Calama

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Calama is a city and commune in the north of Chile. With an average height of 2300 m s. no. m., is the capital of the province of El Loa, belonging to the Antofagasta region.

Calama is considered the Capital of Large Copper Mining, since the main deposits of this mineral are found, especially Chuquicamata stands out, which has been in operation for more than a hundred years and is currently undergoing a transformation process to go from open pit to underground mining.

The municipality of Calama is also made up of the Quechua communities of Estación San Pedro, Toconce and Cupo; and the Atacameño communities of Taira, Conchi Viejo, Lasana, San Francisco de Chiuchiu, Ayquina-Turi and Caspana, the latter within the Alto Loa Commune Project. The Chuquicamata camp, which was the second urban nucleus of the commune, was officially closed on September 1, 2007, after the transfer of its entire population to housing complexes built in the provincial capital.

Tocopilla, María Elena, Ollagüe and San Pedro de Atacama are part of Electoral District No. 3 and belong to the 2nd Senatorial Circumscription (Antofagasta).

For several years the city has struggled to become the capital of a new region called the El Loa region, made up of the province of El Loa and the province of Tocopilla, thus concretizing the political-administrative independence of Antofagasta.

Origin of name

There are a variety of hypotheses regarding the origin of the name Calama; but the two main currents maintain that its origin comes from the Kunza language, spoken in the past by the Atacameños, an ethnic group that to this day resides in the province of El Loa. Héctor Pumarino Soto suggests that "Calama" comes from the Kunza word "Ckara-ama", which means "city in the middle of the water". This statement is supported by the fact that, until the middle of the XX century, the urban site of Calama and the oasis of the The surroundings were flanked by the Loa River (on its southern and eastern borders) and the plains and swamps of the western sector, creating a true island in the middle of the desert, completely surrounded by water.

History

Main article: History of Calama

The history of Calama still contains gaps, a product of the distance from many documentary sources. The colonial and Bolivian periods are documented in Sucre, Bolivia.

Pre-Hispanic period

Since 9000 years ago, the first populations were concentrated in the area. The strategic location of Calama, as a central point in the middle of the Atacama desert, between the mountains and the sea, allowed it a high cultural exchange with the communities of the different valleys and ravines, both towards the current Argentine and Bolivian territory. The Cobija Calama circuit, a mountain crossing, was very busy with dried fish and other species from the area, especially Tiwanaku and Tawantinsuyu, becoming a very important tambo of the empire, which paid tribute to corn, tempered copper to make weapons and armaments, and alfalfa from the extensive vegas that existed at that time.

Hispanic period

Map of Andrés Baleato, 1793 showing the limit between Chile and Peru in the river Loa.

The harsh climate hindered the massive establishment of the Spanish in the area, but it did not prevent them from marking their sovereignty; civilly, through the creation of the Atacama corregimiento, and religiously with the various parishes and chapels that today display their characteristic bell towers to tourists; both systems dependent on the Real Audiencia de Charcas. On the map of Andrés Baleato of 1793, Calama appears within the jurisdiction of the corregimiento of Copiapó of the General Captaincy of Chile.

Later, the subsequent territorial disputes between Chile and Bolivia did not contemplate this area or beyond the foothills, only the later known as Pampa Salitrera and the coast.

The main event of this time in the area was the Rebellion of Túpac Amaru II, whose local leader was Tomás Panire, who was executed.

Time of the Republic of Bolivia

Atacama Desert Dispute between Bolivia and Chile.

The activation of Cobija as the main port of Bolivia contributed to the increase in the importance of Calama for the Bolivian government, since it was the largest, best-equipped oasis and the last one before crossing the desolate pampa to reach the sea, and vice versa. From there it was that Calama became the provincial capital in 1840 and attracted all the commerce of the Southern Puna and Bolivia.

Before the Pacific War, Calama was a very active dairy farm on the routes from Cobija to Potosí and from Cobija to Salta. It should be noted that the territorial conflicts between Chile, Bolivia and Peru were not related to the foothills and highlands of the Litoral department, of which Calama was the main population center. Precisely, for strategic reasons, Calama was temporarily occupied by Chilean troops on March 23, 1879.

The following months were of constant tension due to a possible Bolivian advance from the altiplano —which never came, except for a company that defeated a Chilean patrol in the battle of Tambillo, while the bulk of the Chilean Army was in Tarapacá. In the midst of that warlike year, on October 8, 1879, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe de Ayquina was rediscovered in that town, beginning the massive cult of what is today the patron saint of the province of El Loa.

The city was ceded in perpetuity to Chile in the Treaty of 1904.

Epoque of the Republic of Chile

Since the Chilean conquest of Calama, almost a decade has passed of neglect by the Chilean political and economic system. Only on October 13, 1888, under the government of José Manuel Balmaceda, was the Illustrious Municipality of Calama created.

Francisco Astaburoaga wrote in 1899 in his Diccionario Geográfico de la República de Chile he refers to Calama as a 'village':

Calama.-—Aldea of the department of Antofagasta, located in the 22nd 28th Lat. and 68th 55' Lon. and 2,270 meters above the Pacific level. Dista 238 kilometers to the NE. of its capital Antofagasta by the railway of this city, which was flown to the village on February 6, 1886; to the S. it leaves about 70 kilometers the silver ore of Caracoles. It is set in a short plain, surrounded by vegas, from the north or right bank of the river Loa, and contains a population of 897 inhabitants, a church, civil registration offices, mail and telegraph, free primary schools, silver mineral benefit establishments, mentioned railway station, &c. It is a town of ancient origin, inhabited almost exclusively by naturals until the time of the founding of Antofagasta and the discovery of that mineral, and belonged to Bolivia until March 23, 1879 that was occupied by forces of Chile, to the beginning of the war with that republic.

The Chilean geographer, Luis Risopatrón described it as a 'town' in his book Diccionario Geográfico de Chile in 1924:

Calama (Pueblo) 22° 28' 68° 56'. From regular land, with post service, telegraphs, civil rejistro and public schools, it is settled in a short plain of about 15 hectares of surface, with a square i four streets running from E to W i cut by others going from N to S, on the margin N of the middle course of the river Loa; the river runs here between relatively low walls, which has allowed the derivation of channels The railway station to Antofagasta i Bolivia is located on the part. E of the village was opened on February 6, 1886. at 266 m altitude, 33 kilometers towards the NE of the Cerritos Bavos i 15 km to the SW of the San Salvador; it is a town of old orjen, was inhabited almost by natural until the time of the foundation of the city of Antofagasta i of the discovery of the mineral of Caracoles (1870). It was ruined by the earthquake of April 22, 1870 and occupied by Chilean weapons on March 23, 1879, at the beginning of the war against Peru and Bolivia; mui rarely rains in it, enjoys an excessively dry climate, which is not well reputed, with 30° i 4° C as maximum and minimum temperatures i at the beginning of the autumn with 20.5° C for maximum speed i 4, 48% for the relative

The 20th century was marked by the start of works in the Chuquicamata mine and its still current impact on the national economy, the explosive urban expansion resulting from mining activity, and the soccer glories at the national and continental level of the Club of Sports Cobreloa.

Meanwhile, the 21st century has been characterized by citizen movements and the return of the protests that support them, which are aimed at vindicating and defending the interests of the commune that contributes with more than 40% of the state copper produced in the country.

Important families of Calama in the 1920s and 1960s

Calama is not only characterized by its wealth but also by the wealthy families that settled in the Loa province, such as Abaroa, Cerruti, Damian, Fajardin, Ivanovich, Matthews, Monterrichards, Terrazas and Yutronic.

Geography

Landscape near Calama

The municipality of Calama has two ecological levels: the western slopes and the foothills of the Andes mountain range, where the city is located; and the mountain range itself (over 4,000 m.a.s.l.), in which fertile beaches house existing towns since pre-Inca times. The Altiplano is not present in the jurisdiction of the commune, this ecological floor belonging to the commune of Ollagüe.

Orography

The western limit of the municipality of Calama is marked by the summits of the pre-cordillera, which manifests itself to the north of Calama with the pre-cordillera of the Loa river, which receives different names, from north to south: sierra Moreno, hills from Chuquicamata, Montecristo hills. The Poquis hill (4589 m a.s.l.), is its maximum altitude, to the north of Chuquicamata. To the south of it begin the first foothills of the Domeyko mountain range, which at the same time serve to trace the southern limit of the commune, with the names of Sierra de Limón Verde and Cordon Barros Arana. The passage of the Loa river from east to west leaves a plain, in which the city and the oasis of Calama are located.

Between the foothills and the Andes mountain range, the north-south course of the Loa River and its junction with the Salado River form the Upper Loa Depression. To the south of this, the Great Prealtiplanic Trench is formed, manifesting itself through the Pampa de Moctezuma, within the limits of the commune.

The Andes mountain range, with its great western cordon, is present with volcanic peaks over 5000 m a.s.l. no. m.; Among them are Inacaliri (5,626 m.a.s.l.), San Pedro (6,145 m.a.s.l.), San Pablo (6,092 m.a.s.l.), Panire (5,946 m.a.s.l.) and the Morro de Cablor (4,453 m.a.s.l.), among other high snow-capped peaks. Due to the dryness of the air, all these peaks are perfectly visible from the city of Calama. These peaks mark the communal boundaries to the east.

Hydrography

Landscape in Rio Grande.

The municipality of Calama broadly covers the eastern sector of the Loa basin. At the Yalquincha gauging station (NE of Calama) an average load of 4.3 m³/s per year is captured.

In the high peaks of the commune, exactly at the foot of the Toconce, Linzor and Cablor snow-capped mountains, various freshwater springs are born, which become brackish due to the high salinity of the soil at the junction of all these, the which is known as Rio Salado; this river has been responsible for the salubrity of the waters of the Loa from its meeting in Chiuchiu to its mouth.

Further north, and serving as the southern margin of the San Pedro and San Pablo volcanoes, flows the San Pedro River, whose bed is born to the west of the Ojo de San Pedro, a small lagoon located near the Inacaliri volcano. For decades it has looked completely dry, due to the use of its waters in mining activity.

Climate

Between 2000 and 3000 m s. no. m., according to the Köppen climatic classification, cold desert climate (BWk) is presented; characterized by rainfall that does not exceed 75 mm per year, and annual average temperatures of 12.2 °C.

Calama in summer has warm highs (25 °C to 28 °C) and cold windy nights, while in winter the highs are warm (18 °C to 23 °C) and frozen nights with lows of up to -10 °C

Above 3000 m s. no. m. the tundra climate is presented due to the effect of height with summer precipitation (ETHw), with precipitations that are distributed between the months of November and March, and that also spread to lower altitudes. With similar characteristics to the cold desert, the only difference is the humidity provided by these precipitations.

Average climate parameters of Calama
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	30.3	30.4	29.8	29.6	29.4	30.6	30.6	30.3	29.6	30.4	30.0	30.0	30.6
Average temperature (°C)	24.5	24.5	24.0	23.3	22.0	21.1	20.8	22.1	22.9	24.0	24.5	24.8	23.2
Average temperature (°C)	15.4	15.5	14.8	13.2	11.6	10.5	9.9	11.1	11.8	13.0	13.7	14.7	12.9
Temp. medium (°C)	6.2	6.4	5.6	3.2	1.2	0.0	-1.1	0.2	0.8	1.9	3.0	4.5	2.7
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	-3.0	-4.0	-3.0	-9.5	-7.6	-9.1	-9.6	-12.5	-7.0	-7.5	-6.0	-2.2	-12.5
Total precipitation (mm)	0.4	0.8	0.2	0.1	1.2	2.0	0.6	0.3	0.2	0.1	0.0	0.0	5.9
Hours of sun	353.4	305.1	319.3	312.0	306.9	297.0	310.0	316.2	321.0	356.5	363.0	365.8	3926.2
Source No. 1: University of Chile (temperature and sunshine hours)
Source No. 2: Chilean Meteorological Directorate

Biogeography

Two large ecological units can be distinguished: the Interior Desert, as such, in the entire western margin of the commune, up to 3000 m a.s.l. no. m.; and the Altiplano, on the eastern margin, at higher altitudes.

In the Interior Desert, divided between the eastern foothills of the Pampa del Tamarugal, the plain of Calama and the Pampa de Moctezuma, two landscapes can be appreciated: the desert, as such, with barren plains and some brief mountain ranges without vegetation, except for the appearance of columnar cacti such as cardon; The fauna is distributed among a diversity of lizards, insects and arachnids adapted to the wild life of the desert, among which the avocado and the vinchuca stand out, invertebrates that prefer to stay where adobe abounds, the main construction material in the area. The other landscape is manifested through the various oases that arise on the banks of the Loa River, of those located in the Interior Desert are those of Calama (the largest in Chile, with more than 80 hectares and which crosses the city, as a unique case), Chiuchiu and the Lasana Valley; In it there is a diversity of birds, such as the kingfisher, the purple tagua, the northern tagua, the partridge and the heron; birds of prey such as the tucúquere and the peuco. The vegetation tapestry is made up of shrubs such as tar, salt grass, fox tail, chilca and totora, as well as trees adapted to saline soils such as tamarugo, carob, molle and chañar.

The highland ecosystem in the municipality of Calama manifests itself from the Andean foothills and plains above 3000 m a.s.l. no. m.. Although it has more humidity than the desert, the high altitude conditions make it a highly selective ecosystem, where the species present sophisticated adaptations to the environment. Two types of vegetal tapestry are observed: the first is the pajonal and the tolar, with compact vegetation in which the wild straw, the tola and other Andean shrubs stand out; The second is a type of high-altitude wetland or meadow called a bofedal, close to surface watercourses, where specially adapted compact grasses grow, occupied by camelid cattle for food, and of which the main bofedales in the commune are Las Vegas. of Turi and Inacaliri; In addition, at the foot of the volcanoes, the llareta grows. In the middle of the pajonales and tolares you can see herds of camelids in the wild such as the guanaco; At the highest altitudes, and stealthily, inhabit the top predators of the Altiplano: the puma and the condor; running on the plains it will be possible to appreciate, from time to time, to the south; In the middle of caves made by themselves, the vizcacha will be seen sunbathing, alert to the surprise arrival of the culpeo fox or the Andean cat, other predators of the mountain range. Closer to the bofedales and the streams and rivers, a high diversity of birds can be seen, among which the giant coot, the horned coot, the Andean avocet and the puna partridge stand out; camelids grazing under the sight of their shepherds such as the llama and the alpaca, fundamental in the original life, since they serve as food and shelter.

Demographics

Chuquicamata mine.

The urban population of the municipality of Calama revolves around mining and the services that companies, workers and their families need. In the Lickanantai and Quechua communities of the interior, meanwhile, the paradox of adults and the elderly who remain in their villages arises, and the younger ones who for various reasons (mainly job expectations) emigrate to the city of Calama.

The municipality of Calama had, for the 1992 Census, 121,807 inhabitants, of which 119,692 were urban (distributed between the Chuquicamata mining camp and the city of Calama) and 2,115 were rural. For the 2002 Census, the communal population grew by 13.6%; all this when registering a population of 138,402 inhabitants, of which 136,600 are urban and 1,802 rural. As it is almost entirely a mining commune, the male population is greater than the female population, with 70,832 men and 67,570 women living in the commune. In the 2017 Census, a total population of 165,731 was registered, being men: 86,049 and women: 79,682.

On the other hand, the tendency to decrease the rural population shows the lack of more efficient policies for the Government's dealings with the original nations, since these communities are scarce in rural equipment and services, so families, especially the youngest, are practically forced to change their ancestral lands for the city.

For having previously belonged to Bolivia (the Province of El Loa and the entire Puna de Atacama), the oldest families in the city have established kinship with Bolivian cities, predominantly Uyuni and Cochabamba, and Argentine cities and towns belonging to the Salta and Jujuy provinces. They are joined by Chilean citizens who have migrated to the city for work reasons, in good numbers. Finally, the foreign colonies are added which, although they are small -with the exception of the Bolivian colony-, have been of significant contribution to the city; Of these, the Croatian and Greek colonies stand out, which took over plots in the Calama oasis and have supplied fodder to the regional cattle, the Spanish colony and its contribution to tourism, with the Hotel Casablanca, and the small Chinese and Argentine colonies. among other. To these colonies must be added the latest migratory arrivals from Peru, Colombia, Paraguay, Ecuador and Venezuela, also for work reasons. All these migratory movements present challenges and opportunities that every cosmopolitan city has to face, such as being able to provide a coverage of services that meets the needs of the resident population and the floating population (national and foreign) alike, and being able to enrich more still the cultural diversity of the city.

Economy

In 2018, the number of companies registered in Calama was 2,832. The Economic Complexity Index (ECI) in the same year was 1.03, while the economic activities with the highest Revealed Comparative Advantage index (RCA) were Activities of Amusement Parks and Similar Centers (67.13), Other Types of Regular Passenger Transportation by Land (38.11) and Other Technical Testing and Analysis Services (35.06).

Mining

As the Mining Capital of Chile, the economic pillar of the city is mining. Calama is the dormitory and service city for the copper deposits of Chuquicamata and Mina Sur (Codelco), Mina Ministro Hales (Codelco - former Mansa Mine), Minera Gaby today Gabriela Mistral Division (Codelco), Radomiro Tomic (Codelco), Spence (BHP Billiton), Minera Esperanza (Antofagasta Minerals) and El Abra (Freeport McMoRan and Codelco), in addition to many others that are currently in the prospecting stages (Chuquicamata Subterránea, Quetena, etc.). The various industries and metal-mechanic workshops that serve the mining of Sulfur -practically abandoned today- and Ulexite -octahydrated calcium sodium borate- are also important, even though it is common to use the term borax to refer to this mineral (strictly speaking).; Borax does not exist as a natural mineral in the evaporitic South American deposits, such as the Andean Salt Flats) of the border, as well as in the nitrate mining of the Salar de Atacama. Due to the abundance of large deposits within the commune (except Spence, Gaby and Esperanza, which is within the Sierra Gorda commune), Calama is the commune that generates the most resources from copper mining, which is also the main national economic. In fact, of the 15 copper producing communes in Chile, Calama produces 22.2% of the national total, surpassing the rest of the copper communes.

Agriculture

Agriculture, little by little, has reached regional scales of consumption, the main crops being carrots, beetroot, onion, garlic, chuño and quinoa, all of these products coming from inland communities. Alfalfa and corn are grown in the Oasis of Calama.

Trade

Commerce is highly active, crowding together the various stores in the Historic Center, Granaderos and Balmaceda avenues, and the Plaza Calama Mall, the second largest in the entire Norte Grande.

Renewable energy

Government and administration

As the provincial capital, Calama brings together various state and private entities for local administration and the rest of the province.

Parliamentary representativeness

Calama belongs to the 2nd Senatorial Circumscription (Antofagasta). It is represented in the Senate by senators Esteban Velásquez (FREVS), Pedro Araya Guerrero (independent) and Paulina Núñez Urrutia (RN). As part of district number 3, the Chamber of Deputies is represented by Catalina Pérez Salinas (RD), Sebastián Videla Castillo (IND-PL), Yovana Ahumada Palma (PDG), Jaime Araya Guerrero (IND-PPD) and José Miguel Castro (RN).

Internal Government and Justice

As the capital of the Province of El Loa, Calama is the seat of the Provincial Government, with the current Governor being Mrs. Maria Bernarda Jopia Contreras. In this way, most of the representative and auditing services of the state for the province are located in the city, such as the Internal Revenue Service (SII), the Provincial Treasury, and some provincial departments dependent on the Regional Ministerial Secretariats of the Antofagasta Region.

Calama also has a local Prosecutor's Office, with jurisdiction throughout the province, dependent on the Antofagasta Regional Prosecutor's Office; in addition to Family Court, Guarantee Court and Civil Courts and Oral Criminal Trials, all dependent on the Judiciary.

Armed Forces and Law Enforcement

On February 26, 1924, under the government of Arturo Alessandri Palma, the Andean Battalion of Calama was created, dependent on the Chilean Army, its first commander being Colonel Francisco Lagresse Frick. Over time the unit was modernized, and today it is the Motorized Brigade No. 1 "Calama", currently commanded by Colonel Alejandro Zuleta Arcos and agglomerates the following battalions:

Infantry Battalion No15 "Calama".
Engineer Battalion No. 1 "Atacama" (founded in the Pacific War).
Artillery Group No. 10 "Borgoño".

Rama	Military unit
Chilean Army	Motorized Brigade No. 1 "Calama"

To safeguard order, the Prefecture of El Loa, of Carabineros de Chile is established with the 1st Police Station of Calama, commanded by Major Héctor Augusto Muñoz Carvallo, with jurisdiction throughout the province. Meanwhile, the Chilean Gendarmerie has a Preventive Detention Center for the city, which is in the process of being transferred from the very center of the city to a more remote place, a Social Reintegration Center and an Education and Work Center., in the Ojo de Opache sector.

Local Administration

The Illustrious Municipality of Calama was created on October 13, 1888, under the government of President José Manuel Balmaceda, with the first mayors of Calama being José R. Lira, Olegario Barrera and Bartolomé Oyanedel.

Currently, the Municipality of Calama is directed by the mayor Eliecer Chamorro Vargas (FREVS) for the period 2021-2024, who is advised by the councilors:

Mamani Mayorga (FREVS)
César Rojas Andrade (DC)
Luis Villaseca Soto (Ind-DC)
Claudio Maldonado Pérez (RN)
Ricardo Campusano Torres (PS)
Cynthia Lira Vega (PR)
Cristian Flores Toledo (Ind-PI)
Daniel Ramírez Arqueros (Ind-PC)

For more efficient management, the Municipality of Calama established the position of Municipal Administrator, occupied by Mirza Cruz Ramos.

Services

As a large city (over 100,000 inhabitants), Calama has various services for its inhabitants. It should be noted that different groups have repeatedly questioned the quality of these services or the equity in their distribution, arguing that while the vast majority do not have an adequate budget for a large city, a reduced number of services are delivered efficiently to only a portion of the population. This situation, among other shortcomings, has motivated the mobilization of citizens in demand of more dignified services.

Education

There is a certain balance between the educational establishments managed by the Municipal Corporation for Social Development (COMDES) and those managed by private individuals. COMDES manages a total of 8 kindergartens, 14 urban basic schools, 5 rural basic schools, 1 differential school and 9 high schools. Meanwhile, in the private sphere, in its two modalities (subsidized private and paid private), there are 14 establishments, and a good number of kindergartens. In addition, the city has two public libraries (359, located on Paseo Ramírez, and 220, located on Avenida Granaderos). It is all thanks to the famous and renowned Professor Antonio Feliz who helps the community to improve his education, currently fighting to get the long-awaited state university, the University of Calama (UDCA).

Health

Even though it is the Mining Capital of Chile, Calama does not have a hospital of excellence for the circumstances in which miners live, which is extremely important. The Dr. Carlos Cisterna Hospital, dependent on the Antofagasta Health Service, has an ICU, but it still does not have an ICU or specialties, in addition to having a full capacity. This situation forces the seriously ill and the most complex treatments to be referred to the Hospital del Cobre Doctor Salvador Allende Gossens, of Codelco in the same city, or to the Regional Hospital of Antofagasta, more than 200 km away, which repeatedly Sometimes it has garnered deaths due to delays in the provision of services. Work is currently underway on the new Calama Hospital.

Municipal healthcare, also administered by COMDES, is doing better, but its coverage is still not enough. This is distributed among 4 Family Health Centers, 2 CECOSF and 2 Emergency Public Care Services (SAPU).

Transport and means of communication

Since pre-Hispanic times, Calama has been a nerve center for communications between the surrounding regions, in the middle of the Atacama Desert. Today the communications, although they are not yet at the level of the category of Mining Capital of Chile that Calama has, show the importance of Calama as a post for communications in the driest desert in the world.

Roads

Calama is not part of the Pan-American Highway, but it is less than 120 km from it, through two highways. The first is Route 24, which connects Calama with the port of Tocopilla, and intersects with the Pan-American Highway just 70 km away, where the highway continues to Arica; the second is route 25, which connects the city with the port of Antofagasta and is more widely used, connecting with route 23-CH (towards San Pedro de Atacama and Argentina through the Sico Border Pass) or route 27-CH (from San Pedro de Atacama to Argentina through the Jama Border Pass), there is international access to the Bi-Oceanic Corridor, which connects the ports of Antofagasta (Chile) and Santos (Brazil). In addition, citizens demand the paving of route 21-CH, which connects the city with Bolivia through the Salar de Ollagüe Border Pass, as it is intensively used by vehicles belonging to highland mining companies and international buses. Communications between Calama and Chuquicamata (which are only 16 km apart) are quite fast, through the two lanes of Circunvalación avenue (extension of Route 25). As a city with a radioconcentric plane (that is, formed around its roads and adopting a certain circular shape), Calama has the Autopista de Calama (road ring that surrounds the city on its eastern side, and its extension towards the west to complete it), which serves as a by-pass so that heavy vehicles do not need to enter the city during their cargo passage and to communicate them expeditiously with the already mentioned routes.

There is also a detour from Chiuchiu to the other towns in the interior of the commune. It is also worth noting the old road that linked Calama with the port of Cobija, of which there are intentions to transform it into the new access to the coast, given the danger that route 25 presents on the Cuesta de Montecristo. Some of these high-traffic roads still need to be paved and restored, which for now are only compacted with bischofite.

Railway

In 1886 the Calama train station was inaugurated, connecting Uyuni (Bolivia) with Antofagasta. This railway line has a branch in Chuquicamata, which, in addition to the sulfur mines of Ollagüe and other Bolivian mining companies, make this railway a purely mining route. The English company Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway Company Limited completed the railway that linked Antofagasta (Chile) with Oruro (Bolivia) in 1892. Formerly owned by the state, and with a high demand for its passenger service until it was canceled in the 1990s. the '90s, now belongs to the Luksic group.

Air transportation

In the 1950s, under the government of Carlos Ibáñez del Campo and the departmental management of Governor Santiago Siglic Cuéllar, the El Loa Airport was opened, to the south east of Calama. It is a high flow of passengers that has motivated the parliamentarians of the Region to manage to raise it to the category of international airport, since they also want to connect Calama by air with the international tourist destinations of the Central West Region of South America (south of Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and the NOA of Argentina). Currently, the runway expansion projects and various improvements that would leave it, within 2 years, as an international airport are ready. Technically, it is considered by the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics as an aerodrome.

Urban and interrural transport

The collective mobilization covers, through 10 minibus routes, divided into 2 lines (222 and 177) and 26 collective taxi lines. In addition, there is daily mobilization between Calama and Chiuchiu, 33 km east of the city.

Regarding interprovincial transport, 8 national companies pass through the city and communicate it with the rest of the region and the country. There are also buses with direct international service to Uyuni, Oruro, Cochabamba, La Paz, San Salvador de Jujuy and Salta.

Geographic Location

Northwest: Tocopilla	North: Chuquicamata	Northeast: Ollagüe
West: Maria Elena		This: Chiu Chiu
Southwest: Antofagasta	South: Sierra Gorda	Sureste: San Pedro de Atacama

Media

Digital platforms

Portal Indígena
Daily Online and Online Sports
El Diario de Antofagasta: The most read digital media in the Antofagasta region.
Calama Online
News and media consortium, CN Medios Local, national and international news portal, as well as live news broadcasts and daily events on social media and FM 101.1 MHz CN radio
Teledifusion Calama
slogans

- (2019 - 2021) and#34;The Calama Canal#34;

- (March 4, 2021 - February 12, 2022) y#34;La TeVe Como Se Se See"

- (February 12, 2022 - April 2023) "I love it"

- (April 2023 - present) "With More Heart#34;

Previous names

- El Loa Televisión (October 2019 - February 28, 2020)

- Loa TV Plus (Summer 2020)

- Loa TV (February 28, 2020 - December 31, 2020)

- Canal Loa Televisión (December 31, 2020 - March 4, 2021)

- Loa Televisión (March 4, 2021 - February 12, 2022)

- Broadcasting (February 12, 2022 - Present)

Radio stations

Calama has 19 stations that broadcast from Calama plus 6 stations that broadcast from Antofagasta, 1 from other regions and 12 broadcast from Santiago.

88.1 MHz Madero FM (Antofagasta)
88.7 MHz The FM Conqueror (National Network)
89.1 MHz Radio Canal 95 (Antofagasta)
89.5 MHz Digital FM (with programming from Antofagasta and Santiago)
89.9 MHz The FM Conqueror (Red Norte - Antofagasta)
90.3 MHz Radio Charanga Latina (Antofagasta)
90.7 MHz Radio Alegría del Transporte
91.1 MHz DNA Radio Chile
91.5 MHz Radio Carnival
92.1 MHz Radio Beautiful
92.7 MHz Romantic FM
93.1 MHz Radio Peregrina
93.5 MHz FM Plus (Antofagasta)
94.1 MHz Radio Nueva Carillón
94.7 MHz FM
95.3 MHz Radio Pudahuel
95.7 MHz FM Okey (V region)
96.1 MHz Integral
96.7 MHz Radio Maria Reina
97.3 MHz FM Seven (Anglo)
97.9 MHz Radio Shalom
98.5 MHz Radioactive
99.1 MHz Radio Armonía
99.7 MHz FM 99.7
100.3 MHz FM Mix
100.7 MHz Radio Bío-Bío
101.1 MHz Radio de Los Reyes
101.7 MHz Carnival Chain
102.5 MHz Cooperative Radio
103.1 MHz FM
103.5 MHz Heart FM
104.1 MHz Radio Salar (Ex Radio Antena)
104.7 MHz FM Two
105.3 MHz Radio Carolina
105.7 MHz Radio Topater
106.5 MHz Radio Desert (Antofagasta)
107.1 MHz Radio Fortaleza
107.5 MHz Wiphala Radio

Television

It has only one local channel, Calama Televisión, which began broadcasting in 2004 through Frequency 13 of the VTR cable operator. In addition, the city has 6 channels with national coverage:

VHF

2 - Chilevision
4 - The Network
6 - Mega
8 - Telechannel (No sign)
10 - TVN (also has the regional subsidiary TVN Red Antofagasta)
12 - Channel 13

DTT

2.1 - Chilevision HD
2.2 - UChile TV
12.1 - Channel 13 HD
12.2 - T13 Live

Sports

The sport had its peak at the communal and provincial level since the second half of the XX century; even so, resources are lacking to develop it further. To streamline management and apply for better projects, the municipality administers local sports through the Municipal Sports Corporation.

Cobreloa Sports Club

Starting with the soccer teams of Calama (green shirt) and Chuquicamata (maroon shirt), in the mid-century XX Deportes El Loa was formed, which played amateur soccer until January 7, 1977, the year in which the public clamor for having professional soccer was carried out through the transformation of Deportes El Loa into Club de Deportes Cobreloa. In 1978 he managed to climb to the First Division of Chile and to this day it is considered one of the great teams of Chilean professional soccer, with 8 national titles, 2 finals in the Copa Libertadores de América and a good number of fans both in the area like in the rest of the country. Today, Cobreloa is a club that also promotes sports such as rugby, athletics and basketball, as well as grants more spaces through its women's soccer branch, which was dissolved in 2014 due to differential problems (money problems).. In April 2015, Cobreloa was relegated to B for the first time after the ruling of the Second Chamber of the Disciplinary Tribunal, which sanctioned him with the subtraction of three points.

Football

At the local level there are various neighborhood, labor and school leagues. They play at the San Luis, O'Higgins, Alemania, Independencia, Extracurricular, March 23, Esmeralda and Las Vegas sports complexes.

Other sports

Sports such as volleyball and basketball are gaining momentum, especially at the school level, with the Roofed Stadium being the main stage. Chearleading or Animation is also gaining momentum, one of the teams is called Silver Star, and they have their rehearsals mainly at the Ojo del Desierto Cultural Center ex-Parque de los Lolos or at the Obispo Silva Lezaeta Institute College, this team has represented to Calama in the National Cheerleading Championships held in Viña del Mar.

Skateboarding is practiced every day at the Ojo del Desierto Cultural Center (broken link available at Internet Archive; see history, first and last version)., Parque José Saavedra, its hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. and from Friday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. In 2010 a video called "Skate Loa Video #1" where several young people from the city of Calama showed some of their talent in this sport. Currently, the Paseo Granaderos offers at its northern end an area enabled for skateboarding. In 2016 the first Skateplaza was created and also the first skate club formed with legal personality, called Calama Skate Club. Tennis is concentrated in the Calama Tennis Club. Rugby is associated under the Calama Rugby Club. Golf comes to life at the Calama Golf Club, located in the Las Marmoleras sector. Hopscotch meets at the Calama Hopscotch Association. The rodeo comes to life, especially on National Holidays, with the Calama Rodeo Club, although every year it is more questioned by animal rights activists and indigenous organizations. Paintball also has its place with teams like Husares Calama and Paintball Loa. Nuts also have their space at the Topáter Autodrome. In addition, the surroundings of Calama have high potential to develop paragliding, cycling (which already has championships), parasailing, sandboarding and other extreme sports, especially in the highlands and the Yalquincha valley, to the northeast of the city and Wrestling who train at the Población Alemania sports center, under the name of LLC. Lucha Libre Calama, being the pioneers in this new sport in the city.^{[citation required]}

Culture and arts

The municipality of Calama concentrates a rich natural and cultural heritage that is still little used, a legacy characterized by nature, its ethnic groups, the Inca, Hispanic, Bolivian and Chilean dominations, and the national and international immigrants who have found a land in Calama of opportunities. Various public and private organizations (such as the Municipal Corporation for Culture and Tourism) try to give life to local tourism.

Heritage and tourist attractions

Although the infrastructural and service problems of the Calama commune prevent it from exploiting its tourist potential, there are still wonders to show in the urban area itself, in addition to the surrounding oasis and the inland towns:

Church of San Francisco de Chiu Chiu. Built by the Spanish in 1611. It's the oldest church in chili.
St. John the Baptist Cathedral. Built in the early centuryXX.and soaked at the beginning of the centuryXXI with copper plates on its roof and dome.
Ex-Finca Abaroa. Located behind the Municipal Cemetery, it still retains constructions at the end of the centuryXIXbelonging to the Calameño hero who fought for Bolivia, Don Eduardo Abaroa Hidalgo, and his son, pioneer during Chilean domination, Don Andrónico Abaroa.
Cerro La Cruz. Located in the north-eastern peripheral sector of the city and in a remarkable state of abandonment, this pilgrimage point is in the process of being transformed into a sanctuary park, in which the cross of its summit will be replaced by a larger, copper-plated cross.
Division Minister Hales New Codelco Division, located only 5 kilometres from the city.
Parque El Loa and Paseo Borde Rio. With spas enabled in the river Loa and various games, multi-channels and museums, the Parque El Loa has become the main meeting point in the city; the Paseo Borde Rio, while it was inaugurated in the year 2022, it consists of a trail and more spas along the route of the river within the city, from Yalquincha to La Cascada.
Topater. Located in the eastern periphery of the city, it is a sector of high importance for local history; the first remnants of population in Calama (preincaica) and the oldest cemetery are located in its immediate vicinity; in addition, it was the main point of operations of the Chilean conquest, in the Battle of Calama.
Farmhouse. The Calameño choclo (maíz) is very desired at the national level, while the extensive fields of alfalfa have sustained generations of the livestock used as a load; on some plots it begins to take advantage of these stories.
Chuquicamata Mine Camp. Testimony of the life of the workers of the largest open-cut copper mine in the world, before the transfer to Calama; the mine and the urban center stand out.
Conchi reservoir. Built in the middle of the centuryXX. and located inside Calama, it is a good place to practice sports fishing.
Alto Loa. Extensive district within Calama that aspires to be a commune, attractive for the Andean tradition of its peoples, mainly reflected in its terraces of cultivation, traditions and churches, known worldwide.
Tatioo geysers. Near the border with Bolivia, they are visited every year by thousands of national and foreign tourists.
Casona de la Familia Yutronic, Casona located in calle Abaroa with Sotomayor, belonged to the Yutronic Family of Croatian Origin/Yugoslavo who arrived during the 1920s and 1955 in the time of the salitre, one of the great Croatian family.

Traditions and festivities

There are various festivities throughout the commune, both religious, folkloric and/or Solidarity.

Summer Calameño. Neighbors are grouped into alliances, with sports, artistic, cultural and queen choice. From mid-January to mid-February.
Carnival and Carnival Remate. In the original communities, both of the Oasis of Calama and of the Alto Loa, it is celebrated since ancient times, with cultural contributions of the Spanish conquest, this festival begins the harvest season. The Catholic tradition made it coincide with the last weekend before Lent, although according to the community, the party can begin weeks before and finish weeks later. To give a fabulous closure to the carnivals held in the commune, the Carnival Remate has begun to be organized during the first weeks of March, starting in 2009. It is to be hoped that the event, with the help of the various fraternities and other participating community organizations, will acquire the importance it deserves and will position itself as the closing of the carnival season throughout the Great North.
Patron parties. Liturgy and celebrations are organized throughout the community to the patron saints of each people. The feasts of Our Lady of the Candelaria in Caspana (1-3 February), Saint John the Baptist in Calama (24 June), Our Lady of the Carmen in Conchi Viejo (16 July), San Lorenzo in Chuquicamata (10 August), Our Lady of Guadalupe in Ayquina (principal feast of the province, 8 September and 12 December) San Francisco in Chiuchiu (4 October) and the Adoration to the Child. In recent years, as one of many cultural contributions from the Bolivian colony (especially from the residents of Cochabamba), the feast of the Virgin of Urkupiña was added (15 August).
National and International Folkloric Meeting "Calama a City for Folklore". He made his ninth version during 2008. It is organized, in its entirety, by the local amateur group Set of Folkloric Projection New Earth.
Month of Calama. In commemoration of the Chilean conquest of Calama (March 23, 1879), various activities are carried out. Civic and school parades, exhibitions and fairs, branches and popular parties, concerts, pyrotechnic show, and a military parade in battlefield (Topater), are, among others, the events of the month of March.

Calamaton

Main article: Calamatón

The Calamatón is a solidarity party (similar to the Teletón) that is held every year in aid of different organizations for the care and rehabilitation of children, young people and adults with different pathologies such as blindness, deafness, muteness, physical and mental difficulties, diabetes, HIV, among others. In the absence of a center specializing in these diseases, this party was created with the aim of raising money for doctors and infrastructure for a total of 19 Loina institutions, and since its creation in 2009, it had the support of the Illustrious Municipality of Calama. and all its addresses.

This activity was carried out for the first time very timidly on December 19, 2009, next to the Illustrious Municipality of Calama, under the slogan Enter the world of disability, managing to raise $20,000,000.

The second version was held on May 6 and 7, 2011 under the slogan For a dream, for a tomorrow at the Techado Stadium in Calama (where it is currently being held) and where for the first time Live television transmission was incorporated through the Calama Televisión signal on VTR, and $197,000,000 was raised thanks to the great support of mining companies and unions in the area.

In 2012 the Calamatón was held on July 1 and 2, under the motto With the eyes of the soul, but it did not have the expected success, raising only $113,000,000, in addition to this version of the Calamatón for the first time had nationally renowned artists as an attraction, despite this it was also marred by political interests since it was a year of municipal elections.

The fourth version of the Calamatón was held on November 8 and 9, 2013, under the slogan Reaping Hope, with the participation of national and international artists, as well as obviously the participation of local artists and patients of these beneficiary institutions, obtaining $200,120,340, exceeding the proposed goal for this year. It should be noted that this is the first version of Calamatón as a Foundation, with legal personality.

In 2014, La Calamatón was questioned by councilor Darío Quiroga since the foundation would not have justified the funds spent among the 19 institutions it helps, after the public account and once an audit was carried out where once again the president of the foundation Elizabeth Ramírez clarified the funds, we went to the fifth campaign dated October 24 and 25, to avoid a repetition of previous problems, the foundation decided that for this campaign there will not be a goal, but rather that they appeal to the donations that the companies and the community. This campaign managed to raise $141,791,650.

The 2015 version was held on July 3 and 4, under the slogan Todos juntos and only $39,958,968 was raised.

Sister cities

Arad, Israel.
Palpalá, Jujuy, Argentina.
Salta, Salta, Argentina.
Ibarra, Imbabura, Ecuador.
San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina.
La Paz, Bolivia.
Potosí, Bolivia.
Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.

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