Economy

Copiapó has a diversified and potential economy, but mining is the largest economic activity. The Copiapó Basin has a great deal of copper ore, mined by companies such as Minera Candelaria, which extracts copper near Tierra Amarilla, a neighboring commune. This generates a need for transportation, light industry, and services. "Small mining" represents over 30% of the production. The copper obtained by pirquineros (miners) goes to the copper smelter at Paipote.

Agriculture is the second-largest source of income in this area. It consists largely of grape production, with olives, tomatoes, avocados and some citrus fruits also produced as commodity crops.

Industry: Copiapó has mainly light industry, and some medium industry such as the INACESA plant and Paipote copper refinery.

Energy: Many important solar plants were built in the Atacama Region, benefiting from the high amount of and constant solar radiation during the year. Solar photovoltaic energy production in 2016 reached more than 400 MW connected to the Central-North grid.

Commerce is growing in Copiapó, largely old and new, small and medium enterprises. Downtown Copiapó activity reflects the growth of the city. Some local enterprises have grown rapidly in the last decade, such as the Albasini and Don Álvaro chain-stores. The national government's free-market policies, along with a higher demand and better economic expectations, have encouraged the establishment here of such national businesses as the supermarkets Deca (1999), Jumbo (2005), and Lider (2006).

Tourism in Copiapó has been developing since the early 21st century. Some come to see the desert and indigenous monuments, such as the Inca cemetery in the city, which was investigated in the 1930s. In addition, a new casino has attracted both domestic and foreign tourists, and hotels have invested in new amenities and structures to satisfy demand.

International relations

The city of Copiapó is home to a number of international relations institutions, such as the Regional Unit for International Affairs (URAI) of the Regional Government of Atacama, responsible for analyzing and managing the region's bilateral and multilateral relations with Latin America and the rest of the world; the regional office of the National Migration Service; the regional office of the General Directorate for Export Promotion (ProChile); the Department of Migration and International Police of the Investigations Police of Chile; and the Migrant Office of the Municipality of Copiapó.

In the field of higher education internationalization, the main actor in Copiapó is the Internationalization Unit of the University of Atacama.

Consulates

  • (Honorary Vice-Consulate)
  • (Honorary Consulate)
  • (Honorary Consulate)

Attractions

thumb|Copiapó steam locomotive, year 1850.

  • Copiapó steam locomotive, year 1850. University of Atacama,
  • Mineralogic Museum,
  • Plaza de Armas,
  • Regional Museum of the Matta Family,
  • Wooden Railway Station,
  • the San José Copper Mine (closed in 2010);
  • Totoralillo, Totoral and the zone of "Travesía" on the coast, wherein after rain, the "Desierto Florido" appears;
  • In the Andes, the Ojos del Salado volcano, and the lakes Green and Negro Francisco,
  • Tres Cruces National Park in the Andes.

thumb|right|Copiapó Mineralogic Museum

thumb|right|Schneider Park (Parque Schneider)

thumb|right|175px|Santuario Candelaria Church

thumb|right|Copiapo Culture House (Casa de la Cultura de Copiapo)

Administration

Municipal government

270px|right|thumb|City Hall of Copiapó. As a commune, Copiapó is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2012-2016 alcalde is Maglio Cicardini (Independent). The council has the following members: Mónica Calcutta (PPD) won the election against 24 candidates. Her term was characterized by public expenditures on green areas, parks, and street paving, and public infrastructure such as the new building of the City Hall (1994), the Estadio Techado (1996), and the Technological School (inaugurated in 1997). During her term, Calcutta encouraged people to participate. One of these activities was the "Train of History" carried out in 1994 (for the 250th anniversary of Copiapó) and 1995.

Despite all these expenditures, the City Hall ended up with no debt for 1996.

In 1996, Calcutta ran for the re-election, but was defeated by the socialist candidate Marcos López (city councilor 1992–1996) by a narrow margin of 146 votes. López's term differed substantially from Calcutta's; his first three years as mayor did not see any important public expenditures in visible things. They came out the year before the following election.

The 2000 election was a very confrontational one. López and Calcutta ran for election together with 10 other candidates. In spite of surveys that showed a virtual tie between them, López won the election with an overwhelming 50.07% of the votes to his rival's 31.52%.

López's second term in office was characterized by high public expenditures, part of it from the Central Government to improve Chilean infrastructure toward the bicentennial of Independence. These expenditures went towards redesigning the Central Square, Matta Avenue and the City Chamber.

In 2004, Marcos López was elected to another term, defeating the rightist candidate René Aedo (RN) with 50.01% to 40.82% of the votes.

In 2008, López ran for a fourth term, but was defeated by the independent candidate Maglio Cicardini Neyra, by a margin of less than 1% of the votes.

In 2012, López ran once again, but lost against Cicardini, who won the election with more than 50% of the votes.

In 2016, Cicardini lost against Marcos López.

Congressional representation

Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Copiapó is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Lautaro Carmona (PC) and Daniella Cicardini Milla (Independent, backed up by the PS) as part of the 5th electoral district, (together with Chañaral and Diego de Almagro). The commune is represented in the Senate by Isabel Allende Bussi (PS) and Baldo Prokurica Prokurica (RN) as part of the 3rd senatorial constituency (Atacama Region).

Education

Copiapó provides public and private education, from kindergarten to high school, and also technical and bachelor's degrees.

Schools

According to the Department of Education of Chile, Copiapó had (2007) an enrollment of more than 35,000 students, divided in the following programs: Kindergarten, 3,780 students; Differencial Education, 1,009 students; Elementary and Middle School, 20,794 students; High School, 10,291 students (5,185 in Scientific-Humanist programs and 5,106 in Technical-Professional programs).

La commune of Copiapó offers public and private education held by 64 schools, divided in: 61 urbans and 3 rurals; 32 public, 23 State-subsidized private schools and 9 private schools.

Universities

  • Universidad de Atacama was founded in 1857, and is the only public university in the Third Region.
  • Universidad Santo Tomás (Copiapó)
  • Universidad Tecnológica de Chile, INACAP (Copiapó)

Professional institutes

  • Instituto Tecnológico UDA (public)
  • Santo Tomás (private)
  • Inacap (private)
  • Iplacex (private)

Technical centers of study

  • CFT Benjamín Teplizky (private)
  • CFT Santo Tomás (private)
  • CFT Inacap (private)
  • CFT Cepa (private)

Sports and recreation

Football

thumb|right|160px|Deportes Copiapó and its fans in the local stadium.This city has a football team called Club de Deportes Copiapó, which was born after the dissolution of Regional Atacama, in 1999. It plays in the Primera A League of football of Chile, and plays as local in the Luis Valenzuela Hermosilla Stadium and in the Municipal Stadium of Tierra Amarilla.

Raid Atacama

This is the event that gathers the most 4x4 automobiles in the world, and it began in 1992.

The effort and spirit of Raid Atacama has made it worthy of the National Award for Tourism. For over 21 years, the Atacama Raid has been the cornerstone of the development of off-road activities along Chile, and its example has been followed by many clubs and even several companies.

In the last seven years, the enrollment has kept steady on an average of about 500 vehicles per event, and more than 1,800 participants from all regions of the country and abroad.

thumb|right|160px|Raid Atacama at its start line in Copiapó.

In 1997, it reached the largest number of participants to date, bringing together 613 4x4 vehicles. With no other event as large, this made it possible to apply for registration as a world record. Another of the achievements is to hold, without competition, the record for international off-road event (amateur) with greater permanence in time.

Rally Dakar

In the last years, Copiapó is one of the Chilean communes the Rally Dakar Chile-Argentina has passed through.

Transportation

Copiapo is served by Desierto de Atacama Airport, with commercial passenger airline service on three of Chile's major airlines.

Sister cities

  • Catamarca, Argentina
  • Córdoba, Argentina
  • Felipe Varela, Argentina
  • La Rioja, Argentina
  • Santiago del Estero, Argentina
  • Jiujiang, China
  • Nanchang, China
  • Panyu, China
  • Pingxiang, China
  • Ruichang, China
  • Castellón de la Plana, Spain

References

  • Municipality of Copiapó