Internal Migrations towards the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile: A confrontation with theoretical approaches

The orientations of migrations movement pattems in Chile are analyzed, with special reference to the causes of the demographic growth of the Greater Santiago Area. On the one hand, these are related to the degree of attraction that the area still has within the country, and on the other, with a predominant nonselective emigrant typology. It was determinate, in a communal level of resolution, the impact of the regional migrations movements in the city growth, by means of the identification of the 1980's immigrant profile. The results indicate that the influx from other regions is definitely less significant than the intra-regional movements in the same period. Spatial interaction reveals a strong relationship with the central regions of the country, as well as a diffuse destiny pattem central - penpheral within the metropolis. Associated attributes indicate a ves, selective movement trend that stands out in the wealthier communes. The results identify a behavioral pattem already analyzed in an urbanization paradigm for Latin America. The Metropolitan Region of Santiago has lost the historical polarizing role of movements. Nevertheless, the tendency to the agglomeration continues, in a new functional hierarchic framework: the dynamism of the mid size cities.