San José de Maipo
Encyclopedia
San José de Maipo is the name of a commune in Chile
and the city within it, located in Cordillera Province
, Santiago Metropolitan Region
, some 48 kilometers south-east of capital Santiago
, bordered on the east by the Argentina
, across the Andes
.
of the National Statistics Institute
, San José de Maipo spans an area of 4994.8 sqkm and has 13,376 inhabitants (6,947 men and 6,429 women). Of these, 9,311 (69.6%) lived in urban area
s and 4,065 (30.4%) in rural areas. The population grew by 14.9% (1,730 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. Its population density was then 6.9 PD/sqkm, making it the most sparsely populated commune in the region.
considered it necessary to give it the power of a town to better support mining that took place around San Pedro Nolasco.
During the 19th century the area was the scene of several important events in the independence of Chile, since because of its proximity to Argentina it was used by General San Martin and the liberating Army of the Andes
to support the Bernardine cause of O'Higgins.
At the end of that century mining began in the area. During the 20th Century, the commune became very important for the city of Santiago, since the first hydroelectric power station of the zone was constructed there (Maitenes), and also an aqueduct was constructed that supplies potable water to the city from Andean glaciers. Because of the purity of its air, sanatoriums were built for respiratory patients from all over Chile. Towards the end of the century ecotourism
became a pole of development, thanks to the Maipo river's suitability for white water rafting
.
who is directly elected every four years. For the years 2008-2012, the alcalde is Luis Pezoa Alvarez (RN
), and the council members are:
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, San José de Maipo is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
by Osvaldo Andrade (PS) and Leopoldo Pérez (RN) as part of the 29th electoral district, (together with Puente Alto
, Pirque
and La Pintana
). The commune is represented in the Senate
by Soledad Alvear
(PDC) and Pablo Longueira
(UDI) as part of the 8th senatorial constituency (Santiago-East).
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and the city within it, located in Cordillera Province
Cordillera Province, Chile
Cordillera Province is one of six provinces in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of central Chile. Its topography includes a small area of Chile's central valley, glaciers, rivers, volcanoes, and the Andes range, which forms the border with Argentina...
, Santiago Metropolitan Region
Santiago Metropolitan Region
Santiago Metropolitan Region or simply Metropolitan Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is the country's only landlocked administrative region and contains the nation's capital, Santiago...
, some 48 kilometers south-east of capital Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, bordered on the east by the Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, across the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
.
Demographics
According to the 2002 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of the National Statistics Institute
National Statistics Institute (Chile)
The National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
, San José de Maipo spans an area of 4994.8 sqkm and has 13,376 inhabitants (6,947 men and 6,429 women). Of these, 9,311 (69.6%) lived in urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s and 4,065 (30.4%) in rural areas. The population grew by 14.9% (1,730 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. Its population density was then 6.9 PD/sqkm, making it the most sparsely populated commune in the region.
Economy
Among the present economic activities stand out nonmetallic mining, including stone quarries, production of almonds and stone fruits, and crafts based on laja rock and alabaster, among others. Regional tourism is very important in this zone; there are a great number of food and lodging establishments. In 2001 the commune was declared Zona de Interés Turístico Nacional (ZOIT), by the National Service of Tourism (SERNATUR).History
San Jose de Maipo was named a town by order of Ambrosio O'Higgins in 1792. The Governor of Chile and future Virrey of PeruViceroyalty of Peru
Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
considered it necessary to give it the power of a town to better support mining that took place around San Pedro Nolasco.
During the 19th century the area was the scene of several important events in the independence of Chile, since because of its proximity to Argentina it was used by General San Martin and the liberating Army of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
to support the Bernardine cause of O'Higgins.
At the end of that century mining began in the area. During the 20th Century, the commune became very important for the city of Santiago, since the first hydroelectric power station of the zone was constructed there (Maitenes), and also an aqueduct was constructed that supplies potable water to the city from Andean glaciers. Because of the purity of its air, sanatoriums were built for respiratory patients from all over Chile. Towards the end of the century ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
became a pole of development, thanks to the Maipo river's suitability for white water rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
.
Administration
As a commune, San José de Maipo is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council headed by an alcaldeAlcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
who is directly elected every four years. For the years 2008-2012, the alcalde is Luis Pezoa Alvarez (RN
National Renewal (Chile)
National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement...
), and the council members are:
- Julio Carrillo Quintana (RN)
- Eduardo Astorga Flores (RN)
- Marco Quintanilla P. (PSSocialist Party of ChileThe Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973...
) - Virginia Ríos Mella (PDCChristian Democratic PartyChristian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
) - Andres Venegas (PRSDSocial Democrat Radical PartyThe Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International....
) - Sonía Avila (RN)
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, San José de Maipo is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Chile
The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
by Osvaldo Andrade (PS) and Leopoldo Pérez (RN) as part of the 29th electoral district, (together with Puente Alto
Puente Alto
Puente Alto is a city and commune of Chile. It is the capital of the Cordillera Province in the Santiago Metropolitan Region. Located at the south of the Greater Santiago conurbation, it houses 492,603 inhabitants , making it the largest city in Chile...
, Pirque
Pirque
Pirque is a commune of Chile in Cordillera Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region; it is located 2.8 kilometers SE of Puente Alto and 21.3 kilometers SSE of the center of Santiago. It is situated in a mountain chain.-Demographics:...
and La Pintana
La Pintana
La Pintana is a commune of Chile located in Santiago Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region. La Pintana is home to Antumapu, the agricultural and veterinary sciences campus of University of Chile Chile's oldest university.-Demographics:...
). The commune is represented in the Senate
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
by Soledad Alvear
Soledad Alvear
María Soledad Alvear Valenzuela , is a Chilean lawyer and Christian Democrat politician, who was a cabinet member of the Aylwin, Frei and Lagos administrations. She was president of the Christian Democrat Party from 2006-2008...
(PDC) and Pablo Longueira
Pablo Longueira
Juan Pablo Longueira Montes in a Chilean right-wing politician, industrial civil engineer and Independent Democrat Union senator . He was previously a deputy . He launched his candidacy for president of Chile on March 30, 2007, but canceled it on May 3, 2007.-External links:* *...
(UDI) as part of the 8th senatorial constituency (Santiago-East).