Santiago Metropolitan Region
| Santiago Metropolitan Region | |||
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| Region of Chile | |||
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 Map of Santiago Metropolitan Region |
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| Coordinates: 33°26′16″S 70°39′01″W / 33.43778°S 70.65028°WCoordinates: 33°26′16″S 70°39′01″W / 33.43778°S 70.65028°W | |||
| Country |
 Chile
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| Capital | Santiago | ||
| Provinces | Santiago, Chacabuco, Cordillera, Maipo, Melipilla, Talagante | ||
| Government | |||
| • Intendant | Claudio Orrego (PDC) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 15,403.2 km2 (5,947.2 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 15 | ||
| Highest elevation | 6,570 m (21,560 ft) | ||
| Population (2012) | |||
| • Total | 6,685,685 | ||
| • Rank | 1 | ||
| • Density | 430/km2 (1,100/sq mi) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | CL-RM | ||
| Website | (Spanish) Gobierno Regional Metropolitano de Santiago | ||
Santiago Metropolitan Region or simply 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 the region, including Chile's main international airport, Arturo Merino Benítez.
With an area of 15,403.2 km2 (5,947 sq mi) and population over 6 million, it is Chile's smallest by area, most populated and most densely populated region. It is also the country's only region that does not have a Roman numeral identifier.
The region's history of European influence started in 1542, 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 30 August 1826, 8 provinces were created, with the Santiago Province being one of them, but it wasn't until 1980 that the Metropolitan Region was created.
Metropolitana is Chile's only landlocked region and lies in the Intermediate Depression valley between the Chilean Coast Range and the Andes mountains. Cerro San Cristóbal dominates the sprawling Santiago cityscape at a height of 880 m (2,887 ft) above sea level with city suburbs steadily climbing the foothills of the Andes to the east. The Tupungato stratovolcano, measures 6,570 m (21,555 ft) on the Argentine border, is one of South America's highest peaks.
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