters in altitude. [17] To the southeast of the capital, meanwhile, are located on the Nevado Piuquenes (6,019 meters) volcano San Jose (5,856 m) and the volcano Maipo (5,323 m). From these peaks, the Tupungatito as San José and Maipo are active volcanoes.

Climate

Santiago has a mild Mediterranean climate: relatively hot dry summers (November to March) with temperatures reaching up to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) on the hottest days; winters (June to August) are more humid with cold mornings, typical maximum daily temperatures of 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit), and minimums of a few degrees above freezing. Occasional snowfall occurs in the city, and may extend throughout the city, though this happens infrequently (about every 8-10 years). Mean rainfall is 360 mm per year and is heavily concentrated in the cooler months.

Climate data for Santiago (1971-2000 period)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Source: The World Meteorological Organization

The climate of Santiago is a warm-temperate climate with winter rainfall and prolonged dry season, better known as continental Mediterranean climate.

Within the main climatic characteristics of Santiago is the concentration of about 80% of rainfall during the austral winter months (May to September), varying between 50 and 80 mm of rain fall during these months. That amount contrasts with figures for the months corresponding to a very dry season, caused by an anticyclonic dominance continued for about seven or eight months, mainly during the summer months between December and March. This season, the water drop does not exceed 4 mm on average. These rains are usually composed only of rain, as the snowfall and hail is produced mainly in the sectors of the Precordillera about 1500 meters, in some cases, nevazones affect the city but only on its eastern sectors, where in very rare opportunity extended to the rest of the city.

As for temperatures, they vary throughout the year from an average of 20° C in January to 8° C in June and July. In the summer, James is hot, easily reaching over 30° C and a record high close to 37 ° C, while nights are generally pleasant and slightly cooler without lowering of 15° C. For his part, during autumn and winter the temperature drops and is slightly lower than the 10° C, the temperature may even drop slightly from 0° C, especially during the morning, and its historic low of -6 , 8° C in 1976.

Santiago's location within a watershed is one of the most important factors in the climate of the city. The coastal mountain range serves as a "screen climate" to oppose the spread of marine influence, contributing to the increase in annual and daily thermal oscillation (the difference between the maximum and minimum daily temperatures can reach 14° C) and maintaining low relative humidity close to an annual average of 70%. It also prevents the entry of air masses with the exception of some coastal low clouds that penetrate to the basin through the river valleys.

Prevailing winds are from the southwest direction, with an average of 15 km / h, especially during the summer as in winter calm prevail.

Environmental issues

File:Santiagocontaminado.jpg

Smog in Santiago

Thermal inversion (a meteorological phenomenon whereby a stable layer of warm air holds down colder air close to the ground) causes high levels of smog and air pollution to be trapped and concentrate within the Central Valley during winter months. In the 1990s air pollution fell by about one-third, but there has been little progress since 2000.

As of March 2007, only 61% of the wastewater in Santiago was treated, which increased up to 71% by the end of the same year. However, the Mapocho river, which crosses the city from the north-east to the south-west of the Central Valley, remains contaminated by household, agricultural and industrial sewage, and by upstream copper-mining waste (there are a number of copper mines in the Andes east of Santiago), which is dumped unfiltered into the river. Laws force industry and local governments to process all their wastewater, but are loosely enforced. There are now a number of large wastewater processing and recycling plants under construction. There are ongoing plans to decontaminate the river and make it navigable.

Noise levels on the main streets are high, mostly because of noisy diesel buses. Diesel trucks and buses are also major contributors to winter smog. A lengthy replacement process of the bus system began in 2005 and will last until 2010 (see Transportation section below). However, a major source of Santiago air pollution year-round is the smelter of El Teniente copper mine. Nevertheless, the government does not usually report it as being a local pollution source as it is just outside the reporting area of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, being 110 km. (70 miles) from downtown.,

Panoramic view of northern Santiago, as seen from Providencia

Demographics

Population of Santiago from 1820 to 2020.

Vitacura, one of the richest districts in Santiago

According to data collected in the 2002 census by the National Institute of statistics, the Santiago metropolitan area population reached 5.428.590 inhabitants, equivalent to 35,91 per cent of the national total and 89,56 % of total regional this figure reflects broad growth in the population of the city during the 20th century: in 1907 had 383.587 inhabitants, 1.010.102 in 1940, 2.009.118 in 1960, 3.899.619 in 1982 and 4.729.118 in 1992. (porcentaje de la población total, 2007)

Santiago by Human Development Index on a commune-basis. Greener is higher. The blue line divides the formal areas of the city.

The growth of Santiago has undergone several changes over the course of its history. In his early years, had a rate of growth 2,68 per cent annually until the 17TH century, then down to less than 2 % per year until the early 20th century figures. Middle of this century was a demographic explosion explaining as, in his capacity as capital, absorbed on migration from mining camps in northern Chile during the crisis of the 1930s and from population from rural sectors between 1940 and 1960, mainly. Lots of migration coupled with the high fertility rate at that time were reflected in figures annual growth reached 4.92 per cent between 1952 and 1960. However, since the end of this century, growth figures been reduced again, reaching the early 2000s % 1,35. of Similarly, the size of the city expanded constantly. The 20,000 hectares covering Santiago in 1960, doubled by 1980 and in 2002 reached 64.140 hectares. Thus the density of population in Santiago is 8.463,7 inhabitants/Km².

The population of Santiago has been booming over the years, fertility decreased both the improvement in quality of life. For 2007 is estimated that 32,89 per cent of men and 30,73 per cent of women were less than 20 years, while 10,23 per cent and 13,43 % had on the 60 years, respectively. In contrast, in 1990 the figure under 20 years in total era 38,04 % and 60, a 8,86 %, higher and for the year 2020 is estimated that both figures will be 26,69 per cent and 16,79 %.

4.313.719 people in Chile says they was born in one of the communes of Grand Santiago according to the 2002 census what amounts to 28,54 per cent of the national total. Of the current inhabitants of Santiago, 67,6 per cent was born in the communes of the metropolitan area while 2,11 per cent is immigrant alien.

Economy

Santiago City center

Santiago is the industrial and financial center of Chile, and generates 45 percent of the country's GDP. Some international institutions, such as ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean), have their offices in Santiago.

In recent years, due to the strong growth and stability of the Chilean economy, many multinational companies have chosen Santiago as the place for their headquarters in the region, such as HP, Reuters, Procter & Gamble, Intel, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nestlé, Kodak, BHP Billiton, IBM, Motorola, Microsoft, Ford, Yahoo!, and many more.

Progress of the Costanera Center and Titanium La Portada in february 2009.

The construction sector is booming in Santiago. Several large apartment complexes are being built throughout the city and construction cranes are a common sight. Currently under construction is the Costanera Center, a mega project in Santiago's Financial District. This includes a 280,000-square-metre (3,000,000 sq ft) mall, a 300-meter (980 ft) tower, two office towers of 170 meters (558 ft) each, and a hotel 105 meters (344 ft) tall. When completed in 2010 it will be the tallest building in South America. In January 2009 the retailer in charge, Cencosud, has said in a statement that the construction of the mega-mall would gradually be reduced until financial uncertainty is cleared. Near Costanera Center another skyscraper is being built, Titanium La Portada, and this will be 190 meters (623 ft) tall. Although these are the two biggest projects, there are many other office buildings under construction in Santiago, as well as hundreds of high rise residential buildings.

Industry

Santiago Financial center

Santiago is Chile’s major industrial and agricultural region. The bulk of Chile’s industrial and commercial activity is concentrated in the national and regional capital of Santiago, but there are important farm-supply, marketing, and processing activities at San Bernardo (location of major railroad shops), Puente Alto (a paper- and gypsum-processing centre), Melipilla, Talagante, and Buin. Dairying and beef production are significant; the main crops are grains, grapes, potatoes, and beans. Copper, gypsum, and limestone are mined. Marketing is facilitated by the proximity of urban centres, by main-line railroad communications, and by the best-developed regional road system in Chile. Area 5,926 square miles (15,349 square km). Pop. (1990 est.) 5,236,322.

Transport

Air

Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport

Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport is Santiago's national and international airport. 15 minutes from downtown through the urban highways (Costanera Norte-Vespucio Norte).
Has rental car services, taxi cabs, transfer and buses available within the premises of the airport. Airport Commodore Arturo Merino Benítez has many projects. They include the expansion of the area of (check-in) desks national international and the Customs and (Equipaje claim) baggage claim area. Furthermore, is the construction of new doors in international and national terminals. The green areas are not left behind, the Ministry of public works in conjunction with the DGAC and the airport operator the construction of a park facing airport to fulfilled an area of recreation and leisure users from this airport Hall have projected. The enlargement project proposed by the concessionaire was supported by the Ministry of public works, however, the Ministry believes that this is only a measure to cure airport congestion for only about 5 years, after of which would overwhelm. For this reason, the Ministry advises from 2008 with Paris Aeroports to create the master plan expansion. Meanwhile, the Ministry adopted plan of works presented by the dealership related to improving the service and installation of a new bridge boarding at the national terminal (door 28). Retail holding Censosud s.a. prepares the opening of a shopping centre in the vicinity of the air terminal specifically on the grounds of ENEA, 7 kilometres from the airport. In parallel ENEA, Urbanya, Prairie and recently Cencosud joins the project finance the extension of the metro to the Mall and the airport with an extension of line 1 from the station pajaritos.

Rail

Central Station

Trains operated by Chile's national railway, Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado, connect Santiago to Chillan, in the central-southern part of the country. All such trains arrive and depart from the Estación Central ("Central Station") which can be access by bus or subway.
The routes and coverage are from:
Santiago-San Fernando.
Santiago-Chillán.
Talca-Constitución.
Talcahuano-Hualqui.
Talcahuano-Renaico.
Victoria-Temuco.

Inter-urban buses

Bus companies provide passenger transportation from Santiago to most areas of the country, while some also provide parcel-shipping and delivery services.

There are several bus terminals in Santiago:
Terminal San Borja: located near the Metro station "Universidad de Santiago"
Terminal Los Heroes: located near the Metro station "Los Heroes"
Terminal La Paz: located in the municipality of Independencia, the closest Metro station is "Puente Cal y Canto"
Terminal Alameda: located near the Metro station "Universidad de Santiago"

Highways

Toll road, inter-urban free flow highways connect the city's extremes, including the Vespucio Highway (which surrounds the city describing a semi-circle), Autopista Central (which crosses the city in a North-South direction), and the Costanera Norte (which runs from the eastern edge, in Las Condes to the international airport and the highways to Valparaíso on the western side of the city).

Public transport

Basquedano Metro Station

Estacion Central

Santiago concentrates 37.32% of vehicles in Chile, with a total of 991,838 vehicles, 979,346 of which are motorized. 805,220 cars pass through the city, which is equivalent to 37.63% of the national and at a rate of one car for every 7 people. In support of this huge park, an extensive network of streets and avenues stretching across Santiago in order to provide connectivity to the different communities that make up the metropolitan area.

The major axis corresponds to the Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins (more commonly known as the Alameda) which runs southwest to northeast direction in the capital, which also includes the Los Pajaritos Avenue to the west and the avenues to Providence and Apoquindo this. The main avenue of the city is crossed by several longitudinal axis (in a north to south) and the Avenida General Velásquez, North-South Grand Avenue, Independencia, Recoleta, Santa Rosa, Vicuña Mackenna and Tobalaba. Next to the Alameda, others that cross the network is composed of the avenues Ten-July Irarrázaval, Matta-Departmental and Greece, among others. Finally, Avenida Américo Vespucio ring surrounding the inner city sector by facilitating the connection of the various axes.

During the year 2000, in order to improve vehicular transportation in Santiago, various urban freeways were built throughout the capital. Overall Velasquez and the stretches of the Panamerican highway running through the city were turned into the Central Motorway, while Amerigo Vespucci gave way to highways Vespucio Norte Express, and the future Vespucio Sur Vespucio Oriente. Following the edge of the river Mapocho Costanera Norte was built to provide a more expeditious the northeastern sector of the capital with the airport and downtown area. All these concessioned highways, totaling 210 km in length, with a free flow toll system.

As regards public transport, from the early 1990s have been conducted with various governmental efforts to resolve the chaotic system in the city. Were tendered in 1994 for the first time the paths of the yellow buses (minibuses identified with the color). Despite this, the system had serious problems and was therefore devised a new transport system, called Transantiago. This project came to operate on February 10, 2007, combining core services across the city with a local feeder routes, which have a unified system of payment through the card beep!. Transantiago, however, has had a series of errors in design and implementation which have not yet been resolved and put in check their success.

One of the cornerstones of Transantiago is the Metro, which since its inception in 1975, is considered one of the transport system more efficient and modern Latin America. Every day, over 2 million people pass through its five lines (1, 2, 4, 4A and 5), extending over 84 km and 89 stations. By 2010, new extensions to the communes of Maipú and Las Condes, amount to more than 105 km of rail network underground.

Other local transport systems include the services of 25 thousand and 11 thousand taxis taxis, identified by black color cars and yellow roof. [63] With regard to cycling, in recent years has tried to promote the use of bicycles construction of bicycle paths, but their number remains small.

Metro

Santiago Metro

Santiago Metro map

Currently with 107 operating stations and 16 under construction, Santiago Metro is South America's most extensive metro system. The metro system serves the city of Santiago, Chile. The system carries around 2,400,000 passengers per day. The Santiago Metro has five operating lines. Two underground lines (Line 4 and 4A) and an extension of Line 2 was inaugurated during late 2005 and beginning of 2006. The system is under expansion, and extensions are going to be built on Lines 1 and 5 throughout 2009 and 2010.

Bus

File:Santiago Chile bus.jpg

Santiago Bus

Transantiago is the name for the city's public transport system. It works by combining local (feeder) bus lines, main bus lines and the Metro network. It includes an integrated fare system, which allows passengers to make bus-to-bus or bus-to-metro transfers for the price of one ticket, using a single contactless smartcard.

Taxi

Taxicabs can usually be found on the streets and are painted black with yellow roofs; unmarked taxis may be called up by telephone (Radiotaxis). Colectivos are shared taxicabs that carry passengers along a specific route, for a fixed fee.

Political divisions

Santiago de Chile lacks a metropolitan government for its administration, which is currently distributed by various authorities, which complicates the operation of the city as a single entity.

With the current structure of the country, it is divided into three levels (regions, provinces and communes), but Santiago does not fit perfectly with any of them. The metropolitan area of Santiago was established in 1976 to encompass locations away from the main city.
At the provincial level, Greater Santiago overlaps the limits of the current province of Santiago, so that including the communes of Cordillera, Maipo and Talagante. At the municipal level, the city is composed of about thirty of them.

Greater Santiago extends throughout 37 municipalities and covered 64,140 ha in 2002. The majority of Santiago lies within the same named province, with some peripheral areas contained in the provinces of Talagante, Maipo and Cordillera. Specifically, Santiago joins the cities of San Bernardo (Maipo province) and Puente Alto (Cordillera province) to form the Greater Santiago conurbation.

The province of Santiago is divided into 32 municipalities (comunas in Spanish). Each municipality in Chile is headed by a mayor (alcalde) elected by voters every four years. The members of the municipal council (concejales) are elected in the same election on a separate ballot.

Map of Santiago communes

Communes in Santiago Province
Santiago Cerrillos Cerro Navia Conchalí El Bosque Estación Central Huechuraba Independencia La Cisterna La Florida La Granja	La Pintana La Reina Las Condes Lo Barnechea Lo Espejo Lo Prado Macul Maipú Ñuñoa Pedro Aguirre Cerda Peñalolén	Providencia Pudahuel Quilicura Quinta Normal Recoleta Renca San Joaquín San Miguel San Ramón Vitacura
Communes in other provinces
Padre Hurtado Pirque	Puente Alto San Bernardo	San José de Maipo

Cultural life

Municipal Theatre of Santiago

Despite the long history, there is only a few historical buildings from the Spanish colonial period in the city, because Santiago - as the rest of the country - was regularly hit by earthquakes. The buildings from this period include the Casa Colorada (1769), the Church San Francisco (1586) and Posada del Corregidor (1750). Another reason is, that it lack old buildings from this time, is the new richness of Chile. At the time of the Spanish colony, the city had economically only a low impact, the upswing was only after independence. This explains the low age of many buildings built mainly in neoclassic style. The Cathedral on the central square (Plaza de Armas), 1745 according to plans by Joaquim Toesca built, ranks as the sights as Palacio de La Moneda, the Classicist Presidential Palace until 1981 showed even the Einschüsse, General Pinochet troops by the coup against the democratically elected President Salvador Allende 1973 had left. The original building was between 1784 and 1805 of the architect Joaquín Toesca. Since 1846, the Presidential Palace is home to the Government of's.

Contemporary Art Museum of Santiago

Other buildings at the Plaza de Armas are finished on 1882 and between 1804 and 1807 built Palacio de la real Audjencia, of 18. September 1810 - today date of Nationalfeiertages - met the first Government of the country. The Centre houses the historical museum with 12,000 exhibits. In the South-East of the square is the built in 1893 blue Eisenkontruktion of Edwards Kaufhauses (Edificio comercial Edwards) and the 1769 finished colonial building the "Casa Colorada", the historical city museum Close is the (Teatro Municipal) Theatre. In 1906 by an earthquake destroyed building was built of the French architect Brunet of Edward Baines 1857. Not far from the theatre the Mansión Subercaseaux (today seat Banco Edwards) and the National Library (one of the largest libraries of South America). "" In opposite group the previous National Convention, the law courts and the Royal custom's House (Palacio real Casa de Aduana) with the Museum of pre-Columbian art.

Fine Arts Museum

A fire destroyed the building in 1895. It was then rebuilt and reopened 1901 in neoclassic style. The first Chilean National Congress was 4. July 1811 decision (1810) the Government junta in Santiago formed by. The Congress was deposed under the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1989) and after the dictatorship in Valparaíso on 11. Newly constituted March 1990. The Plaza Montt is the building of the Justice Palace (Palacio de Tribun Musicales). The building was between 1907 and 1926 of the architect Emilio Doyére. It is home to the Supreme Court (Corte comparison de Justicia). The Kollegialgericht with 21 judges is the highest judiciary in Chile. The judges be proposed by the judges of the Supreme Court and appointed by the President on lifetime. The building is also home of the Supreme Court of appeal.

At the Plaza Montt is the building of the Justice Palace (Palacio de Tribunales). The building was created from 1907 to 1926 after plans by the architect Emilio Doyére. It is the seat of the Supreme Court (Corte Suprema de Justicia). The panel of 21 judges is the highest judicial power in Chile. The judges are appointed by the judges of the Supreme Court and proposed by the President appointed for life. The building is also headquarters of the Supreme Court of the country.

Biblioteca Nacional de Chile

The Congress

Calle Bandera leads to 1917 completed the building of the Merchants' Exchange (Bolsa de Comercio), opened the 1925 "Club de la Unión", to the Universidad de Chile (1872) and the oldest church in the city, the Iglesia de San Francisco (1586 to 1628 built ) with the Mary statue "La Virgen del Socorro" by Pedro de Valdivia. North of the Plaza de Armas, the Paseo Puente to Santo Domingo Church (1771) and Market (Mercado Central), a powerful iron construction. In the center of Santiago is the Torre Entel, a 127.4 meter high TV tower with observation deck. The tower, completed in 1974. He is one of the telephone company, ENTEL Chile and serves as a communications center.

With the Costanera Center, a commercial and architectural landmark of the capital. When completed in 2009 is a combination of jobs, housing, shopping and entertainment venues have been achieved. The project with a total area of 600,000 square meters, includes the 300-meter high "Gran Torre Costanera" (South America's tallest building) and three other commercial buildings with shopping malls, shops, cinemas, an amusement center, restaurants, hotels, offices and luxury apartments. The four office towers extensive building complex is replaced by a highway and subway connections.

Music

There are two symphonic orchestras:

• Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago, which performs in the Teatro Municipal
• Orquesta Sinfónica de Chile, dependent of the Universidad de Chile, performs in its theater.

There are also various jazz establishments, the most notable being the Club de Jazz in Ñuñoa. The city has a very vibrant underground music scene. Some of its most popular venues are La Batuta in Ñuñoa and Blondie's disco in downtown Santiago.

Sports

Santiago is home of Chile's best football clubs. The most successful of them is Colo Colo Santiago. The association was founded on 19 April 1925. He has a long tradition and plays since the establishment of the first Chilean league in 1933 continuously in the highest league. The team with 26 titles and champion Chilean record by winning the title in 1991 Chile's only team that ever won the Copa Libertadores. The association helps its home games in the Estadio Monumental in Macul, a suburb of Santiago.

Another great club is CF Universidad de Chile. The club is considered one of the best known and most successful with twelve Masters titles and three cup successes. He was on 24 May 1927 under the name Club Deportivo Universitario as a group of Club Náutico and Federación Universitaria founded. The founders were students of the Universidad de Chile. 1980, the organizational separation from the university and the club is now completely independent. The team plays in the Estadio Nacional de Chile. Club Deportivo Universidad Católica was on 21 Founded in April 1937 and is also often referred to only briefly UC. It consists of fourteen different departments responsible for the students of the same university are excluded. Far beyond the borders of Chile is known mainly for his club soccer team. This carries its home games in Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo from. Universidad Católica is nine Masters titles, one of the most successful football clubs in the country.

Estadio Nacional

In the Copa Libertadores more than 20 entries are accounted for. The major international success came in the year UC 1983, when he was only in the finale of the Sao Paulo FC subject.

In addition to playing football in particular tennis and horse riding (here especially the Chilean Rodeo) plays an important role. In the entire metropolitan area are distributed Wettstuben in which mainly the male population of Santiago, the horse racing track at screens. Completed the 1904 "Hipódromo Chile is located in the south of the city. Here is a weekly horse racing.

Newspapers

Because of its central role in the economy,social and political affairs of the country, the newspaper's coverage tends to focus in Santiago's news, even though there are several local newspapers in other zones of the country. The publishing industry in Chile is rather small and minorities (ethnic and cultural) most of time are not represented or are misrepresented in the pages of the newspapers. There are two important players in Chile: El Mercurio and Copesa. Both companies have a conservative and right-wing editorial lines, which tend to avoid discussing into much detail themes such as divorce, AIDS, sindical rights, aboriginal rights and subjects involving powerful companies or politicians.
Both companies hold more than the 80% of revenues generated in printed advertising in Chile.

Some of the most popular newspapers available in Santiago are:

El Mercurio
La Tercera
La Cuarta
Las Últimas Noticias
La Segunda
The Clinic

Recreation

The city's main parks are:

• Cerro San Cristóbal - San Cristóbal Hill, which includes the Santiago Metropolitan Park Zoo
• Parque O'Higgins - O'Higgins Park
• Parque Forestal - Forestal Park, park located at the city centre alongside Mapocho river
• Cerro Santa Lucía - Santa Lucía Hill

Modern ski resorts within an hour's drive east from the city include:

• Farellones
• Valle Nevado
• La Parva
• Portillo is about three hours away.

Some of the country's most important winegrowing areas lie in the nearby Maipo and Aconcagua Valleys. Several vineyards are located in this area.

Cultural places to visit include:

• Museo de Bellas Artes - Fine Arts Museum
• Barrio Bellavista, cultural and bohemian neighborhood
• Central Station, railway station designed by Gustave Eiffel
• Víctor Jara Stadium
• Ex National Congress
• Plaza de Armas, downtown square
• Palacio de La Moneda, government palace

Main sport venues:

• Estadio Nacional (site of the 1962 World Cup final) 80.000 all-seated
• Estadio Monumental David Arellano 62.000 all-seated
• Estadio Santa Laura 28.500 all-seated
• Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo 20.000 all-seated

Education

Universidad de Chile

The city is home to numerous universities, colleges and universities, research institutions and libraries. The Universidad de Chile is Chile's largest university and one of the oldest on the American continent. The roots of the University date back to the year 1622, as on 19 August the first university in Chile under the name of Santo Tomás de Aquino was founded. On 28 July 1738, she was in honor of King Philip V of Spain in the Real Universidad de San Felipe renamed. In the vernacular, it is also known as Casa de Bello (Spanish: Bellos house - after their first Rector, Andrés Bello) known. On 17 April 1839, after Chile from the mother country, the Kingdom of Spain, became independent, was officially to the University Universidad de Chile, and opened on 17 September 1843.

The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) was signed on 21 Founded in June 1888. On 11 February 1930 was the university by a decree by Pope Pius XI. to an appointed Pontifical University, 1931, the full recognition by the Chilean government. Joaquín Larrain Gandarillas (1822-1897), Archbishop of Anazarba, was the founder and first rector of the PUC. The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile is considered one of the best universities in Chile classified. 2006, 69 of the 100 best PUC graduates as their first preference. The PUC is a modern university, the campus of San Joaquin has a number of contemporary buildings and also offers many parks and sports facilities.

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Other major universities have their headquarters in Santiago: Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Universidad Bolivariana, Universidad Católica Raúl Silva Henríquez, Universidad Central de Chile, Universidad de Artes y Ciencias Sociales and Universidad de Artes, Ciencias y Comunicación.

Other major universities are: Universidad de Ciencias de la Informática, Universidad de Las Américas, Universidad de Los Andes, Universidad del Desarrollo, Universidad del Pacífico, Universidad Diego Portales, Universidad Finis Terrae, Universidad Gabriela Mistral, Universidad Iberoamericana de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad Internacional SEK, Universidad La República, Universidad Mariano Egaña, Universidad Mayor, Universidad Miguel de Cervantes, Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello, Universidad Santo Tomas and Universidad Tecnológica de Chile. As a kind of message does the European universities, postgraduate and continuing education center at the University of Heidelberg (Ruprecht Karl University).

Religion

Santiago's Metropolitan Cathedral

Main article: Roman Catholicism in Chile

Most of Chile's population is Catholic and Santiago is no exception. According to the National Census, carried out in 2002 by the National Statistics Bureau (INE), in the Santiago Metropolitan Region, 3,129,249 people 15 and older identified themselves as Catholics, equivalent to 68.7% of the total population, while 595,173 (13.1%) described themselves as Evangelical Protestants. Around 1.2% of the population declared themselves as being Jehovah's Witnesses, while 0.9% identified themselves as Latter-day Saints (Mormons), 0.25% as Jewish, 0.11% as Orthodox and 0.03% as Muslim. Approximately 10.4% of the population of the Metropolitan Region stated that they were atheist or agnostic, while 5.4% declared to follow other religions.

There are about eleven million Catholics - around 70% of the total population (16.500.000 in 2008). There are 5 archidioceses, 18 dioceses, 2 territorial prelatures, 1 apostolic vicariate, 1 military ordinariate and a personal prelature (Opus Dei).

Catholicism was introduced by priests with the Spanish colonialists in the 16th century. Most of the native population in the northern and central regions was evangelized by 1650. The southern area proved more difficult. In the 20th century, church expansion was impeded by a shortage of clergy and government attempts to control church administration. Relations between church and state were strained under Salvador Allende and Augusto Pinochet.

Gallery

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Higher education

Traditional

• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC)
• Universidad de Chile (U, UCh)
• Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH)
• Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación (UMCE)
• Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana (UTEM)
• Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (UTFSM)

Non-traditional

• Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano (UAHC)
• Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (UAI)
• Universidad Alberto Hurtado (UAH)
• Universidad Bolivariana
• Universidad Católica Raúl Silva Henríquez
• Universidad Central de Chile
• Universidad de Artes y Ciencias Sociales (Arcis)
• Universidad de Artes, Ciencias y Comunicación (UNIACC)
• Universidad de Ciencias de la Informática (UCINF) [5]
• Universidad de las Américas
• Universidad de Los Andes
• Universidad del Desarrollo
• Universidad del Pacífico
• Universidad Diego Portales
• Universidad Europea de Negocios
• Universidad Finis Terrae
• Universidad Gabriela Mistral (UGM)
• Universidad Mayor (UM) [6]
• Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello (Unab)
• Universidad Pedro de Valdivia (Upv)
• Universidad Santo Tomás
• Universidad San Sebastián
• Universidad Tecnológica Vicente Pérez Rosales

Other

• Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg's Postgraduierten- und Weiterbildungszentrum der Universität Heidelberg in Santiago [7]
• David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS) Regional Office in Santiago [8]
• Stanford Faculty in Santiago [9]

Sister cities

• Paris, France (1997, "Friendship Pact")
• Beijing, China (2007)
• São Paulo, Brazil (1998)
• Buenos Aires, Argentina (1992)
• Miami, United States
• Madrid, Spain (1991)
• Ankara, Turkey (2000)
• Kiev, Ukraine (1998)
• Riga, Latvia
• Guayaquil, Ecuador
• Minneapolis, United States (1961)
• Langreo, Spain (2007)
• Plasencia, Spain (2007)
• Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico (2008)
• Tunis, Tunisia (1994, "Friendship Pact")

External links

• Municipality homepage
• Santiago Tourist - An Independent Travel Guide