It encompasses the oldest part of the city — that enclosed by old rail lines — including downtown, and houses all major government infrastructure, including the government palace La Moneda.

[7] According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, the commune has an area of 22.4 km2 (9 sq mi) and a population of 200,792 (99,155 men and 101,637 women), giving it a population density of 8,963.9/km2 (23,216/sq mi).

As a commune, Santiago is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by a mayor who is directly elected every four years.

For the 2024-2028 term, the mayor is Mario Desbordes Jiménez (RN), and the communal council has the following members:[8] Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Santiago is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Gonzalo Winter (CS), Lorena Fries (Unir), Emilia Schneider (COM), Alejandra Placencia (PCCh), Helia Molina (PPD), Jorge Alessandri Vergara (UDI), María Luisa Cordero (Ind-RN) and Johannes Kaiser (PLR) as part of the 10th electoral district.

[9] The commune is represented in the Senate by Fabiola Campillai Rojas (Ind), Claudia Pascual (PCCh), Luciano Cruz Coke (EVO), Manuel José Ossandon (RN) and Rojo Edwards (PLR) as part of the 7th senatorial constituency (Santiago Metropolitan Region).