Chañaral

Port and capital of Chañaral department, in the Atacama region of northern Chile, 120 km/75 mi northwest of Copiapó; population (1996) 10,000. It was once the import–export centre for the important Potrerillos, Las Animas, and El Salado copper-mines. Since the demise of this industry here, however, the population has declined drastically.

Off the coast some 25 km/16 mi north of Chañaral lies the island of Pan de Azucar (‘Sugar Loaf’), an important national park and sanctuary for penguins and numerous other seabirds.