Coquimbo is a port city and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the
Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo lies in a
valley 10 km south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with
more than 400,000 inhabitants. The average temperature in the city lies
around 14° C, and precipitation is sparse.
The natural harbor in Coquimbo was taken over by Pedro de Valdivia from
Spain in 1550. The gold and copper industry in the region led to the city's
importance as a port around 1840 and many Europeans especially from England
settled in Coquimbo. In 1867, it was recognized as a town. It is currently
undergoing a process of urban renewal initiated by its mayor, Pedro
Velasquez.
The city itself, a gritty industrial and shipping center, is growing quickly
registering a 32.8% growth rate from 1992 to 2002. The population,
according to the 2002 Chilean census, was 154,316, with 8,720 people living
in the countryside surrounding the city for a total of 163,036 inhabitants
of the comuna.
Tourism has started to develop recently. It is an access point for popular beach towns to the south, such as Guanaqueros and Tongoy. The port is still important for shipping, especially fruit and copper from mines in the region. Wine is also grown in the region.
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