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| Region Metropolitana | |
|---|---|
| Name | Region Metropolitana |
| Native name | Región Metropolitana |
| Capital | Santiago |
| Area km2 | 15,403 |
| Population | 7,112,808 |
| Population as of | 2017 Census |
| Subdivisions | Santiago Province, Chacabuco Province, Cordillera Province, Maipo Province, Melipilla Province, Talagante Province |
| Iso code | CL-RM |
Region Metropolitana is the most populous and politically central region of Chile, anchoring the nation's capital city and surrounding urban, suburban, and rural municipalities. It functions as the primary nexus for national institutions such as the Moneda Palace, La Moneda, and principal cultural venues including the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and Teatro Municipal de Santiago. The region's metropolitan agglomeration integrates municipal authorities, economic hubs like Estación Central, major universities such as Universidad de Chile and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and transport nodes exemplified by Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport.
The region sits within the central valley between the Cordillera de la Costa and the Andes, encompassing river systems like the Mapocho River and Maipo River and highland corridors including Cajón del Maipo. Topographical variety ranges from the foothills near Cerro San Cristóbal to agricultural plains around Melipilla, while climate gradients reflect proximity to the Pacific Ocean and altitude variations near Andean passes. Key protected areas and ecological landmarks include Parque Metropolitano de Santiago, Reserva Nacional Río Clarillo, and montane landscapes accessed from Farellones and Valle Nevado.
Precolumbian occupation featured groups such as the Picunche and interactions with Mapuche and Diaguita societies, leaving archaeological traces around Pukará de La Compañía. Colonial consolidation followed the founding of Santiago by Pedro de Valdivia in 1541, with urban forms shaped by Spanish institutions including the Real Audiencia of Chile and ecclesiastical structures like the Santiago Cathedral. Nineteenth-century transformations involved the War of the Pacific era growth, the Pacific railway expansions, and nineteenth-century elites tied to hacienda economies centered in provinces such as Maipo Province. Twentieth-century modernization accelerated through projects under figures like Arturo Alessandri and national reforms during the Presidency of Salvador Allende, later intersecting with infrastructure and demographic shifts in the post-Pinochet period.
Administrative organization follows the Chilean regional framework established by statutes such as the restructuring that created elected regional officials and the role of an intendant (historically) and now a Presidential Regional Delegate system. The region contains six provinces—Santiago, Chacabuco, Cordillera, Maipo, Melipilla, Talagante—each subdivided into communes governed by alcaldes and municipal councils, for example Providencia, Las Condes, Maipú, and Puente Alto. National institutions headquartered in the region include the National Congress offices and ministries such as Interior Ministry and Health Ministry.
The region concentrates a plurality of Chile's population, featuring a mix of long-established urbanites in Santiago and recent migrants from regions like Araucanía, Antofagasta, and neighboring countries such as Peru, Bolivia, and Haiti. Socioeconomic stratification is evident across communes like Las Condes and La Pintana, with variable indicators in income, education, and housing recorded by the INE. Cultural and linguistic diversity includes communities with roots in Mapuche heritage, European immigration such as German Chileans and Croatian Chileans, and international diasporas tied to global cities. Health and education networks center on institutions like Hospital del Salvador and universities including Universidad de Santiago de Chile.
As Chile's economic core, the region hosts corporate headquarters for firms such as Codelco, BancoEstado, and multinational branches of BHP and Goldman Sachs (regional offices), with financial activity concentrated in districts like Sanhattan. Key sectors include services, finance, commerce at hubs like Costanera Center, light manufacturing in Quilicura and Renca, and viticulture in Maipo Valley and Melipilla. The region integrates logistics via Puerto de San Antonio connections and energy infrastructure tied to utilities such as ENDESA Chile and AES Andes. Formal labor markets intersect with informal economies in peripheral communes and are shaped by labor movements associated with organizations like the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores.
Transport networks are anchored by Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport and the Santiago Metro system, which links central nodes including Estación Central and Los Héroes and connects to commuter rail lines operated historically by entities like EFE (Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado). Road arteries include the Autopista Central, Ruta 5, and mountain access routes to Portillo and ski resorts. Water supply and sanitation projects involve agencies such as Empresa Metropolitana de Servicios Sanitarios and energy grids coordinated with transmission firms like Transelec. Telecommunications infrastructure features national broadcasters like Televisión Nacional de Chile and major universities operating research networks.
Cultural institutions and festivals concentrate in Santiago's historical core—Plaza de Armas, Palacio Cousiño, Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino—and in cultural districts such as Barrio Bellavista and Lastarria. Gastronomy scenes showcase traditions from Pisco producers of the Maipo Valley and culinary venues influenced by immigrant communities including Italian Chileans and French Chileans. Tourist attractions extend to Cajón del Maipo for outdoor recreation, ski areas like Valle Nevado and La Parva, and winery tours in Maipo Valley and Colchagua-linked estates. Annual events include programming by the Fundación Teatro a Mil and exhibitions at the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos, drawing domestic and international visitors.