CALAMA

Calama

Región de Antofagasta
Atacama Desert

Calama has a population of 123,000 inhabitants. It is located 215 km northwest from Antofagasta and 1568 km from Santiago, 2250 meters above sea level. It is important because it is the neighboring city of the Chuquicamata copper mine.

It is the most extensive oasis in the Andean foothills, as it can be observed from the crops cultivated in the surroundings. Trade is the most important activity, since one of the main roles of the city is satisfying the demands of the population working in the mine. There is also a great flow of tourists.

Some of the main tourism attractions are: the El Loa Park, the San Juan Bautista Cathedral church and the Archaeological and Ethnographical Museum.

There is lots of activity at night, especially in the many shops of the Ramirez pedestrian zone, which pile up their merchandise until it reaches the roof. On the sidewalks there is always street art.

The city is the starting point for trips to the city of Chuquicamata, and on the other side of the Salt Mountains is San Pedro de Atacama.