# María Elena Commune, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/tocopilla/maria-elena/

Commune · Tocopilla Province 

# María Elena

María Elena is a commune of Chile in Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region. It had an estimated **6,684 people** in 2022 on 12,348 km² (about 0.5 per km²). 16 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 29 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.

- 6,684people (2022)
- 12,348km²
- 29mapped services
- 1,261 mtypical elevation

## How many people live in María Elena?

María Elena had an estimated **6,684 people** in 2022 — 19.1% of Tocopilla Province, 291st of 345 communes. There are 948 women for every 1,000 men (below the Tocopilla Province figure of 988). Spread over 12,348 km², that is about **0.5 people per km²**, 323rd of 345 communes.

20.1% of people are children under 15 and 6.6% are 65 or older; the median age is about 34 years (it is 34 across Tocopilla Province). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 36 children and older people.

0–4 ****413**

5–9 ****463**

10–14 ****467**

15–19 ****410**

20–24 ****433**

25–29 ****627**

30–34 ****659**

35–39 ****524**

40–44 ****488**

45–49 ****508**

50–54 ****486**

55–59 ****407**

60–64 ****359**

65–69 ****233**

70–74 ****105**

75–79 ****53**

80+ ****49**

Source: [UNFPA and Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas de Chile (INE) via OCHA HDX, population 2022 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-chl).

## Where is María Elena?

María Elena lies in [Tocopilla Province](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/tocopilla/), [Antofagasta Region](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/), [Chile](https://wherepedia.org/chile/). It borders 6 other communes: [Calama](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/el-loa/calama/), [Mejillones](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/antofagasta/mejillones/), [Pica](https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/tamarugal/pica/), [Sierra Gorda](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/antofagasta/sierra-gorda/), [Tocopilla](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/tocopilla/tocopilla/) and [Tocopilla](https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/tamarugal/tocopilla/). By area it is the 15th largest of 345 communes in Chile. It covers 75.1% of [Tocopilla Province](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/tocopilla/). The centre of María Elena is about 1,270 km in a straight line from Santiago, the capital. It is about 80 km from Tocopilla, the main town of Tocopilla Province. The centre point is at 22.0828° S, 69.4200° W.

Source: [La Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile (BCN) via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-chl).

## Things to see in and around María Elena

OpenStreetMap lists 14 named sights in María Elena: 4 archaeological sites; 3 museums; 2 attractions; 2 ruins; 2 viewpoints; 1 monument.

- Museo Antropológico de Quillagua · museum
- Museo del Juguee Pampino · museum
- Museo del Salitre · museum
- Geoglifos de Calartoco · archaeological site
- Parque Arqueológico Geoglifos de Chug Chug · archaeological site
- Petroglifos de Calartoco · archaeological site
- Ruta Prehispánica · archaeological site
- Mirador de Geoglifos · viewpoint
- Valle de los Meteoritos · viewpoint
- Geoglifos de Calartoco · attraction
- Oficina Salitrera Pedro de Valdivia · attraction
- Ex Hospital Pedro de Valdivia · ruins
- Of. J. F. Vergara · ruins
- Tranque Sloman · monument

Source: [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: María Elena

- Time zoneUTC−3 (summer UTC−4) · America/Santiago
- CurrencyPeso (CLP)
- Country calling code+56
- LanguagesSpanish
- Plug typesType C, L · 220 V
- Driving sideRight
- Postcode format7 digits (#######)

### Nearest airports

- El Loa Airport (CJC) · Calama70 km
- Andrés Sabella Gálvez International Airport (ANF) · Antofagasta184 km

### Nearest railway station

Toco (María Elena), about 18 km from the centre.

### Daylight

Days are longest in Dec (about 13.5 hours, sunrise around 06:48) and shortest in Jun (about 10.8 hours, sunrise around 08:13, sunset around 19:01).

Source: [GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.geonames.org/); [Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03](https://www.wikidata.org/); [OurAirports (public domain)](https://ourairports.com/data/).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Villages and localities in María Elena

Open gazetteers list **16 villages, towns and localities** in María Elena. The largest with a recorded population: María Elena (7,530) and Quillagua (141). Settlements here lie between about 806 m and 1,478 m above sea level (median 1,261 m).

- Algorta
- Bomba Vergara
- Coya Sur
- El Monte
- Guacate
- José Francisco Vergara
- María Elena
- Nacara
- Oficina Grutas
- Oficina Pedro de Valdivia
- Oficina Salitrera Pedro de Val
- Oficina Toco
- Quillagua
- Quillagüita
- Toco
- Tranque Sloman

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/); [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

## Landscape and landmarks of María Elena

Named natural and historic features inside María Elena, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

4 rivers and streams; 2 reservoirs and tanks.

- Estanque Colupito
- Quebrada Pirita
- Quebrada Raposa
- Quebrada Vizcachilla
- Río San Salvador
- Tanque Santa Fé

### Hills and mountains

23 mountains; 7 hills; 2 mountain passes; 1 valley.

- Filo Condores · 3,468 m
- Cerro del Jazpe · 3,441 m
- Cerro Negro · 3,331 m
- Portezuelo de Sarjaso · 3,162 m
- Cerro Sichal · 2,880 m
- Cerro Colupo · 2,279 m
- Morro San Salvador · 1,864 m
- Cerro Pizarras · 1,835 m
- Cerro Buey Muerto · 1,798 m
- Cerro Carpa · 1,794 m
- Cerro de la Cruz · 1,765 m
- Cerro Lagarto · 1,744 m
- Cerro Amarillo · 1,713 m
- Cerro Manchado · 1,526 m
- Cerro Solitario · 1,518 m
- Cerro Cruz de Alerce · 1,469 m
- Cerro Colorado · 1,461 m
- Cerro Remate · 1,460 m
- Morro Pan de Azúcar · 1,453 m
- Cerro Tupiza · 1,417 m
- Cerro La Cortadera · 1,406 m
- Cerro Ramaditas · 1,403 m
- Cerro Canelo · 1,397 m
- El Cerrillo · 1,383 m

…and 9 more.

### History

11 ruins.

- Oficina Iberia
- Oficina Joya
- Oficina Los Dones
- Oficina Peregrinos
- Oficina Prosperidad
- Oficina Rica Aventura
- Oficina San Andrés
- Oficina Santa Ana
- Oficina Santa Fe
- Oficina Santa Isabel
- Oficina Vergara

### Getting around

12 railway stations; 1 airport; 1 airfield.

- El Toco
- Estación Anglo Lautaro
- Estación Cerrillos
- Estación Chacance
- Estación Los Dones
- Estación Lynch
- Estación Miraje
- Estación Pedro de Valdivia
- Estación Quillagua
- Estación Santa Fé
- Estación Teresa
- Estación Toco
- María Elena Airport
- Pedro de Valdivia

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in María Elena and the best time to visit

Using the climate of Tocopilla Province, the warmest month is Feb (average 18 °C) and the coolest is Jul (14 °C), after allowing for this place being about 152 m higher than the climate reference point (about 6.5 °C per 1,000 m). About 17 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Feb (5 mm) and the driest Oct (0 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **January to December**.

- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec

Month Average °C Rain mm 

Jan 18 4 

Feb 18 5 

Mar 18 2 

Apr 17 1 

May 15 2 

Jun 14 0 

Jul 14 1 

Aug 15 1 

Sep 16 0 

Oct 17 0 

Nov 17 1 

Dec 18 1 

Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/).

## Nearest hospital, bank and fuel from María Elena

Need Nearest mapped Distance 

Hospital Hospital Cruz del Norte · María Elena 38 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-22.34154&mlon=-69.66536#map=17/-22.34154/-69.66536) 

Bank Starken Maria Elena · María Elena 38 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-22.34321&mlon=-69.66227#map=17/-22.34321/-69.66227) 

Petrol pump Copec · María Elena 38 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-22.34520&mlon=-69.65797#map=17/-22.34520/-69.65797) 

Hotel Residencia Guggenheim · María Elena 38 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-22.34037&mlon=-69.66551#map=17/-22.34037/-69.66551) 

School Escuela Arturo Pérez Canto · María Elena 39 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-22.34583&mlon=-69.66719#map=17/-22.34583/-69.66719) 

Police station Tenencia María Elena · María Elena 38 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-22.34445&mlon=-69.65791#map=17/-22.34445/-69.65791) 

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Straight-line distance from the centre of the division, within 40 km.

## Hospitals, banks and other services in María Elena

Places mapped inside María Elena in open map data, by type.

- Hospitals2
- Banks5
- Petrol pumps2
- Hotels6
- Schools5
- Colleges and universities1
- Restaurants6
- Police stations1
- Dental clinics1

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Other communes in Tocopilla Province

- Tocopilla

## Quick answers

- Where is María Elena?In Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
- What is the population of María Elena?6,684 (2022 estimate)
- What is the median age in María Elena?About 34 years (2022 estimate)
- What is the population density of María Elena?About 0.5 people per km²
- What borders María Elena?Calama, Mejillones, Pica, Sierra Gorda, Tocopilla and Tocopilla
- What is there to see in María Elena?Ex Hospital Pedro de Valdivia, Geoglifos de Calartoco, Geoglifos de Calartoco, Mirador de Geoglifos
- What time zone is María Elena in?UTC−3 (summer UTC−4)
- What currency is used in María Elena?Peso (CLP)
- What language is spoken in María Elena?Spanish (main languages nationally)
- How many villages are in María Elena?16 named settlements (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap)
- What is the elevation of María Elena?Settlements lie between 806 m and 1,478 m
- How many reservoirs and tanks are in María Elena?2 named in GeoNames
- What is the highest point in María Elena?Filo Condores (3,468 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit María Elena?January to December
- Where is the nearest hospital to María Elena?Hospital Cruz del Norte, about 38 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest bank to María Elena?Starken Maria Elena, about 38 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest petrol pump to María Elena?Copec, about 38 km from the centre
- How many hospitals are in María Elena?2 mapped
- How many banks are in María Elena?5 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in María Elena?2 mapped
- What is the P-code of María Elena?CL02302 (OCHA common operational dataset)