Santiago

**Santiago**, kent as **Santiago de Chile** () an aw, is the caipital an mucklest ceety in Chile, an the centre o its mucklest conurbation (**Greater Santiago**). It is locatit in the kintra's central valley, at an elevation o 520 m (1,706.04&nbsp;ft) abuin mean sea level. Awtho Santiago is the caipital, legislative bodies meet in the coastal toun o Valparaíso, a ae-oor drive tae its wast.

Chile's steady economic growthe haes transformed Santiago intae ane o Laitin Americae's maist modren metropolitan auries, wi extensive suburban development, dozens o shoppin centres, an impressive heich-rise architectur. It is a Alpha(-) Warld Ceety an haes a gey modren transport infrastructur, includin the steadily growin unnergrund Santiago Metro, an effort at modrenisin public bus transport an a free flow toll-based rin road an inner ceety hiewey seestem, pairt o whilk is tunnelled unnerneath a muckle section o the ceety's main river Mapocho connectin the Eastren an Wastren extremes o the ceety in a 25-minute drive.

Santiago is the regional heidquarters tae mony multinaitionals, an a financial centre. Santiago haes a diverse cosmopolitian cultur.

## Uisage note

In Chile thare are several entities that bear the name o **Santiago** that are aften confuised: The Commune o Santiago (whiles referred tae as Santiago Centro, Scots: *Dountoun Santiago*), is a administrative diveesion that comprises roughly the aurie occupee'd bi the ceety durin its colonial period. The Commune o Santiago, that is admeenistered bi a ceety cooncil an heidit bi a mayor, is pairt o the Santiago Province (heidit bi a Provincial Govrenor), that is itsel a subdiveesion o the Santiago Metropolitan Region (heidit bi an Intendant). Still, ootthrou this airticle, an as it is widely acceptit, the term **Santiago** will refer tae whit is commonly kent as **Greater Santiago** (Spaingie: Gran Santiago), a territorial extension defined bi its urban continuity that includes the Commune o Santiago in addition tae 36 ither communes, that thegither comprise the majority o the Santiago Province an some auries o neeburin provinces (see Poleetical diveesions). The Greater Santiago indwallers are cried *Santiaguinos/as*.

## Poleetical diveesions

Greater Santiago lacks a metropolitan govrenment for its admeenistration, that is currently distributit atween various authorities, complicatin the operation o the ceety as a single entity. The heichest authority in Santiago is considered tae be the intendant o the Santiago Metropolitan Region, an unelectit delegate o the preses.

The hale o Greater Santiago disna fit perfectly intae ony admeenistrative diveesion, extendin ootthrou fower different provinces an 37 communes. The majority o its 641.4 km2 (247.65 sq mi) lie athin Santiago Province, wi some peripheral auries contained in the provinces o Cordillera, Maipo an Talagante.

Note: Communes in the peripheries are no shawn tae thair full extent.

## Internaitional relations

### Twin touns — Sister ceeties
Santiago is twinned wi:

### Pairtner ceety
*  Paris, Fraunce (1997, "Friendship Pact")

## References

## Freemit airtins

* Municipality hamepage
* Santiago Tourist  − An Independent Traivel Guide
* Ameristar Chile  − Traivel an Bidin in Chile