Santiago

Santiago (/ˌsænti�?ɑ�?ɡoʊ/; Spanish pronunciation: [san�?tjaɣo]), also known as Santiago de Chile [san�?tjaɣo ðe �?t�?ile], is the capital and largest city of Chile. It is also the center of its largest conurbation. Santiago is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of 520 m (1,706 ft) above mean sea level.

Founded in 1541, Santiago has been the capital city of Chile since colonial times. The city has a downtown core of 19th century neoclassical architecture and winding side-streets, dotted by art deco, neo-gothic, and other styles. Santiago's cityscape is shaped by several stand-alone hills and the fast-flowing Mapocho River, lined by parks such as Parque Forestal. The Andes Mountains can be seen from most points in the city. These mountains contribute to a considerable smog problem, particularly during winter. The city outskirts are surrounded by vineyards and Santiago is within a few hours of both the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Santiago's steady economic growth over the past few decades has transformed it into a modern metropolis. The city is now home to a growing theater and restaurant scene, extensive suburban development, dozens of shopping centers, and a rising skyline, including the tallest building in Latin America, the Gran Torre Santiago. It includes several major universities, and has developed a modern transportation infrastructure, including a free flow toll-based, partly underground urban freeway system and the Metro de Santiago, South America's most extensive subway system. Santiago is the cultural, political and financial center of Chile and is home to the regional headquarters of many multinational corporations. The Chilean executive and judicial powers are located in Santiago, but Congress meets in nearby Valparaíso.

Santiago (micro-region)

The Santiago micro-region (Microrregião de Santiago) is a micro-region in the western part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The area is 11,213.844 km².

Municipalities

The microregion consists of the following municipalities:

References

Coordinates: 29°11′31″S 54°52′01″W / 29.19194°S 54.86694°W / -29.19194; -54.86694

Santiago Province (Dominican Republic)

Santiago (Spanish pronunciation: [san�?tjaɣo]) is a province of the Dominican Republic, in the north of the country. Santiago is an intellectual, educational, and cultural center. It is also a major industrial center with rum, textile, cigarette and cigar industries based there. Shoe manufacturing, leather goods, and furniture making are important parts of the province's economic life. Santiago also has major Free Zone centers with four important industrial free zones; it also has an important cement factory. Santiago is home to one of the largest medical centers in the country, Clínica Unión Médica, which serves all 13 provinces of El Cibao.

Also within striking distance there are a good number of pleasant towns, many of which are quite prosperous. It is surrounded by tall mountains which have for years protected it from hurricanes and allows for dense tropical forests to develop on the slopes of such mountains, which are among the highest in the region.