Antofagasta
[key], city, capital of Antofagasta region, N Chile, a port on the Pacific Ocean.
Antofagasta was founded by Chileans in 1870 to exploit nitrates in the Atacama Desert, then
under Bolivian administration. Its occupation by Chilean troops in 1879 sparked the War of the
Pacific (see Pacific, War of the), and after the war the city and province
were ceded to Chile. Antofagasta has depended primarily on nitrates and copper and sulfur
exports, and its economy has often been affected by sharp fluctuations in world demands. Borax
and iodine are also mined. The city is an international commercial center and a major
industrial hub with large foundries and ore refineries. Backed by desert hills, Antofagasta
enjoys a fine climate but has little rainfall. Water is piped in from the San Pedro River, 280
mi (451 km) away. The Univ. of the North was established in Antofagasta in 1956. The city is
located on the Pan-American Highway, which facilitates communication with the rest of
Chile.
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