Chañaral
Chañaral | |
|---|---|
Plaza Chañaral | |
| Coordinates: 26°20′40″S 70°37′19″W / 26.34444°S 70.62194°W | |
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Atacama |
| Province | Chañaral Province |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Alcalde | Margarita Flores (PR) |
| Area | |
• Total | 5,772.4 km2 (2,228.7 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 198 m (650 ft) |
| Population (2002 Census) | |
• Total | 13,143 |
| • Density | 2.3/km2 (5.9/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 13,180 |
| • Rural | 363 |
| Sex | |
| • Men | 6,968 |
| • Women | 6,575 |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (CLT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−3 (CLST) |
| Area code | 56 + 52 |
| Climate | BWh |
| Website | www |
Chañaral is a small coastal city and commune in the Atacama Region, Chile and capital of the Chañaral Province. The ocean is contaminated by the copper mining activity in the area. Just north of the city lies Pan de Azúcar National Park.
It is the central town of a mining district dominated by medium-scale mining, including the nearby El Carmen mine which is considered the basis for the medium-scale iron mining in Chile.