Santiago Metropolitan Region Information & Santiago Metropolitan Region Links at HealthHaven.com

**Santiago Metropolitan Region**
	See other Chilean regions
Capital	Santiago
Provinces	Santiago; Chacabuco; Cordillera; Maipo; Melipilla; Talagante
Intendant	Igor Garafulic (PPD)
Area; - Total	Ranked 15th; 15,403.2 km²
Population; - 2009; - Density	Ranked 1st; 7,003,122; 392.1/km²
ISO 3166-2	CL-RM

The Santiago Metropolitan Region (Spanish: Región Metropolitana de Santiago) is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is the country's only landlocked administrative region and contains the nation's capital, Santiago. Most commercial and administrative centers are located in this region, including Chile's main international airport, Arturo Merino Benítez.

With a surface of 15.403,2 km², it is the smallest of all the Chilean regions but it is also the most popoulated, with 7,003,122 inhabitants estimated for 2009. The region is composed by the provinces of Chacabuco, Cordillera, Maipo, Melipilla, Santiago and Talagante, with the regional capital being Santiago.

The Metropolitan Region has various special charasteristics for being the political capital of the country, amongst them is that it is the only region that doesn't have a roman number that identifies it. It is also the only landlocked region in the country.

[edit] History

The Region's history starts in 1541, a few days after Santiago was founded. When the Santiago Cabildo was built, its function was to supervise the entire territory. Later, with the creation of the cities of La Serena and Concepción and the creation of their respective cabildos, its territorial reach was reduced.

On August 30, 1826, 8 provinces were created in Chile, with the Santiago Province being one of them, but it wasn't until 1980 that the Metropolitan Region was created.

Regional Intendence.

[edit] Government and administration

The Metropolitan Region, is divided in 6 provinces and 52 comunas.

[edit] Government

The government of the region resides in the Intendente, who is assigned by the President. Since January 4, 2008, the Intendente is Álvaro Erazo.

This region representatives in the senate are: Santiago Poniente: Guido Girardi (PPD) and Jovino Novoa (UDI). Santiago Oriente: Soledad Alvear (PDC) and Pablo Longueira (UDI).

[edit] Administration

The administration of the region stands in the Regional Government, that consists in the Intendente and the Regional Counsel.

The administration of each comuna resides on the respective municipality.

Polítical and administrative division of the Santiago Metropolitan Region

Province	Capital	Comuna
Chacabuco	Colina	1 Colina
		2 Lampa
		3 Tiltil
Cordillera	Puente Alto	4 Pirque
		5 Puente Alto
		6 San José de Maipo
Maipo	San Bernardo	7 Buin
		8 Calera de Tango
		9 Paine
		10 San Bernardo
Melipilla	Melipilla	11 Alhué
		12 Curacaví
		13 María Pinto
		14 Melipilla
		15 San Pedro
Santiago	Santiago	16 Cerrillos
		17 Cerro Navia
		18 Conchalí
		19 El Bosque
		20 Estación Central
		21 Huechuraba
		22 Independencia
		23 La Cisterna
		24 La Granja
		25 La Florida
		26 La Pintana
		27 La Reina
		28 Las Condes
		29 Lo Barnechea
		30 Lo Espejo
		31 Lo Prado
		32 Macul
		33 Maipú
		34 Ñuñoa
		35 Pedro Aguirre Cerda
		36 Peñalolén
		37 Providencia
		38 Pudahuel
		39 Quilicura
		40 Quinta Normal
		41 Recoleta
		42 Renca
		43 San Miguel
		44 San Joaquín
		45 San Ramón
		46 Santiago
		47 Vitacura
Talagante	Talagante	48 El Monte
		49 Isla de Maipo
		50 Padre Hurtado
		51 Peñaflor
		52 Talagante