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| Santiago de Chile |
About Santiago
Santiago is the capital and main city of Chile. The Metropolitan Area is named Gran Santiago or just Santiago, the capital of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago. It is generally considered a unique city, but Santiago is a Conurbation, comprised of 26 communes, with some peripheral sectors within the provinces of Maipú, Cordillera and Talagante.
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Population
Up to the year 2006 the population reached 6.269.629. |
Area
Santiago's area is of 248 square miles. |
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Altitude
1706 feet high.
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Language
Spanish.
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Time Zone
Atlantic Standard Time, GMT – 4 hs.
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Electricity
The voltage used in Chile is 220 volts, alternate voltage, just like most parts of Europe.
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Water
The drinking water of Santiago comes from the mountain range.
Religion
89% catholics, 10% protestants, less than 1% Jewish.
Telephone Area Code
Chile: +56 Santiago: 2.
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Communal Districts
The city is organized in communes. Currently, Santiago is composed of 36 communes, according to the National Statistics Institute of Chile.
There are also urban areas: Pirque, Las Obras and Las Vertientes in the San José de Maipo commune.
The communes are: Cerrillos, Cerro Navia, Conchalí, El Bosque, Estación Central, Huechuraba, Independencia, La Cisterna, La Florida, La Granja, La Pintana, La Reina, Las Condes, Lo Barnechea, Lo Espejo, Lo Prado, Macul, Maipú, Ñuñoa, Padre Hurtado, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, Peñalolén, Pirque, Providencia, Pudahuel, Puente Alto, Quilicura, Quinta Normal, Recoleta, Renca, San Bernardo, San Joaquín, San Miguel, San Ramón, Santiago, Vitacura.
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Currency
The monetary unit is the Chilean peso ($). Its equivalency with the dollar or the euro should be informed on, according to the time of travel. The current equivalency regarding dollars is approximately 523 pesos for each dollar. You can exchange dollars in exchange offices or at banks and you do not need to present any special document.
In Chile, the only monetary unit of legal value is the Chilean peso; therefore businesses will not receive foreign currency, only in tourist areas.
Business Hours
Currency Exchange: Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm.
Banks: Mondays to Fridays from 9 am to 2 pm.
Commercial Hours: Large department stores open from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 10 pm There are also 6 malls in Santiago that open from Monday to Sunday, from 10 am to 10 pm.
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Official Holidays
| Date |
Name |
Notes |
| Jan 1 |
New Year |
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| March or April |
Holy Week |
Easter |
| May 1 |
Labor Day |
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| May 21 |
Naval Glories Days |
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| June |
Corpus Christi |
Modifiable |
| June 29 |
Saint Peter and Saint Paul |
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| Aug 15 |
Ascension of Mary |
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| September |
National Reconciliation Day |
1st. Monday |
| September 18 |
Independence Day |
Patriotic Holiday |
| September 19 |
Army Glories Day |
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| Oct 12 |
Columbus Day |
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| Nov 1 |
All Saints Day |
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| Dec 8 |
Immaculate Conception |
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| Dec 25 |
Christmas |
Birth of Jesus Christ |
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Government
Chile is considered a Republic with a democratic government. The State is divided in three independent branches or powers. The Executive power is represented by the President who is also Head of State. The Judicial power is represented by the Supreme Court, also supported by the Court of Appeals. The Legislative power is bicameral. It is comprised by the House of Representatives, with 120 members of the 13 regions that form the country and the Senate, with 49 senators.
The current president is a woman, for the first time in the history of our country, Mrs. Michelle Bachelet.
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