Providencia, Chile


Providencia is a commune of Chile located in Santiago Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region. Part of Greater Santiago, it is bordered by the communes of Santiago to the west, Recoleta to the northwest, Las Condes and Vitacura to the northeast, La Reina to the east, and Ñuñoa to the south.
Providencia is home to a large upper middle to upper-class population and it holds the region's highest percentage of population over 60. It contains many high-rise apartment buildings as well as a significant portion of Santiago's commerce. It is notable for its large, old and elegant houses inhabited in the past by the Santiago elite and now mostly used as offices. The municipality is also home to many embassies, including those of Poland, Hungary, Italy, France, Egypt, Russia, Japan, China, and Uruguay.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Providencia spans an area of and has 120,874 inhabitants, making the commune an entirely urban area. The population grew by 8.7% between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.

Indicators

As a commune, Providencia is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2016-2020 alcaldesa is Evelyn Matthei. The communal council has the following members:
Chile Vamos
Nueva Mayoría
Frente Amplio
Otros
Providencia is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Maya Fernández and Marcela Sabat as part of the 21st electoral district. The commune is represented in the Senate by Carlos Montes and Manuel José Ossandón as part of the 8th senatorial constituency.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has its headquarters in Providencia.

Areas of interest

Providencia includes Barrio Bellavista, a bohemian area populated with artists and performers. The latter lies in the shadow of Cerro San Cristóbal, a prominent hill in the city topped by a 22 m statue of The Virgin Mary. The north of Providencia is its financial and commercial district, while the remainder of it contains high-priced residential development.
Other notable areas of interest in Providencia include the Metropolitan Zoo, the Teleférico, several television networks and Radio Cooperativa.