Santiago, << `san` tee AH goh >> (pop. 4,914,641), is the capital and largest city of Chile. It is also the country’s cultural, economic, and transportation center. Santiago lies in the center of Chile, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of the Pacific Ocean. Chile’s president and Supreme Court are based in Santiago, but the legislature meets in Valparaíso, a port city to the west. About one-third of all Chileans live in Santiago.
The city
lies in the fertile Central Valley, the agricultural heartland of Chile. The Santiago metropolitan area covers 814 square miles (2,109 square kilometers). The Andes Mountains rise above Santiago to the east. Many of these peaks remain snow-capped the year around. The Coastal Range is to the west, along the Pacific. The Mapocho River runs east to west through the city.
Several hills dominate the city’s landscape. Cerro Santa Lucía (Santa Lucia Hill) rises 230 feet (70 meters) in the downtown area. It is a beautifully landscaped park with statues, gardens, and fountains. The 985-foot (300-meter) Cerro San Cristóbal (San Cristobal Hill), part of Santiago’s Metropolitan Park, has a statue of the Virgin Mary at its peak.
Santiago is divided into a number of political districts called comunas. Each comuna has an elected mayor. The quality of life varies significantly among the comunas.
A square called the Plaza de Armas forms the heart of downtown Santiago. The Cathedral of Santiago, City Hall, and many shops surround the plaza. Santiago’s main roadway is the Avenida Bernardo O’Higgins, which runs through the center of the city. One of Santiago’s subway lines runs under this avenue.
Santiago has numerous theater, dance, and music companies. The National Museum of Fine Arts and the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art are among the city’s attractions. La Chascona, a house that belonged to the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, is now a museum. The Museum of Memory and Human Rights honors those who were imprisoned, tortured, and killed during Chile’s military regime of 1973 to 1990 (see Chile (Marxism and military rule) ). Institutions of higher education in Santiago include the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and the University of Chile.
The people.
Most of Santiago’s residents have Spanish ancestry, though some are of French, German, Italian, or Croatian descent. Other significant groups include American Indians and people from the Middle East and Korea. Many of Santiago’s residents are mestizos (people of mixed European and American Indian ancestry). About two-thirds of the city’s people are Roman Catholics.
The people of Santiago live and dress much like city dwellers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Many people live in houses with fenced-in gardens. During the late 1900’s and early 2000’s, increasing numbers of Santiago’s residents moved to apartments.
Meals typically include fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood products of the Central Valley and Pacific coast. Wine is plentiful and inexpensive. Popular foods include empanadas (meat-, seafood-, or cheese-filled pastries), cazuela de ave (a hearty chicken soup), pastel de choclo (a baked corn casserole), and ceviche (pickled fish).
Economy.
Santiago is home to Chile’s stock exchange and major banks. Much of the nation’s industry is based in Santiago. A number of large firms have their headquarters in the city. Many Santiago residents work in factories that process food, or manufacture textiles, footwear, or other products. Many others work in government and service industries. Santiago’s railroad station serves passengers traveling to the south. An international airport serves the city. Santiago also has an extensive subway system modeled on the Paris Metro subway.
History.
Mapuche Indians, often called Araucanians by the Spanish, lived in what is now the Santiago area when Europeans arrived in the 1500’s. A Spanish soldier named Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago in 1541. It was the first permanent Spanish settlement in what is now Chile. In the late 1500’s, Santiago became the seat of Spanish rule over the Chilean region and parts of Argentina. When Chile gained independence in 1818, Santiago became the nation’s capital.
Chile won lands rich in copper and nitrates by defeating Bolivia and Peru in the War of the Pacific (1879-1883). Santiago grew rapidly as a result of this new mineral wealth. Santiago’s economy expanded during World War I (1914-1918) because of the demand for nitrates used in making explosives. The city’s industrial expansion continued after World War II (1939-1945).
