Chañaral
Encyclopedia
Chañaral is a small coastal city and commune in the Atacama Region
, Chile
and capital of the Chañaral Province
. A colourful town largely unknown by tourists, who generally head straight for towns such as San Pedro de Atacama
. The town is considered unspoiled, with the benefit of having absolutely no high rise buildings. On the arid hills nearby is a lighthouse which casts a beam over the town during the night. Throughout the day and night, there is a lively, bustling atmosphere on the narrow streets. Despite it being coastal, it is not a typical seaside resort, partly because the ocean is contaminated by copper mining industry. Situated a short distance to the north is the Pan de Azúcar National Park
.
in the area, and was the first in the mining industry in Chile
to export it. For this reason, the town was founded October 26, 1833 as Chañaral de las Ánimas ("Chañaral of the Souls"). A few of years later, Pedro Lujan discovered ore at El Salado, where a mine was built. In 1836, a shipping port promising raw material
was constructed. The great boom Chañaral began in 1860 when A. Edwards & Company was inaugurated where an inn exists today.
(INE) the commune of Chañaral spans an area of 5772.4 sqkm and had 13,543 inhabitants (6,968 men and 6,575 women). Of these, 13,180 (97.3%) lived in urban areas and 363 (2.7%) in rural areas. The population fell by 2.8% (393 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. The demonym
for a person from Chañaral is Chañaralino for a man and Chañaralina for a woman.
, headed by an alcalde
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Hector Volta Rojas (PRSD
), and the council has the following members:
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Chañaral is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
by Lautaro Carmona (PC
) and Carlos Vilches (UDI) as part of the 5th electoral district, (together with Diego de Almagro
and Copiapó
). The commune is represented in the Senate
by Isabel Allende Bussi
(PS
) and Baldo Prokurica Prokurica (RN
) as part of the 3rd senatorial constituency (Atacama).
Atacama Region
The Atacama Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Chañaral, Copiapó and Huasco. It is bordered to the north by Antofagasta, to the south by Coquimbo, to east with Provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja and San Juan of Argentina, and to west with...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and capital of the Chañaral Province
Chañaral Province
Chañaral Province is one of three provinces in the northern Chilean region of Atacama . Its capital is the small coastal town of Chañaral.-Geography and demography:...
. A colourful town largely unknown by tourists, who generally head straight for towns such as San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro de Atacama is a Chilean town and commune in El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region. It is located east of Antofagasta, some 106 km southeast of Calama and the Chuquicamata copper mine, overlooking the Licancabur volcano. It features a significant archeological museum, the R. P...
. The town is considered unspoiled, with the benefit of having absolutely no high rise buildings. On the arid hills nearby is a lighthouse which casts a beam over the town during the night. Throughout the day and night, there is a lively, bustling atmosphere on the narrow streets. Despite it being coastal, it is not a typical seaside resort, partly because the ocean is contaminated by copper mining industry. Situated a short distance to the north is the Pan de Azúcar National Park
Pan de Azúcar National Park
Pan de Azúcar National Park is a national park of Chile. The park straddles the border between the Antofagasta Region and the Atacama Region. Its name, Parque Nacional Pan de Azúcar, means "sugar loaf".-Geography:...
.
History
In 1824, Diego de Almeyda made the discovery of the large natural deposits of copperCopper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
in the area, and was the first in the mining industry in Chile
Mining in Chile
HOWDY PARTNER!:D.. The sector in Chile is one of the pillars of Chilean economy and copper exports alone stands for more than one third of government income. Most mining in Chile is concentrated to the Norte Grande region spanning most of the Atacama Desert...
to export it. For this reason, the town was founded October 26, 1833 as Chañaral de las Ánimas ("Chañaral of the Souls"). A few of years later, Pedro Lujan discovered ore at El Salado, where a mine was built. In 1836, a shipping port promising raw material
Raw material
A raw material or feedstock is the basic material from which a product is manufactured or made, frequently used with an extended meaning. For example, the term is used to denote material that came from nature and is in an unprocessed or minimally processed state. Latex, iron ore, logs, and crude...
was constructed. The great boom Chañaral began in 1860 when A. Edwards & Company was inaugurated where an inn exists today.
Demographics
According to the 2002 census by the National Statistics InstituteNational Statistics Institute (Chile)
The National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
(INE) the commune of Chañaral spans an area of 5772.4 sqkm and had 13,543 inhabitants (6,968 men and 6,575 women). Of these, 13,180 (97.3%) lived in urban areas and 363 (2.7%) in rural areas. The population fell by 2.8% (393 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. The demonym
Demonym
A demonym , also referred to as a gentilic, is a name for a resident of a locality. A demonym is usually – though not always – derived from the name of the locality; thus, the demonym for the people of England is English, and the demonym for the people of Italy is Italian, yet, in english, the one...
for a person from Chañaral is Chañaralino for a man and Chañaralina for a woman.
Administration
As a commune, Chañaral is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal councilMunicipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
, headed by an alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Hector Volta Rojas (PRSD
Social Democrat Radical Party
The Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International....
), and the council has the following members:
- Carmen Rojas Cornejo (RNNational Renewal (Chile)National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement...
) - Isabel Ogalde Álvarez (PSSocialist Party of ChileThe Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973...
) - Margarita Flores Salazar (PRSD)
- Mary Álamos Gutiérrez (PDCChristian Democratic PartyChristian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
) - Mery Schampke Galleguillos (PPDParty for DemocracyThe Party for Democracy is a political party in Chile; it is social democratic in its political orientation. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social democratic party . The party continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet...
) - Omar Monroy López (PRI)
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Chañaral is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Chile
The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
by Lautaro Carmona (PC
Communist Party of Chile
The Communist Party of Chile is a Chilean political party inspired by the thoughts of Karl Marx and Lenin. It was founded in 1922, as the continuation of the Socialist Workers Party, and in 1934 it established its youth wing, the Communist Youth of Chile .In the last legislative elections in Chile...
) and Carlos Vilches (UDI) as part of the 5th electoral district, (together with Diego de Almagro
Diego de Almagro, Chile
Diego de Almagro is a Chilean city and commune in Chañaral Province, Atacama Region. The commune has an area of . The area is named after Diego de Almagro.-Demographics:...
and Copiapó
Copiapó
Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region....
). The commune is represented in the Senate
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
by Isabel Allende Bussi
Isabel Allende Bussi
María Isabel Allende Bussi is a Chilean Socialist politician and the daughter of former president of Chile Salvador Allende, and his wife, Hortensia Bussi...
(PS
Socialist Party of Chile
The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973...
) and Baldo Prokurica Prokurica (RN
National Renewal (Chile)
National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement...
) as part of the 3rd senatorial constituency (Atacama).