Provinces of Antofagasta Region |
| Province | Capital | Pop-2012 | Area(km.²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antofagasta | Antofagasta | 359,353 | 67,814 |
| El Loa | Calama | 142,686 | 42,000 |
| Tocopilla | Tocopilla | 28,840 | 16,236 |
Antofagasta is the biggest and one of the most populated cities in northern Chile. The Antofagasta has a population of almost 230,000 inhabitants.
This city is surrounded on its eastern edge by steep hills of Chile’s Cordillera de la Costa and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Antofagasta in Chile lies in the dry Atacama Desert. The average annual rainfall is less than 4 mm.
This traditional city in Chile attracts thousands of tourists all over the world. Antofagasta is blessed with clear blue skies almost throughout the year. It houses some of the world’s best observatories and largest telescopes. The Barrio Historico is one of the main tourist attractions of Antofagasta. The Muelle Salitrero, national monument is located here, built by the Melbourne Clarc Co. in 1872. It is from this historical site that saltpeter was loaded for shipping to the other parts of the world.
The Torre Del Reloj is a magnificent clock tower which is a replica of the Big Ben in London. Antofagasta has many cathedrals and churches. The San Jose Cathedral and the Plaza and cathedral is the must see for the tourists. The Plaza Colon is surrounded by big trees. Plaza Colon is a gothic style cathedral famous for its colorful stained glass windows. Ruina de Hunanchaca is a silver foundry built in 1873 and is of historical significance. Different choirs meet in Quiosco de la Oquesta to perform for the public. The Teatro Municipal Theater is a stop for well known artists. Last but not the least the tourists should not miss visiting the dramatic coastline of Antofagasta. The fascinating rock formations are unique creations of Mother Nature.
Antofagasta has rich mineral deposits of potassium nitrate (saltpeter) and copper. It is known as the copper port of Chile. A major chunk of revenue comes from the different mining activities. Chuquicamata is one of the biggest open mines of copper in the world.
Antofagasta is the largest city of Northern Chile, which is a result of the mining boom in this region.