Santiago

Santiago
Flag of Santiago
Coat of arms of Santiago


Santiago is located in Chile
Santiago
Santiago
Location in Chile
Santiago is located in South America
Santiago
Santiago
Santiago (South America)
Nickname: 
"The City of the Island Hills"
Coordinates: 33°26′15″S 70°39′00″W / 33.43750°S 70.65000°W / -33.43750; -70.65000
Country Chile
RegionSantiago Metropolitan Region
ProvinceSantiago Province
Foundation12 February 1541; 483 years ago (1541-02-12)
Founded byPedro de Valdivia
Named forSaint James
Area
641 km2 (247.6 sq mi)
Elevation
570 m (1,870 ft)
Population
 (2017)
6,269,384
 • Density9,821/km2 (25,436/sq mi)
 • Metro
6,903,479
DemonymSantiaguinos (-as)
GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values)
 • Year2023
 • Total$192.3 billion[1]
 • Per capita$27,900
Time zoneUTC−4 (CLT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−3 (CLST)
Postal code
8320000
Area code+56 2
HDI (2021)0.886[2]very high
Websitewww.gobiernosantiago.cl Edit this at Wikidata

Santiago (/ˌsæntiˈɑːɡ/, US also /ˌsɑːn-/;[3] Spanish: [sanˈtjaɣo]), also known as Santiago de Chile (Spanish: [san̪ˈtja.ɣo ðe ˈtʃi.le] ), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of seven million, representing 40% of Chile's total population.[4] Most of the city is situated between 500–650 m (1,640–2,133 ft) above sea level.

Founded in 1541 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago has served as the capital city of Chile since colonial times.[5] The city features a downtown core characterized by 19th-century neoclassical architecture and winding side streets with a mix of art deco, neo-gothic, and other styles. Santiago's cityscape is defined by several stand-alone hills and the fast-flowing Mapocho River, which is lined by parks such as Parque Bicentenario, Parque Forestal, and Parque de la Familia. The Andes Mountains are visible from most parts of the city and contribute to a smog problem, particularly during winter due to the lack of rain. The outskirts of the city are surrounded by vineyards, and Santiago is within an hour's drive of both the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Santiago is the political and financial center of Chile and hosts the regional headquarters of many multinational corporations and organizations. The Chilean government's executive and judiciary branches are based in Santiago, while the Congress mostly meets in nearby Valparaíso.

  1. ^ "TelluBase—Chile Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)" (PDF). Tellusant. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  2. ^ Sub-national HDI. "Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  3. ^ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  4. ^ "SÍNTESIS DE RESULTADOS CENSO 2017" (PDF). National Institute of Statistics of Chile. June 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  5. ^ Travel, Chile. "Santiago". Chile Travel. Archived from the original on 18 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.