INTRODUCTION

Santiago, Chile's federal capital, is the center of the largest metropolitan area, "Greater
Santiago," at an elevation of 1,700 feet. With a population of 6,402,552, Santiago is home to
numerous shopping malls, high-rise architecture, and spectacular infrastructure like the Santiago
Metro and the Costanera Norte highway system. The city is home to major international
companies and serves as a regional financial center, with legislative bodies meeting in the nearby
port city of Valparaíso. Santiago is among the largest and most important financial centers in
Latin America, ranking high as a Global City.

TERMINOLOGY NOTE

The term "Santiago" typically refers to the Greater Santiago area, but there are other entities with
the name, such as the commune of Santiago, a subdivision of the Santiago Province. The
commune is administered by the Santiago municipality, a separate legal entity with an elected
mayor and council. It encompasses the oldest part of Greater Santiago, including downtown, and
houses major government infrastructure, including the government palace La Moneda. With an
area of 8.6 square miles and a population of 200,792, Santiago is a significant part of the region.

GEOGRAPHY

Santiago, located at an elevation of 522 meters, is situated in the center of the Santiago Basin, a
vast valley surrounded by mountains. It is bordered by the Andes on the east the Chilean Coastal
Range on the west, and the Cordón de Chacabuco on the north. The Santiago Basin is part of the
Intermediate Depression and is characterized by flat terrain with a few hills. The Andes de
Santiago, a massive mountainous system, culminates in the Tupungato volcano at 6,570 meters.
Cerro El Plomo is the highest mountain visible from the urban area. The Mapocho River runs
through the city. Santiago is divided into 13 political districts or comunas, each with an elected
mayor. The quality of life varies significantly among the comunas, with wealthier communities
having modern buildings and well-maintained public areas, while poorer comunas often have
unpaved roads and inadequate housing.

CLIMATE

Santiago has a mild Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers (November-March) and more
humid winters (June-August). The city experiences occasional snowfall in higher suburbs and a
mean rainfall of 312.5 mm (12.3 inches). Thermal inversion, a phenomenon where cooler air is
trapped near the ground by warmer air above, causes high levels of smog and air pollution in the
Central Valley during winter months.
HISTORY

Santiago, founded in 1541 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, was the first permanent
Spanish settlement in Chile. The city was chosen due to its moderate climate and defense
capabilities, with the Mapocho River splitting into two branches around Huelen Hill. The city
was destroyed by native forces in 1541 but it was rebuilt.

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Santiago experienced significant growth
through immigration and the construction of many churches. However, earthquakes left only a
few standing, such as the Iglesia de San Francisco (1618), Velasco's residence (1730), the Posada
del Corregidor (1750), and the house once belonged to Mateo de Toro y Zambrano (present-day
Casa Colorada).

The city was slightly damaged during the War of Independence (1810-18), specifically during
the Battle of Maipú. After Chile's independence in 1818, Bernardo O'Higgins became the first
Chilean head of state and declared Santiago as Chile's federal capital. The first buildings were
erected with the help of native Picunche Indians, and the southern arm of the Mapocho River
was drained and converted to a public promenade known as the Alameda.

In the early nineteenth century, Santiago remained a small town with few buildings other than
the Palacio de La Moneda, which served as the Chilean mint during the Spanish period. In the
1880s, nitrate fertilizer extraction brought prosperity to the country, leading to the construction
of important landmarks like the National Library, Museum of Fine Arts, and Mapocho Train
Station.

Santiago began its transformation into a modern city in the 1930s, with the development of the
Barrio Cívico neighborhood and population growth due to migration from northern and southern
areas.

Reference:

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Santiago,_Chile