Tocopilla is a city and commune in the Antofagasta Region, in the union of Chile. It is the capital of the province that bears the same name. Every year Tocopilla celebrates its anniversary on 29 September with a big show the day before, which includes a parade down in the main street of the city, food and a firework expose at midnight.
Reading: Tocopilla – Wikipedia
The city is divided into two chief parts consisting of the central city and smaller assign known as La Villa Sur ( in which the more deluxe houses are located ). The two parts are divided by the thermoelectric exponent implant and a big potassium nitrate process and ship plant, with the coastal highway connecting the two portions. The northern parcel of Tocopilla is home of the municipal buildings, the central squarely and many stores and shops. The steep gradient of the city from beach to erect hillside is covered in houses and apartments crammed together to save space. A large artificial beach called “ Covadonga ” and a modest artificial beach called “ Caleta Boy ” are the independent attractions during summer months and serve as a focus away from the heat of the Atacama. On the north side of the city, there is a black flaxen beach called “ El Panteón ”. Tocopilla is the birthplace of artist Alejandro Jodorowsky and football player Alexis Sánchez .
toponymy [edit ]
Tocopilla means “ the devil ‘s corner ” in the Quechua linguistic process. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Jodorowky explains the etymology further in his autobiography The Dance of Reality : “ In the Andean terminology of Quechua, Toco means “ double consecrated square ” and Pilla means “ devil. ” In this event, the satan is not the incarnation of evil but a being of the subterranean property who gazes through a windowpane made of both spirit and matter—that is, the body—in order to observe the worldly concern and share his cognition with it. Among the Mapuche, Pillán means “ the soul, the human liveliness arrived at its final finish. ” [ 4 ]
2007 earthquake [edit ]
On 14 November 2007, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred 40 kilometer ( 25 mi ) east-southeast of Tocopilla, followed by aftershocks of magnitude up to 6.8. As a consequence, 1,200 homes were destroyed in Tocopilla, leaving 4,000 of its 27,000 inhabitants homeless. There were two fatalities, and at least 115 were injured. [ 5 ] [ 6 ]
Demographics [edit ]
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Tocopilla had 23,986 inhabitants ( 12,050 men and 11,936 women ). Of these, 23,352 ( 97.4 % ) lived in urban areas and 634 ( 2.6 % ) in rural areas. The population fell by 4.0 % ( 999 persons ) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses. [ 1 ]
administration [edit ]
As a commune, Tocopilla 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 2013-2016 alcalde is Fernando San Román Bascuñán ( Ind./PRO ). Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Tocopilla is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Marcos Espinosa ( PRSD ) and Felipe Ward ( UDI ) as separate of the 3rd electoral zone, ( in concert with María Elena, Calama, Ollagüe and San Pedro de Atacama ). The commune is represented in the Senate by Pedro Araya Guerrero ( Ind. ) and Alejandro Guillier ( Ind. ) as separate of the 2nd senatorial constituency ( Antofagasta Region ).
Sports [edit ]
The city has one association football team called Deportes Tocopilla who presently play in Tercera B ( Chile ). Inter Milan ahead Alexis was besides born here .
economy [edit ]
This city generates electricity for the entire region and is consequently known as “ the city of department of energy ”. When potassium nitrate export in Chile was at its highest point, Tocopilla was particularly significant as an export target. Nowadays, even when the potassium nitrate is not so profitable, Tocopilla is still home of companies focused on its extraction. Its position along the coast allows it to have an active fish activeness, that along with the mining activity are the main resources. It is a fishing port, with fishmeal and canned pisces factories. Through its port the bull from Chuquicamata and potassium nitrate from El Toco are exported. Tocopilla has metallurgic, chemical and nitrate discussion industries, along with the power plant. Due to these activities, Tocopilla is a dormitory city, since many people work outside the city. Two other important sports are volleyball, with relative achiever at school and federated level, and association football with a number of players that have gone to bigger clubs, such as Alexis .
In media [edit ]
The Dance of Reality, a 2013 Chilean-French film by Alejandro Jodorowsky, was filmed in Tocopilla. [ 7 ] The city is mentioned in the Hank Snow and Johnny Cash song “ I ‘ve Been Everywhere. ”