Arica, Chile
Encyclopedia
Arica is a commune and a port city with a population of 185,269 in the Arica Province
of northern Chile
's Arica and Parinacota Region, located only 18 km (11 mi) south of the border with Peru
. The city is the capital of both the Arica Province and the Arica and Parinacota Region. Known as the "city of the eternal spring", it was originally a part of Peru but it was lost after the Treaty of Ancon
as part of the results of the War of the Pacific
.
captain Lucas Martinez de Begazo in 1541, and in 1570 was entitled as "La Muy Ilustre y Real Ciudad San Marcos de Arica" (the very illustrious and royal city of San Marcos of Arica). This city was, from 1545, the port for exporting the silver of Potosí, Bolivia.
The Potosi silver mine was the largest such mine in world history, making Arica a crucial port for the Spanish Empire
. This port was looted by such famous pirates, buccaneer
s, and privateer
s as Francis Drake
, Thomas Cavendish
, Richard Hawkins
, Joris van Spilbergen
, John Watling
, Simon de Cordes, Leandro de Valencia, Bartholomew Sharp
, William Dampier
, and John Clipperton.
Arica was occupied by Bolivia
, once from 1836–1839, then again from 1841-1842 after the Battle of Ingavi
.
In 1855, the Peruvian government inaugurated the Arica-Tacna
railroad (53 km long), one of the first in Latin America. The rail line still functions.
The earthquake of August 13, 1868
struck near the city with an estimated magnitude of 8.0 to 9.0, killing an estimated 25,000 to 70,000 people. Others estimate that the population of Arica was less than 3,000 people and the death toll was around 300. It produced a tsunami
recorded in Hawaii
, Japan
and New Zealand
. Arica lies very close to the subduction zone known as the Peru-Chile Trench
where the Nazca plate
dives beneath the South American plate
, threatening the city with megathrust earthquakes. In the worst-case scenario, a similar earthquake today of at least 8 or higher would likely kill tens of thousands of people and cause serious damage to parts of the city. Entire streets would be crushed. Thousands of buildings and bridges would topple. Liquefaction would rupture gas mains, water pipes, and vital communication systems. Tsunamis generated by the quake would claim thousands more lives and wash kilometers inland, washing away more buildings and bridges, and launching boats, cars, trucks, chunks of debris, and other objects inland. By the time it ends, the devastation would be incredible. Aftershocks and fires would hamper rescue operations, hundreds of thousands would be killed or injured, and tens of billions of dollars worth of property would be destroyed.
In 1958, the Chilean Government established the "Junta de Adelanto de Arica" (Board of Development for Arica), which promulgated many tax incentives for the establishment of industries, such as vehicle assembly plants, a tax-free zone, and a casino, among others.
Many car manufacturers opened plants in Arica, such as Citroen
, Peugeot
, Volvo
, Ford
and General Motors
, which produced the Chevrolet LUV pickup until 2008.
In 1975, together with Chile's new open economy policies, the "Junta de Adelanto de Arica" was derogated.
The Arica and Parinacota Region was created on October 8, 2007 under Law 20.175, promulgated on March 23, 2007 by President
Michelle Bachelet
in the city of Arica.
of the National Statistics Institute
, Arica spans an area of 4799.4 sqkm and has 185,268 inhabitants (91,742 men and 93,526 women). Of these, 175,441 (94.7%) lived in urban area
s and 9,827 (5.3%) in rural areas. The population grew by 8.8% (14,964 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. Arica is home to 97.7% of the total population of the region.
The population is a mixture between older-residing local Indians
such as the Aymara with African
slaves or Chinese
who first arrived as miners and rail workers in the 1890s, and Europe
ans including the Spanish
, Italians, Greeks
, British
and French
or their descendants who arrived at different times of local history. Some Ariqueanos have an affinity with the cultures of Peru and distantly, Bolivia.
The urban area of Arica has 175,441 inhabitants in an area of 41.89 km². Arica in 2007 had more than 185,000 inhabitants (not counting the inhabitants of the valleys and Lluta Azapa, with that reach almost to the 194.000 inhabitants). The growing city of AricaSegún spreads outward into the desert and the Peru-Chile border. The Azapa Valley has developed a year-round agricultural economy due to improvements in irrigation and transportation of its products.
The villages that make up the commune are San Miguel Villa Frontera Azapa. Some villages are Poconchile inserts, Mills, Sora, Las Maitas and Caleta Vitor.
The commune of Arica is composed of 19 census districts.
Source: INE 2007 report, "Territorial division of Chile"
The Morro de Arica
is a steep and tall hill located in the city. Its height is 139 meters above sea level. It was the last bulwark of defence for the Peruvian troops who garrisoned the city. It was assaulted and captured
on June 7, 1880 by Chilean troops in the last part of their Campaña del Desierto (Desert Campaign) during the War of the Pacific.
Near the city is the Azapa Valley
, an oasis
where vegetables and Azapa olives are grown. Economically, it is an important port for Chilean ore
, and its tropical
latitude, dry climate, and the city's beach, have made Arica a popular tourist destination. It is also a center of rail
communication with Bolivia and has its own international airport. Arica has strong ties with the city of Tacna, Peru; many people cross the border daily to travel between the cities, partly because many services (for example, dentists) are cheaper on the Peruvian side. Arica is connected to Tacna
in Peru and to La Paz
in Bolivia
by separate railroad lines.
. Unlike many other cities with an arid climate, Arica seldom sees extreme temperatures throughout the course of the year. Arica is also known as one of the driest inhabited places on Earth, at least as measured by rainfall: average annual precipitation is 0.76 mm (0.03 inches), as measured at the airport meteorological station. Despite its lack of rainfall, humidity and cloud cover are high. With humidity levels similar to those of equatorial climates the sunshine intensity is similar to the Sahara desert
regions in the Northern Hemisphere (like the Cape Verde
islands). Oxford
geographer
Nick Middleton
's book on people who live in extreme climates, Going to Extremes (ISBN 0-330-49384-1), discusses his visit to this city.
|source 2 = http://www.dgf.uchile.cl/~rgarreau/QII/Trabajo_Scu.pdf
, headed by an alcalde
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Waldo Sankán Martínez (Independent
).
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Arica is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
by Mr. Nino Baltolu (UDI) and Mr. Orlando Vargas (PPD
) as part of the 1st electoral district, which includes the entire Arica and Parinacota Region. The commune is represented in the Senate
by Fulvio Rossi Ciocca (PS
) and Jaime Orpis Bouchon (UDI) as part of the 1st senatorial constituency (Arica and Parinacota Region and Tarapacá Region
).
, and it was the venue for a Rip Curl
Pro Search surfing event that took place from June 20 to July 1 in 2007.
Catedral de San Marcos de Arica.
Plaza Colón in downtown Arica.
Americo.
Among the attractions are the Arica Morro de Arica, the "founding square" (for the civic center of town), the Cathedral of San Marcos de Arica, the former house of the Governor, the House of Culture, railway station Arica-La Paz, the Archaeological and Anthropological Museum of San Miguel de Azapa, Sea and Historical Arms and Arica. For evening entertainment there is the "Casino de Arica".
From north to south the beaches are located Las Machas, Chinchorro, del Alacrán, El Laucho, La Lisera, Brava, Arenillas Negras, La Capilla, Corazones and La Liserilla.
is not wanted by that country.
Arica Province
Arica Province is one of two provinces of Chile's northernmost and most recently created region, Arica and Parinacota . The province is bordered on the north by the Tacna Province of Peru, on the south by the Tamarugal Province in the Tarapacá Region, on the east the Parinacota Province and on the...
of northern 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...
's Arica and Parinacota Region, located only 18 km (11 mi) south of the border with Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. The city is the capital of both the Arica Province and the Arica and Parinacota Region. Known as the "city of the eternal spring", it was originally a part of Peru but it was lost after the Treaty of Ancon
Treaty of Ancón
The Treaty of Ancón was signed by Chile and Peru on 20 October 1883, in the Ancón District near Lima. It was intended to settle the two nations' remaining territorial differences at the conclusion of their involvement in the War of the Pacific and to stabilise post-bellum relations between...
as part of the results of the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
.
History
Archaeological research has indicated the site of Arica was inhabited by different native groups for at least ten thousand years. The city was founded by SpanishSpanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
captain Lucas Martinez de Begazo in 1541, and in 1570 was entitled as "La Muy Ilustre y Real Ciudad San Marcos de Arica" (the very illustrious and royal city of San Marcos of Arica). This city was, from 1545, the port for exporting the silver of Potosí, Bolivia.
The Potosi silver mine was the largest such mine in world history, making Arica a crucial port for the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
. This port was looted by such famous pirates, buccaneer
Buccaneer
The buccaneers were privateers who attacked Spanish shipping in the Caribbean Sea during the late 17th century.The term buccaneer is now used generally as a synonym for pirate...
s, and privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
s as Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
, Thomas Cavendish
Thomas Cavendish
Sir Thomas Cavendish was an English explorer and a privateer known as "The Navigator" because he was the first who deliberately tried to emulate Sir Francis Drake and raid the Spanish towns and ships in the Pacific and return by circumnavigating the globe...
, Richard Hawkins
Richard Hawkins
thumb|250px|right|Sir Richard HawkinsAdmiral Sir Richard Hawkins was a 17th century English seaman, explorer and Elizabethan "Sea Dog", and was the son of Admiral Sir John Hawkins....
, Joris van Spilbergen
Joris van Spilbergen
Joris van Spilbergen was a Dutch naval officer of the 17th century.His first major expedition was in 1596, when he sailed to Africa....
, John Watling
John Watling
John, or George, Watling was a 17th century English buccaneer. It was said that he would never plunder on the Sabbath and refused even to allow his crew to play cards on this holy day....
, Simon de Cordes, Leandro de Valencia, Bartholomew Sharp
Bartholomew Sharp
Bartholomew Sharp an English buccaneer whose pirate career lasted only three years . His flagship was the Trinity....
, William Dampier
William Dampier
William Dampier was an English buccaneer, sea captain, author and scientific observer...
, and John Clipperton.
Arica was occupied by Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, once from 1836–1839, then again from 1841-1842 after the Battle of Ingavi
Battle of Ingavi
The Battle of Ingavi occurred on November 18, in the 1841 in the town of Ingavi, Bolivia. There the Bolivian Army commanded by Jose Ballivian met an invading Peruvian Army commanded by Agustín Gamarra who would later die during the battle....
.
In 1855, the Peruvian government inaugurated the Arica-Tacna
Tacna
- Rail :Tacna is served by a cross-border standard gauge railway to Arica, Chile.It is also the location of the National Railway Museum of Peru.-Air:Tacna is served by the Crnl. FAP...
railroad (53 km long), one of the first in Latin America. The rail line still functions.
The earthquake of August 13, 1868
1868 Arica earthquake
The 1868 Arica earthquake was an earthquake that occurred on August 13, 1868, near Arica, then part of Peru, now part of Chile, at 21:30 UTC. It had an estimated magnitude between 8.5 and 9.0...
struck near the city with an estimated magnitude of 8.0 to 9.0, killing an estimated 25,000 to 70,000 people. Others estimate that the population of Arica was less than 3,000 people and the death toll was around 300. It produced a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
recorded in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Arica lies very close to the subduction zone known as the Peru-Chile Trench
Peru-Chile Trench
The Peru-Chile Trench, also known as the Atacama Trench, is an oceanic trench in the eastern Pacific Ocean, about 160 kilometres off the coast of Peru and Chile...
where the Nazca plate
Nazca Plate
]The Nazca Plate, named after the Nazca region of southern Peru, is an oceanic tectonic plate in the eastern Pacific Ocean basin off the west coast of South America. The ongoing subduction along the Peru-Chile Trench of the Nazca Plate under the South American Plate is largely responsible for the...
dives beneath the South American plate
South American Plate
The South American Plate is a continental tectonic plate which includes the continent of South America and also a sizeable region of the Atlantic Ocean seabed extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge....
, threatening the city with megathrust earthquakes. In the worst-case scenario, a similar earthquake today of at least 8 or higher would likely kill tens of thousands of people and cause serious damage to parts of the city. Entire streets would be crushed. Thousands of buildings and bridges would topple. Liquefaction would rupture gas mains, water pipes, and vital communication systems. Tsunamis generated by the quake would claim thousands more lives and wash kilometers inland, washing away more buildings and bridges, and launching boats, cars, trucks, chunks of debris, and other objects inland. By the time it ends, the devastation would be incredible. Aftershocks and fires would hamper rescue operations, hundreds of thousands would be killed or injured, and tens of billions of dollars worth of property would be destroyed.
In 1958, the Chilean Government established the "Junta de Adelanto de Arica" (Board of Development for Arica), which promulgated many tax incentives for the establishment of industries, such as vehicle assembly plants, a tax-free zone, and a casino, among others.
Many car manufacturers opened plants in Arica, such as Citroen
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
, Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
, Volvo
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
, Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, which produced the Chevrolet LUV pickup until 2008.
In 1975, together with Chile's new open economy policies, the "Junta de Adelanto de Arica" was derogated.
The Arica and Parinacota Region was created on October 8, 2007 under Law 20.175, promulgated on March 23, 2007 by President
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
Michelle Bachelet
Michelle Bachelet
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria is a Social Democrat politician who was President of Chile from 11 March 2006 to 11 March 2010. She was the first woman president of her country...
in the city of Arica.
Demography
According to the 2002 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of the National Statistics Institute
National 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...
, Arica spans an area of 4799.4 sqkm and has 185,268 inhabitants (91,742 men and 93,526 women). Of these, 175,441 (94.7%) lived in urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s and 9,827 (5.3%) in rural areas. The population grew by 8.8% (14,964 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. Arica is home to 97.7% of the total population of the region.
The population is a mixture between older-residing local Indians
Indigenous peoples in Chile
Indigenous peoples in Chile form about 4.6% of the total population .The Mapuches, from the south, accounted for approximately 85 percent of this number...
such as the Aymara with African
Afro-Chilean
Afro Chileans are citizens of Chile, descended from African slaves who were brought to the New World with the arrival of the conquistadors toward the end of the slave trade.-Slavery in Arica:...
slaves or Chinese
Chinese Chilean
Chinese Chileans are Chileans of Chinese descent. There is a Chinatown in Santiago, Chile where the majority of an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Chinese Chileans live.-Migration history:...
who first arrived as miners and rail workers in the 1890s, and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans including the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Italians, Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
or their descendants who arrived at different times of local history. Some Ariqueanos have an affinity with the cultures of Peru and distantly, Bolivia.
The urban area of Arica has 175,441 inhabitants in an area of 41.89 km². Arica in 2007 had more than 185,000 inhabitants (not counting the inhabitants of the valleys and Lluta Azapa, with that reach almost to the 194.000 inhabitants). The growing city of AricaSegún spreads outward into the desert and the Peru-Chile border. The Azapa Valley has developed a year-round agricultural economy due to improvements in irrigation and transportation of its products.
The villages that make up the commune are San Miguel Villa Frontera Azapa. Some villages are Poconchile inserts, Mills, Sora, Las Maitas and Caleta Vitor.
The commune of Arica is composed of 19 census districts.
| Census districts of the Arica commune | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| # | District | Area (km2) | 2002Population |
| 1 | Puerto | 1.2 | 2,744 |
| 2 | Regiment | 0.7 | 3,880 |
| 3 | Chinchorro | 13.3 | 12,816 |
| 4 | San José | 1.2 | 13,216 |
| 5 | Población Chile | 17.3 | 9,086 |
| 6 | Azapa | 1,937.8 | 14,991 |
| 7 | José Manuel Balmaceda | 2.7 | 11,984 |
| 8 | Carlos Dittborn | 2.1 | 10,525 |
| 9 | Lauca Park | 0.4 | 4,934 |
| 10 | José Miguel Carrera | 0.6 | 5,836 |
| 11 | Condell | 0.5 | 6,358 |
| 12 | Strong Citadel | 215.9 | 28,209 |
| 13 | Chaca | 794.0 | 223 |
| 14 | El Morro | 0.9 | 3,286 |
| 15 | Chacalluta | 419.3 | 1,684 |
| 16 | Molinos | 1,376.0 | 649 |
| 17 | Pedro Blanqui | 7.3 | 25,131 |
| 18 | Cancharayada | 5.3 | 17,530 |
| 19 | Las Torres | 2.9 | 11,878 |
| - | stragglers | 308 | |
| Total | 4,799.4 | 185,268 | |
Source: INE 2007 report, "Territorial division of Chile"
Notable residents
- Dante PoliDante PoliDante Eugenio Poli García is a former Chilean football defender.-Biography:Now a sport commentator on Chilean sport channel CDF, Poli once played as a defender for multiple clubs in South America and Europe...
- former footballer - Hipólito UnanueHipólito UnanueJosé Hipólito Unanue y Pavón was a physician and a Peruvian politician, active in politics in the early years after independence.-Early life:...
- physician, and briefly president of Peru - AméricoAméricoDomingo Jonhy Vega Urzúa , commonly known as Américo, is a Chilean singer.He became known when he started leading the band Américo y la Nueva Alegría...
- singer - Chañaral Ortega-MirandaChañaral Ortega-MirandaChañaral Ortega-Miranda is a Chilean composer of classical music.Born in Arica, Chile, in 1973, Ortega-Miranda was exiled in France for the first six years of his life. After studying musical theory and composition in Buenos Aires from 1989 to 1993, he attended Sergio Ortega's composition classes...
(b. 1973) - classical compopser
Features
Morro de Arica
Morro de Arica is a steep hill located in the Chilean city of Arica. Its height is 139 metres above sea level. It was the last bulwark of defence for the Peruvian troops who garrisoned the city during the War of the Pacific...
is a steep and tall hill located in the city. Its height is 139 meters above sea level. It was the last bulwark of defence for the Peruvian troops who garrisoned the city. It was assaulted and captured
Battle of Arica
The Battle of Arica, also known as Assault and Capture of Arica Cape, was a battle in the War of the Pacific. It was fought on 7 June 1880, between the forces of Chile and Peru....
on June 7, 1880 by Chilean troops in the last part of their Campaña del Desierto (Desert Campaign) during the War of the Pacific.
Near the city is the Azapa Valley
Azapa Valley
Azapa Valley in Chile is a fertile and narrow oasis, framed between two sere hills and divided by the summer season-running "San Jose" river . It is located three kilometers from Arica...
, an oasis
Oasis
In geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
where vegetables and Azapa olives are grown. Economically, it is an important port for Chilean ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
, and its tropical
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
latitude, dry climate, and the city's beach, have made Arica a popular tourist destination. It is also a center of rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
communication with Bolivia and has its own international airport. Arica has strong ties with the city of Tacna, Peru; many people cross the border daily to travel between the cities, partly because many services (for example, dentists) are cheaper on the Peruvian side. Arica is connected to Tacna
Tacna
- Rail :Tacna is served by a cross-border standard gauge railway to Arica, Chile.It is also the location of the National Railway Museum of Peru.-Air:Tacna is served by the Crnl. FAP...
in Peru and to La Paz
Arica-La Paz railway
The Arica-La Paz railway or Ferrocarril de Arica-La Paz was built by the Chilean government under the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1904 between Chile and Bolivia. It was inaugurated on 6 March 1912, and is the shortest line from the Pacific Coast to the interior. It is long, of which is in...
in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
by separate railroad lines.
Climate
Arica features the rare, mild desert climateDesert climate
A desert climate , also known as an arid climate, is a climate that does not meet the criteria to be classified as a polar climate, and in which precipitation is too low to sustain any vegetation at all, or at most a very scanty scrub.An area that features this climate usually experiences less than...
. Unlike many other cities with an arid climate, Arica seldom sees extreme temperatures throughout the course of the year. Arica is also known as one of the driest inhabited places on Earth, at least as measured by rainfall: average annual precipitation is 0.76 mm (0.03 inches), as measured at the airport meteorological station. Despite its lack of rainfall, humidity and cloud cover are high. With humidity levels similar to those of equatorial climates the sunshine intensity is similar to the Sahara desert
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
regions in the Northern Hemisphere (like the Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
islands). Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
geographer
Geographer
A geographer is a scholar whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society.Although geographers are historically known as people who make maps, map making is actually the field of study of cartography, a subset of geography...
Nick Middleton
Nick Middleton
Nick Middleton is a physical geographer and supernumerary fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. He specialises in desertification.Nick Middleton was born in London, England. As a geographer he has travelled to more than 50 countries...
's book on people who live in extreme climates, Going to Extremes (ISBN 0-330-49384-1), discusses his visit to this city.
|source 2 = http://www.dgf.uchile.cl/~rgarreau/QII/Trabajo_Scu.pdf
Administration
As a commune, Arica 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 Waldo Sankán Martínez (Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
).
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Arica 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 Mr. Nino Baltolu (UDI) and Mr. Orlando Vargas (PPD
Party for Democracy
The 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...
) as part of the 1st electoral district, which includes the entire Arica and Parinacota 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 Fulvio Rossi Ciocca (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 Jaime Orpis Bouchon (UDI) as part of the 1st senatorial constituency (Arica and Parinacota Region and Tarapacá Region
Tarapacá Region
The I Tarapacá Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It borders the Chilean Arica and Parinacota Region to the north, Bolivia's Oruro Department on the east, the Antofagasta Region on the south and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The port city of Iquique The I Tarapacá...
).
Sports
Arica was one of the four host cities of the 1962 FIFA World Cup1962 FIFA World Cup
The 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from 30 May to 17 June. It was won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final...
, and it was the venue for a Rip Curl
Rip Curl
Rip Curl is a major Australian manufacturer and retailer of surfing sportswear The company was founded in 1969 by Doug Warbrick and Brian Singer in Torquay, Victoria, Australia and initially produced surfboards. In 1970, they decided to begin production of wetsuits, with emphasis on transforming...
Pro Search surfing event that took place from June 20 to July 1 in 2007.
Tourist attractions
Morro de Arica.Catedral de San Marcos de Arica.
Plaza Colón in downtown Arica.
Americo.
Among the attractions are the Arica Morro de Arica, the "founding square" (for the civic center of town), the Cathedral of San Marcos de Arica, the former house of the Governor, the House of Culture, railway station Arica-La Paz, the Archaeological and Anthropological Museum of San Miguel de Azapa, Sea and Historical Arms and Arica. For evening entertainment there is the "Casino de Arica".
Beaches
More than 20 km of beaches, and across the Coastal Range in the northern sector, which makes particular and different to other cities in Chile in terms of topography.From north to south the beaches are located Las Machas, Chinchorro, del Alacrán, El Laucho, La Lisera, Brava, Arenillas Negras, La Capilla, Corazones and La Liserilla.
Other tourist sites
- Chungará Lake: Arica is the main access road to the lake, the 29th highest in the world (and the 10th highest in South America)http://www.highestlake.com/highest-lake-world.html, with an approximate height of 4517 meters. It is located within the Lauca National ParkLauca National ParkLauca National Park is located in Chile's far north, in the Andean range. It encompasses an area of 1,379 km² of altiplano and mountains, the latter consisting mainly of enormous volcanoes. Las Vicuñas National Reserve is its neighbour to the south. Both protected areas, along with Salar de Surire...
.
- Pucará de Copaquilla: about 3,000 meters above sea level, dates from the 12th century, declared National Monument, located on a promontory that serves as the defense has a double stone wall, which protects a series of internal spaces. From this point it is possible to observe the pre-and streams.
- Termas de Jurasi a few miles southeast of PutrePutrePutre is a Chilean town and commune, capital of the Parinacota Province in the Arica-Parinacota Region. It is located east of Arica, at an altitude of...
, by Ruta 11-CH, turning off a dirt road. Underground waters are home to temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F) which are reputed to have medicinal properties.
- Surf Arica is a world-famous spot for surfing. The wave known as "El Gringo" hosts surfing and bodyboardingBodyboardingBodyboarding is a surface water sport . The average board consists of a small, rectangular piece of hydrodynamic foam, sometimes containing a ridged spine called a 'stringer'...
world championships every year. In 2007, Arica was the site for an ASP world tour contest. Others stops on this tour include Hawaii, TahitiTahitiTahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
, FijiFijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Transport
In 2011, Chile wants to privatise the Port of Arica, which, being the main sea outlet of BoliviaBolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
is not wanted by that country.