View source for Regions of Chile

{{Short description|First-level administrative regions of Chile}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name               = Regions of Chile<br />''Regiones de Chile'' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]])
| alt_name           = 
| map                = Chile (+Antarctica & Islands), administrative divisions - en - colored 2018.svg
| category           = [[Regional state]]
| territory          = {{flag|Chile}}
| start_date         =
| current_number     = 16
| number_date        =
| population_range   = 103,158 ([[Aysén Region|Aysén]]) – 7,112,808 ([[Santiago Metropolitan Region|Metropolitan Santiago]])
| area_range         =  {{Convert|13178.5|sqkm|abbr=on}} ([[Ñuble Region|Ñuble]]) – {{Convert|51077.9|sqmi|order=flip|abbr=on}} ([[Magallanes Region|Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica]])
| government         = Limited autonomous government
| subdivision        = [[Provinces of Chile|Province]]
}}
{{Politics of Chile}}
[[Chile]] is divided into 16 [[region]]s (in [[Spanish language|Spanish]], ''regiones''; singular {{Lang|es|región}}), which are the country's first-level administrative division. Each region is headed by directly elected [[Regional Governor (Chile)|regional governor]] (''gobernador regional'') and a regional board (''consejo regional'').

The regions are divided into [[Provinces of Chile|province]]s (the second-level administrative division), each headed by a governor (''gobernador'') appointed by the President. There are 56 provinces in total. Provinces are divided into [[Communes of Chile|communes]] (the third and lowest level administrative division), which are governed by [[municipal council]]s.

==Naming==
Each region was given a [[Roman numeral]], followed by a name (e.g. ''IV Región de Coquimbo'', read as "fourth region of Coquimbo" in Spanish). When the regional structure was created, Roman numerals were assigned in ascending order from north to south, with the northernmost region designated as I (first) and the southernmost region as XII (twelfth). The [[Santiago Metropolitan Region]], located in the center of the country and home to the country's capital [[Santiago, Chile|Santiago]], was excluded from this naming scheme and given instead the initials RM, standing for ''Región Metropolitana'' ("Metropolitan Region" in Spanish). With the creation of regions XIV ([[Los Ríos Region]]) and XVI ([[Ñuble Region]]) in the south and XV ([[Arica y Parinacota Region]]) in the north ([[Triskaidekaphobia|XIII was not used]]) in 2007, the north-south Roman numeral order was broken.

In February 2018, the ''Strengthening of Regionalization Law'' (Law 21074) was enacted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/pais/ciudades/ley-les-quito-los-numeros-a-las-regiones-ahora-solo-se-conoceran-por-su-nombre/2018-03-07/101936.html|title=Ley les quitó los números a las regiones: Ahora solo se conocerán por su nombre - Cooperativa.cl|last=Cooperativa.cl|website=cooperativa.cl|access-date=1 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231826/http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/pais/ciudades/ley-les-quito-los-numeros-a-las-regiones-ahora-solo-se-conoceran-por-su-nombre/2018-03-07/101936.html|archive-date=8 March 2018}}</ref> Among other things, it removed the [[roman numerals]] from the designations.

==History of the regional structure==
The administrative divisions of Chile were created in 1974 and limited to 13 regions (this limitation was eliminated in 2005 via a constitutional reform). Previously, Chile was divided into 25 provinces, which were further divided into departments, and then into communes. 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 December 2006, two new regions were created: the northern [[Arica and Parinacota Region]], by taking out the two northernmost provinces from the [[Tarapacá Region]]; and [[Los Ríos Region]] in the south, encompassing the provinces of [[Valdivia Province|Valdivia]], formerly part of the [[Los Lagos Region]], and [[Ranco Province|Ranco]], formerly part of Valdivia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.diariolanacion.cl/prontus_noticias/site/artic/20061219/pags/20061219152219.html|title=La Nación|website=diariolanacion.cl|access-date=1 May 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920200532/http://www.diariolanacion.cl/prontus_noticias/site/artic/20061219/pags/20061219152219.html|archive-date=2016-09-20}}</ref> Both regions became operative in October 2007.

In August 2017, the [[Ñuble Region]] was created from what was then the [[Ñuble Province (1974-2018)|Ñuble Province]] of the [[Biobío Region]]. The old province was divided into three new provinces: [[Diguillín Province|Diguillín]], [[Punilla Province|Punilla]] and [[Itata Province|Itata]]. The new region's capital is [[Chillán]]. It became operational in September 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1107597&idParte=&idVersion=2018-09-06|title=LEY-21033 05-SEP-2017 MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR Y SEGURIDAD PÚBLICA - Ley Chile - Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional|date=5 September 2017|website=leychile.cl|access-date=1 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916052739/https://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1107597&idParte=&idVersion=2018-09-06|archive-date=16 September 2017}}</ref>

==Administration==
Since their creation, each region is headed by an [[intendant]] (intendente) appointed by the President of Chile, and a regional board (consejo regional). The intendants count with the direct collaboration of the SEREMI (Ministerial Regional secretary) in specific matters, such as public health, education, agriculture, among others. The SEREMI are  appointed by the President. Thanks to the Strengthening of Regionalization Law, since the [[Elections in Chile|2020 municipal elections]] each intendant will be elected at the same date along with the mayors and municipal councillors, using a [[two-round system]]. If no candidate obtains the minimum threshold 40% of the valid votes, a runoff election is held between the two candidates with the most votes, and the winner is elected by a [[majority|simple majority]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elmostrador.cl/noticias/pais/2017/12/20/lista-para-promulgacion-queda-ley-que-establece-eleccion-directa-de-gobernadores-regionales-a-partir-de-2020/|title=Lista para promulgación queda ley que establece elección directa de gobernadores regionales a partir de 2020|first=El|last=Mostrador|website=elmostrador.cl|date=20 December 2017 |access-date=1 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231845/http://www.elmostrador.cl/noticias/pais/2017/12/20/lista-para-promulgacion-queda-ley-que-establece-eleccion-directa-de-gobernadores-regionales-a-partir-de-2020/|archive-date=8 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.camara.cl/pdf.aspx?prmTIPO=CUENTADOCUMENTO&prmID=3083 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-03-08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308232744/https://www.camara.cl/pdf.aspx?prmTIPO=CUENTADOCUMENTO&prmID=3083 |archive-date=2018-03-08 }}</ref> Also the law will change the name ''Intendant'' to ''Regional Governor'' (Gobernador regional). The President will appoint a Regional presidential delegate (delegado presidencial regional), who will represent the national government in the region.

The board was elected among the members of the municipal councils (consejo municipal) of each commune of the respective region. Since the [[2013 Chilean general election|2013 election]] the regional board members (Consejero regional) are directly elected using an [[open list]] [[proportional representation]], with seats allocated using the [[D'Hondt method]]. Each of the 54 provinces are headed by a governor (gobernador) appointed by the President. In 2020, the provincial governors will change their name to ''Provincial presidential delegate''' (delegado presidencial provincial), still appointed by the President.

==List of regions==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! class="unsortable" |Flag
!Name<br/>([[English language|English]]/[[Spanish language|Spanish]])
![[Capital (political)|Capital]]
!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
!Population<br />(2017 census)
!Density per<br>km<sup>2</sup>
!Former number
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Arica y Parinacota, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Arica y Parinacota Region|Arica and Parinacota]]<br /><small>Región de Arica y Parinacota</small>
|[[Arica, Chile|Arica]] || align=right|16,873.3 || align=right| 226,068
|13.4
|{{sort|15|XV}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Tarapaca, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Tarapacá Region|Tarapacá]]<br /><small>Región de Tarapacá</small>
|[[Iquique]] || align=right|42,225.8 || align=right| 330,558
|7.83
|{{sort|01|I}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Antofagasta Region, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Antofagasta Region|Antofagasta]]<br /><small>Región de Antofagasta</small>
|[[Antofagasta]] || align=right|126,049.1 || align=right| 607,534
|4.82
|{{sort|02|II}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Atacama, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Atacama Region|Atacama]]<br /><small>Región de Atacama</small>
|[[Copiapó]] || align=right|75,176.2 || align=right| 286,168
|3.81
|{{sort|03|III}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Coquimbo Region, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Coquimbo Region|Coquimbo]]<br /><small>Región de Coquimbo</small>
|[[La Serena, Chile|La Serena]] || align=right|40,579.9 || align=right| 757,586
|18.67
|{{sort|04|IV}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Valparaiso Region, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Valparaíso Region|Valparaíso]]<br /><small>Región de Valparaíso</small>
|[[Valparaíso]] || align=right|16,396.1 || align=right| 1,815,902
|110.75
|{{sort|05|V}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of the Metropolitan Region, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Santiago Metropolitan Region|Metropolitan]]<br /><small>Región Metropolitana de Santiago</small>
|[[Santiago]] || align=right|15,403.2 || align=right| 7,112,808
|461.77
|{{sort|13|RM (XIII)}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of O'Higgins Region, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[O'Higgins Region|O'Higgins]]<br /><small>Región del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins</small>
|[[Rancagua]] || align=right|16,387.0 || align=right| 914,555
|55.81
|{{sort|06|VI}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Maule, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Maule Region|Maule]]<br /><small>Región del Maule</small>
|[[Talca]] || align=right|30,296.1 || align=right| 1,044,950
|34.49
|{{sort|07|VII}}
|-
||[[Image:Flag of Ñuble Region, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Ñuble Region|Ñuble]]<br /><small>Región de Ñuble</small>
|[[Chillán]] || align=right|13,178.5 || align=right| 480,609
|36.47
|{{sort|16|XVI}}
|-
||[[Image:Flag of Biobío Region, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Biobío Region|Biobío]]<br /><small>Región del Biobío</small>
|[[Concepción, Chile|Concepción]] || align=right|23,890.2 || align=right| 1,556,805
|65.17
|{{sort|08|VIII}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of La Araucanía Region.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Araucanía Region|Araucanía]]<br /><small>Región de La Araucanía</small>
|[[Temuco]] || align=right|31,842.3 || align=right| 957,224
|30.06
|{{sort|09|IX}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Los Ríos, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Los Ríos Region|Los Ríos]]<br /><small>Región de Los Ríos</small>
|[[Valdivia]] || align=right|18,429.5 || align=right| 384,837
|20.88
|{{sort|14|XIV}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Los Lagos Region, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Los Lagos Region|Los Lagos]]<br /><small>Región de Los Lagos</small>
|[[Puerto Montt]] || align=right|48,583.6 || align=right| 828,708
|17.06
|{{sort|10|X}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Aysen, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Aysén Region|Aysén]]<br /><small>Región Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo</small>
|[[Coyhaique]] || align=right|108,494.4 || align=right| 103,158
|0.95
|{{sort|11|XI}}
|-
|[[Image:Flag of Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena, Chile.svg|45px|border]]
|[[Magallanes Region|Magallanes]]<br /><small>Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena</small>
|[[Punta Arenas]] || align=right|132,291.1 || align=right| 166,533
|1.26
|{{sort|12|XII}}
|}

==See also==
*[[Ranked lists of Chilean regions]]
*[[Administrative divisions of Chile]]
*[[Provinces of Chile]]
*[[Communes of Chile]]
*[[ISO 3166-2:CL]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Regions of Chile}}
{{Chile topics}}
{{Spanish terms for country subdivisions}}
{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of South American countries}}

== External links ==
* [https://regionesdechile.cl Regions of Chile]

[[Category:Regions of Chile| ]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of Chile]]
[[Category:First-level administrative divisions by country|Regions, Chile]]
[[Category:Lists of subdivisions of Chile|Regions]]