Iquique, Coastal port city in northern Tarapacá Region, Chile
Iquique is a coastal port city in the Tarapacá Region of northern Chile, stretching between steep cliffs and flat sandy beaches along the Pacific Ocean. The city center sits between the sea and a high rocky wall that separates it from the inland desert.
The city belonged to Peru until 1883, when Chile annexed the territory during the War of the Pacific. The export of sodium nitrate made it one of the wealthiest ports in South America during the late 1800s.
The name comes from Aymara and means "place of rest" or "sleeping spot." Along the Paseo Baquedano promenade, old wooden houses with balconies from the nitrate era now serve as theaters, restaurants, and museums.
Most beaches run south of the port along Avenida Arturo Prat, which runs parallel to the coast. The city center is compact and easy to walk, with main sites within a few blocks of each other.
The Humberstone Saltpeter Works on the outskirts is a World Heritage Site showing abandoned houses, a theater, and a swimming pool from the mining era. The large pool was filled with heated seawater warmed by the heat from the industrial plants.
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