Provinces of Tarapaca Region |
| Province | Capital | Pop-2012 | Area(km.²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iquique | Iquique | 275,042 | 2,835 |
| Tamarugal | Pozo Almonte | 20,053 | 39,391 |
Tarapaca, the driest desert area in Chile receives abundant rainfall in summer. The region has an amazing coastline of 350 kilometers, tourism being the main industry.
The history of Tarapaca speaks about the 10,000 years old settlements which flourished in this region. There are remnants of the Tiwuanaku, Chinchorro and Inca cultures. These cultures were the main inhabitants in the pre-hispanic times.
Tarapaca Attractions
Arica and Iquique are the major cities in the region. The warm sea and soothing climate of Tarapaca attracts tourists from all over the world. Morro is the most important attraction in Arica. It is actually a huge rock with a perpendicular west face. Iquique is a beautiful and well planned city with excellent hotels, restaurants, pubs and discos. Iquique is primarily famous for wooden architecture. The hill slopes of Lluta and Azapa Valleys have evidences of the pre historic Columbian people, which are reflected in the geoglyphs and drawings found here.
Tarapaca Industries
Mining and fishing are the major industries of this area. Canning, freezing and extracting fish oil are the main activities included in fishing industry. Agriculture is confined to only 1.1% of the total land. Fruits are grown extensively. Oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and mangoes are well grown here. The Pica lemons are very famous fruits in this area. Iquique Free Zone is the commercial hub of Tarapaca.
Tarapaca is one of the most beautiful regions in Chile.