Ñuñoa (; from Mapudungun Ñuñohue, "place of yellow flowers") is a commune of the Northeastern zone of Santiago, in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile. According to the 2021 Urban Life Quality Index (ICVU), it is considered the fourth best commune to live in the region and the country. The commune has undergone a significant population increase, from 163,511 inhabitants in 2002 to 208,237 in 2017, an increase of 27.3% in fifteen years, and an estimate in excess of 250,000 inhabitants in 2022. It is made up of medium and upper-middle socioeconomic groups. Recently, Ñuñoa's many charms and convenient location have led to an increase in desirability by young urban professionals to live there. In response, developers have bought out older homes and erected multi-dwelling units, a practice that has triggered much criticism from long-time residents. The oldest municipality in the traditional east end of Santiago, Ñuñoa has most city amenities (subways, banks, shopping areas, etc.) while still maintaining its character as a quiet, mostly residential commune. Ñuñoa boasts bustling public services and private businesses and a public transportation system serving all parts of the municipality. Most business activity takes place along Irarrázaval Avenue, a 6-km thoroughfare crossing the entire municipality east-west, which is also supported by the Line 3 of the Santiago Metro. Ñuñoa is also home to Santiago’s only mosque, Chile’s largest sports complex and national stadium (Estadio Nacional), as well as two bohemian neighbourhoods; Plaza Ñuñoa and Barrio Italia, the latter shared with Providencia commune Demographics Per the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Ñuñoa spans an area in size and has 163,511 residents (73,215 male and 90,296 female), and the commune is a wholly urban area. The population dropped 5.3% (9,064 residents) from the 1992 to the 2002 censuses. The 2009 population was projected to be 149,205. Stats Average household income per capita: US$44,409 (PPP, 2006) Population below poverty line: 4.3% (2006) Regional quality of life index: 87.66, high, 1 out of 52 (2005) Human Development Index: 0.860, 6 out of 341 (2003) Notable residents Soledad Alvear, senator Gutenberg Martínez, politician Jorge Arrate, politician José Balmes, painter Fanny Pollarolo, former deputy Mercedes Valdivieso, writer José Miguel Varas, journalist Alvaro Diaz Arambulo, philosopher Fernando Villegas, writer and political commentator Alex Deferrari, musician José Luis Rosasco, writer Poli Delano, writer Orlando Ezquerra, musician Gerardo Parra, magus Oli Administration As a commune, Ñuñoa is a third-level administrative division