Chile is divided into thirteen regions (in Spanish, regiones; singular región), each of which is headed by an intendant (intendente), appointed by the president.

The regions have formally both a name and a Roman numeral (e.g. IV, fourth), with the numbers being assigned in sequence from north to south. In general, the Roman numeral is used rather than the name. The only exception is the region where the national capital is situated, which is called the Santiago Metropolitan Region (Región Metropolitana de Santiago, or RM).

Regions are divided into provinces, each headed by a governor (gobernador), appointed by the president. There are 51 provinces, in total.

Provinces are further divided into municipalities, which are sometimes referred to as comunas, each with its own mayor (alcalde), and councilors, known as consejales. elected by the municipality's inhabitants. There are 324 municipalities, in total.

History of the regional structure

The current administrative divisions of Chile were created in 1974 by the Pinochet military dictatorship. Previously, Chile was divided into 25 provinces, which were further divided into departments, and then into municipalities. The new territorial organization was implemented in phases with some initial "pilot regions" beginning to operate in 1974, extending the process on January 1 1976 to the rest of the country. The Santiago Metropolitan Region began to operate in April 1980.

In 2003, President Ricardo Lagos sent a bill to Congress so that lawmakers could discuss the administrative division of the country, now under democracy. In 2005, reforms to the Constitution eliminated the 13-region limit, and allowed for more regions to be created.

In October, 2005 the President sent another bill to Congress calling for the creation of two new regions: one in the north of the country called "Arica-Parinacota Region", encompassing the provinces of Arica and Parinacota which are currently part of the Tarapacá Region; and another in the south, formed by the province of Valdivia, currently part of the Los Lagos Region, tentatively called "Los Ríos Region" (The Rivers Region). If this bill is approved, it may open the way for other regions to be created, such as in the provinces of Ñuble, Aconcagua, and in provinces in the south of the Maule Region.

List of regions

See also

• CL
• Provinces of Chile
• Patagonia

External links

• Article on sub-national government in Chile
• Decreto Ley N° 2.339", from 1978 - Denomination of the regions

Lists of subnational entities | Subdivisions of Chile | Regions of Chile | Regions by country

Административно деление на Чили | Organización territorial de Chile | Regionoj de Ĉilio | Subdivisións do Chile | 칠레의 행정 구역 | Regioni del Cile | Regio's van Chili | チリの地方行政区分 | Regioner i Chile | Podział administracyjny Chile | Regiões do Chile | 智利行政区划