Introduction Arica-Parinacota Region Tarapacá Region Antofagasta Region Atacama Region Coquimbo Region Valparaíso Region O´Higgins Region Maule Region Bío Bío Region La Araucanía Region Los Ríos Region Los Lagos Region Aysén Region Magallanes & the Chilean Antartic Region Metropolitan Region

Capital: Copiapó

Area: 75,176.2 km2

Population: 254,336 inhabitants (2002 Census)

Population density: 3.4 inhab/km2

Principal economic activities: Mining, agriculture and fishing.

 

The Atacama Region is a mixture of arid desert and fertile agricultural valleys and this is reflected in its economic structure, with mining as the main activity followed by agriculture.

The Copiapó Valley --“green valley” in Aymara-- stretches as a ribbon of vegetation across the desert. This is where the Spanish Conquistadores, Diego de Almagro and Pedro de Valdivia, rested after crossing the Andes and the desert.

The regional capital is home to 61.1% of the population and the other two main cities are the port of Chañaral and Vallenar, an iron-mining center.

The Diaguitas, Changos and Incas, the region's original inhabitants, were well aware of its wealth and, since the nineteenth century, iron, copper, gold and silver have been the source of its prosperity. 

In 1832, the region experienced a boom with the discovery of the Chañarcillo silver mine which, for many years, was the third largest in the world. Important buildings and South America's first railway - -which made its maiden journey between Caldera and Copiapó in 1851 pulled by the Copiapó engine-- date from this period.

There are numerous tourist attractions in the Atacama Region. It has 528 kms of unspoilt coastline and beaches as well as salt flats in the desert and volcanoes. In addition, every few years in spring when there has been some rain, the desert comes into flower, turning the usually bare landscape into a vast multi-colored carpet.

In several parts of the region, stretches of the Inca Trail, used for trade under the Inca Empire, can still be found. The archaeological remains that have been discovered include arrow heads, pottery, stonework, smelting ovens and the circular compounds known as tambos.

 

Coordinates and area

The region stretches between 25°17'S and 29°11'S and from 68°17'W to the Pacific Ocean. According to the Military Geographic Institute (IGM), it has an area of 75,176.2 km2. 

 

Land formation

The main land formations from west to east are the coastal plains with a fluvial-marine origin which are more developed than in the regions to the north particularly around river estuaries, the Cordillera de la Costa, the Ondulada or Austral pampa, the transitional pampa and the Andes Mountains. The latter are, in turn, divided into their low slopes and foothills, the pre-altiplano ranges, the valleys of the pre-altiplano salt flats and the Andes as such with their transversal ranges.

 

Climate

A desert climate prevails, with light rainfall in winter. It can be divided into a coastal desert climate with frequent cloud cover, a transitional desert climate, a cold mountain desert climate and a high- altitude tundra climate. 

 

Water resources

The region's most important water systems are the Copiapó and Huasco Rivers. They have their origin high in the Andes Mountains and melting snow, together with winter rains, ensure a permanent flow of water which reaches its maximum during the spring thaw (November- December).

 

Population

According to preliminary figures from the 2002 Census, the region had a population of 254,336 of whom 129,147 were men and 125,189 were women, giving a population density of 3.4 inhabitants/km2.  Between 2000 and 2005, the population expanded at an estimated mean annual rate of 1.53%. 

 

Economic sectors

According to figures for GDP in 1996, mining was the region's main economic activity, accounting for 46.07% of output, led by copper, gold, silver, iron and molybdenum. This was followed by agriculture with a contribution of 13.98%, led by table grapes for export in the Copiapó and Huasco valleys.

 

Administrative divisions

REGIONAL CAPITAL	PROVINCES	MUNICIPALITIES
Copiapó	Chañaral	Chañaral Diego de Almagro
	Copiapó	Copiapó Caldera Tierra Amarilla
	Huasco	Vallenar Freirina Huasco Alto del Carmen

Foreign Direct Investment DL 600 Statistics in the Antofagasta Region (1974 - 2008), (Excel, 41 Kb.)

You may find information about this Region in the following websites (spanish):

- TodoChile
- ProChile
- Corfo
- Servicio de Impuestos Internos
- Gobierno de Chile
- Cámara Chilena de la Construcción (Antofagasta)
- Cámara Chilena de la Construcción (El Loa)
- Servicio Nacional de Turismo
- Centro Industrial y Empresarial La Negra
- Asociación de Industriales de Antofagasta
- Centro Industrial Exportador Antofagasta

Also, in the National Statistics Bureau Website you may find more regional information (spanish): Census, Regional Economic Reports, Territorial Publications, Projects, Statistics and other Publications.