Greater Valparaíso facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greater Valparaíso
Gran Valparaíso
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Map of the Greater Valparaiso
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| Subdivision | Valparaíso Viña del Mar Placilla de Peñuelas Reñaca Concón Quilpué Villa Alemana |
| Population | |
| • Total | 1,036,127 |
Greater Valparaíso (also known as Gran Valparaíso) is a large metropolitan area in Chile. It's the third biggest urban area in the country. Only Greater Concepción and Greater Santiago are larger. This area is named after the city of Valparaíso. Valparaíso is the oldest city in the group. It also has Chile's most important harbor. In 2012, about 979,127 people lived here. The area covers about 401.6 square kilometers.
Contents
Cities in Greater Valparaíso
Greater Valparaíso is made up of several smaller areas called communes. Each commune is managed by its own local government, called a municipality.
The main cities that form Greater Valparaíso are:
- Valparaíso
- Viña del Mar
- Concón
- Quilpué
- Villa Alemana
About the Communes
These communes have different features and roles within the Greater Valparaíso area:
- Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, and Concón are cities located right on the coast.
- Villa Alemana and Quilpué are found in valleys further inland. These are often called El Interior (The Interior) cities.
- Valparaíso and Viña del Mar have traditionally been centers for businesses and factories.
- Quilpué and Villa Alemana are mostly residential areas. Many people live there and travel to other cities for work. Because of this, they are sometimes called ciudades dormitorio (sleeper cities).
Important Services and Places
Learning and Universities
Greater Valparaíso has the third highest number of universities in Chile. Besides the older, well-known Traditional Universities, there are many private schools. Some of these include Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Universidad Andrés Bello, and Universidad del Mar.
Getting Around: Transportation
The area has a modern light rail system called the Valparaíso Metro. This train system connects most of the communes. There are also many bus routes that travel between different communes. These bus services are part of the Transporte Metropolitano de Valparaíso system.
Fun Things to Do: Tourism
Greater Valparaíso is a popular place for tourists. People visit for many reasons:
- The Viña del Mar International Song Festival is a very famous music event.
- The area has many beautiful balnearios (beaches and resorts).
- You can find the world's largest swimming pool at San Alfonso del Mar in Algarrobo.
- The historic part of Valparaíso's seaport is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it's recognized as very important for its culture and history.
See also
In Spanish: Gran Valparaíso para niños
