ANTOFAGASTA

Antofagasta History

Región de Antofagasta
Atacama Desert

Founded in 1870, Antofagasta owes its origin to the fact of being the easiest route to the interior nitrate mines. Towards the end of the century, Antofagasta's port proved to be inadequate due to a lack of infrastructure for the expanding nitrate trade; the nearby port of Mejillones began to develop and quickly rose to prominence. Later, however, infrastructural improvements of the port restored Antofagasta's prominence in northern port activities, and it came to handle the highest tonnage of any South American Pacific port.