Santiago (commune)

Santiago
City and Commune

Plaza de Armas

Flag

Coat of arms
Location in Chile
Santiago
Location in Chile
Coordinates (city): 33°26′14″S 70°39′02″W / 33.43722°S 70.65056°WCoordinates: 33°26′14″S 70°39′02″W / 33.43722°S 70.65056°W
Country Chile
Region Santiago Metro.
Province Santiago
Established February 12, 1541
Government[1][2][3]
 • Type Municipality
 • Mayor Carolina Tohá (PPD)
Area[4]
 • Total 22.4 km2 (8.6 sq mi)
Elevation 579 m (1,900 ft)
Population (2002 Census)[4]
 • Total 200,792
 • Density 9,000/km2 (23,000/sq mi)
 • Urban 200,792
 • Rural 0
Sex[4]
 • Men 99,155
 • Women 101,637
Time zone CLT [5] (UTC-4)
 • Summer (DST) CLST [6] (UTC-3)
Website Municipality of Santiago

The Commune of Santiago is the central commune of the Santiago Province, located at the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region in Chile's Central Zone. Locally, Santiago is usually abbreviated Stgo. It is also called as "Santiago Centro" (Downtown Santiago) in order to differentiate it from Greater Santiago, a larger entity which includes Santiago Commune along with other 36 communes.

History

The city of Santiago was founded on February 12, 1541 as "Santiago de la Nueva Extremadura" by Pedro de Valdivia. It is officially the provincial, regional and national capital. It encompasses the oldest part of the city —that enclosed by old rail lines—, including downtown, and houses all major government infrastructure, including the government palace La Moneda.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, the commune has an area of 22.4 km2 (9 sq mi) and a population of 200,792 (99,155 men and 101,637 women), giving it a population density of 8,963.9/km2 (23,216/sq mi). The population shrank by 13.1% (30,185 persons) in the ten years since the 1992 population of 230,977.[4] In 2002, there were 17,514 households,[1] each with an average income of $28,648 in PPP US dollars in 2006.

The commune is subdivided into 29 census districts.

The Skyline of Santiago Commune Financial and Commercial Center

Administration

As a commune, Santiago is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an mayor who is directly elected every four years. Since 2012 the mayoress is Carolina Tohá Morales (PPD).[2][3]

Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Santiago is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Alberto Cardemil (RN) and Felipe Harboe (PPD) as part of the 22nd electoral district, (together with ). The commune is represented in the Senate by Guido Girardi Lavín (PPD) and Jovino Novoa Vásquez (UDI) as part of the 7th senatorial constituency (Santiago-West).


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Administrative and Censual Political Division" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Asociación Chilena de Municipalidades" (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Municipality of Santiago" (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "INE 2002 Census of Population and Housing" (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  5. ↑ "Chile Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  6. ↑ "Chile Summer Time". WorldTimeZones.org. Retrieved 12 September 2010.

External links