Abstract

This paper deals with the transformation of compact cities into disperse cities, which is now days one of the process intensively occurring in metropolitan areas. In Chile, the country capital city (with 5.5 million people), is not an exception, nevertheless the demographic growth rates diminish, as is observed in latest years. Santiago has shown a strong oriented growth towards the periphery. The explanatory facts are complex and diverse. Nevertheless the migratory movements, particularly those occurring within the urban sector, are recognize to have a principal and decisive role in this urban process. Besides the physical way of expansion, social geographical aspects of the city are considered too, since these are qualities of the migrant population.