Santiago Metropolitan Region（Chile）

Santiago Metropolitan Region（Chile）

[Overview] Santiago Metropolitan Region (hereinafter referred to as the metropolitan region) is the political, economic, cultural and transportation center of Chile. Located in the central part of the country with an average altitude of 556 meters, the metropolitan region covers an area of 15,400 square kilometers and has a population of about 6.68 million, accounting for 40 percent of the national population.

[Politics] The metropolitan region administers 52 communes in 6 provinces. Santiago, the national capital of Chile, is also the capital city of the region, though it has no administrative affiliation with the region. The metropolitan region has no parliament, but is governed by a regional council appointed by the central government. Founded in 1993, the council is responsible for promoting the balanced social and economic development in the region and coordinating the use of the regional development fund appropriated by the central government. The council consists of a governor who, without a fixed term, is directly appointed by the President of Chile, and councilors. The incumbent governor Felipe Guevara came into office in October 2019.

[Economy] The metropolitan region has such pillar industries as textile, clothing, foodstuff, wine-making, machinery and metallurgy. It boasts an advanced transportation network that consists of an international airport, five subway lines, and the Pan-American Highway running through it from north to south.

[Culture and Education] The metropolitan region is home to a number of universities, including the Catholic University of Chile and the University of Chile, both more than one century old.

[Relations with Beijing] Beijing and Santiago Metropolitan Region established the sister-city relationship on August 6, 2007. In 2009, they signed the framework agreement on exchange and cooperation, which covered a wide array of areas such as culture, tourism, education, transportation, health, infrastructure and sports.

圣地亚哥首都大区（智利）

【概况】圣地亚哥首都大区（简称“首都大区”）是智利政治、经济、文化和交通中心，位于智利中部，平均海拔556米，面积1.54万平方公里，人口约668万，约占全国总人口的40%。

【政治】首都大区下辖6个省、52个市，智利首都圣地亚哥市也是首都大区的首府。圣地亚哥首都大区与圣地亚哥市无行政隶属关系。首都大区不设议会，领导机构为大区政府。大区政府是中央派出机构，成立于1993年，主要负责促进本地区社会经济均衡发展，协调中央政府划拨的地区发展资金的使用。大区政府由区长和大区委员组成，区长由总统直接任命，无固定任期，现任区长费利佩·格瓦拉于2019年10月就职。

【经济】首都大区支柱产业有纺织、服装、食品、酿酒、机械和冶金工业等。首都大区交通发达，有一座国际机场，5条地铁线，泛美公路纵贯南北。

【文化教育】拥有百年历史的智利天主教大学、智利大学等高等学府均设立在该区。

【两市交往】2007年8月6日，北京市与圣地亚哥首都大区正式建立友好城市关系。2009年，两市签署了交流合作框架协议，内容涉及文化、旅游、教育、交通、卫生、基础设施建设、体育等各领域。

（Source: Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal Government）