# Tocopilla Commune, Tamarugal Province, Tarapacá Region

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/tamarugal/tocopilla/

Commune · Tamarugal Province 

# Tocopilla

Tocopilla is a commune of Chile in Tamarugal Province, Tarapacá Region. It had an estimated **18,172 people** in 2022 on 13,738 km² (about 1.3 per km²). 102 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 82 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.

- 18,172people (2022)
- 13,738km²
- 82mapped services
- 1,460 mtypical elevation

## How many people live in Tocopilla?

Tocopilla had an estimated **18,172 people** in 2022 — 59.9% of Tamarugal Province, 188th of 345 communes. There are 919 women for every 1,000 men (below the Tamarugal Province figure of 933). Spread over 13,738 km², that is about **1.3 people per km²**, 309th of 345 communes.

24.2% of people are children under 15 and 9.2% are 65 or older; the median age is about 30 years (it is 33 across Tamarugal Province). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 50 children and older people.

0–4 ****1,459**

5–9 ****1,507**

10–14 ****1,436**

15–19 ****1,568**

20–24 ****1,417**

25–29 ****1,548**

30–34 ****1,682**

35–39 ****1,289**

40–44 ****1,201**

45–49 ****960**

50–54 ****828**

55–59 ****831**

60–64 ****772**

65–69 ****596**

70–74 ****458**

75–79 ****289**

80+ ****331**

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 Tocopilla?

Tocopilla lies in [Tamarugal Province](https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/tamarugal/), [Tarapacá Region](https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/), [Chile](https://wherepedia.org/chile/). It borders 7 other communes: [Alto Hospicio](https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/iquique/alto-hospicio/), [Calama](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/el-loa/calama/), [Huara](https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/tamarugal/huara/), [Iquique](https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/iquique/iquique/), [María Elena](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/tocopilla/maria-elena/), [Pica](https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/tamarugal/pica/) and [Tocopilla](https://wherepedia.org/chile/antofagasta/tocopilla/tocopilla/). By area it is the 13th largest of 345 communes in Chile. It covers 34.8% of [Tamarugal Province](https://wherepedia.org/chile/tarapaca/tamarugal/). The centre of Tocopilla is about 1,415 km in a straight line from Santiago, the capital. It is about 65 km from Pozo Almonte, the main town of Tamarugal Province. The centre point is at 20.7724° S, 69.4890° 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 Tocopilla

OpenStreetMap lists 24 named sights in Tocopilla: 8 attractions; 4 archaeological sites; 4 museums; 3 ruins; 2 nature reserves; 1 viewpoint; 1 hot spring; 1 zoo.

- Museo Minero y Mineralógico Ingeniero Eduardo Lillo · museum
- Museo de Sitio Geoglifos de Cerros Pintados · museum
- Museo de Sitio Oficinas Salitreras Humberstone y Santa Laura · museum
- Museo de la Vivencia Religiosa del Norte Grande · museum
- Geoglifos Cerro Serpejo · archaeological site
- Geoglifos de Pintados · archaeological site
- Petroglifos de Tamentica · archaeological site
- Tambo de Los Cahuizeños · archaeological site
- Reserva Nacional Pampa del Tamarugal · nature reserve
- Reserva Paleontológica Quebrada de Huatacondo · nature reserve
- Plaza La Tirana · viewpoint
- Casa patronal Humberstone · attraction
- Geoglifos de Pintados · attraction
- Hotel Humberstone · attraction
- Humberstone · attraction
- Oficina Salitrera "Santa Laura" · attraction
- Parador Fotográfico · attraction
- Petroglyphs · attraction
- Santuario Nuestra Señora del Carmen de la Tirana · attraction
- Baños IPLA · hot spring
- Granja Arrebol · zoo
- Of. La Joya · ruins
- Oficina Santa Lucía · ruins
- Ruinas de Cuminalla · ruins

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: Tocopilla

- 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

- Diego Aracena International Airport (IQQ) · Iquique77 km
- El Loa Airport (CJC) · Calama201 km

### Nearest railway station

Cerro Gordo (Tocopilla), about 11 km from the centre.

### Daylight

Days are longest in Dec (about 13.4 hours, sunrise around 06:51) and shortest in Jun (about 10.9 hours, sunrise around 08:11, sunset around 19:04).

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 Tocopilla

Open gazetteers list **102 villages, towns and localities** in Tocopilla. The largest with a recorded population: Pozo Almonte (16,878), La Tirana (837), Baquedano (587), Mamiña (319), La Huayca (287) and Colonia Pintados (143). Settlements here lie between about 809 m and 3,829 m above sea level (median 1,460 m).

- 13 de junio
- Aguada Canchones
- Aguada Santa Ana
- Alca
- Alojamiento de Quitala
- Alto de Tuna
- Alto del Molino
- Avanzada de Quillagua
- Baquedano
- Buen Retiro
- Cahuisa
- Calamina
- Calate
- Camiñalla
- Campamento Oficina Iris
- Canchones
- Cautenicsa
- Challa
- Chelis
- Chictusa
- Chintaguay
- Ciusa
- Colonia Pintados
- Condominio Los Andes
- Cuesta Apacheta
- Cuevitas
- Cumiñalla
- Duplijsa
- El Bosque
- El Carmelo
- El Chocal
- El Huaicazo
- El Molino
- Ex Oficina Victoria
- Flor del Desierto
- Hilaricos
- Huaca
- Huatacondo
- Humberstone
- Ilpa
- Iquinca
- Jucuma
- Keryma
- La Aguada
- La Aguada Norte
- La Cruz de Pica
- La Huaica
- La Huayca
- La Noria
- La Tirana
- La Tirana Norte
- Lagunas
- Las Vizcachas
- Lipita
- Los Españoles
- Los Puquios
- Los Tambos
- Macaya
- Mamiña
- Mani
- Montevideo
- Montón de Gloria
- Noasa
- Nueva California
- Nueva Victoria
- Oficina Bellavista
- Oficina Buen Retiro
- Oficina Diana
- Oficina Peña Grande
- Oficina San Andrés
- Oficina San Donato
- Oficina Serena
- Oficina Victoria
- Oficina Virginia
- Pampa Verde
- Parca
- Pintados
- Pirineos
- Pozo Almonte
- Quehuita
- Quinca
- Quipisca
- Ramadas
- Ramaditas
- Sagasca
- Sagrado Corazón
- San Antonio
- San José
- Santa Ana
- Santa Emilia
- Santa Emilia Sur
- Santa Rosa
- Sara
- Soledad
- Tambillo
- Tamentica
- Tapinga
- Tiquima
- Tuna
- Villa Esperanza
- Villa Iquique
- Yamigña

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 Tocopilla

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

### Water

7 rivers and streams.

- Quebrada Carpana
- Quebrada Cerrillos
- Quebrada Higuerita
- Quebrada Pucana
- Quebrada de Gualchagua
- Quebrada de Mani
- Quebrada de Pintados

### Hills and mountains

87 mountains; 6 hills; 3 mountain passes.

- Cerro Yarvicoya · 4,890 m
- Cerro San Félix · 4,764 m
- Cerro Japu · 4,719 m
- Cerro Yocas · 4,537 m
- Cerro Grande · 4,495 m
- Cerro Chilinchilin · 4,494 m
- Pico de Cahuisa · 4,471 m
- Cerro Cauquima · 4,419 m
- Loma El Muerto · 4,402 m
- Cerro Campana · 4,292 m
- Cerro Peñascos · 4,255 m
- Cerro Alto · 4,101 m
- Cerro del Barro · 4,042 m
- Cerro Pila · 4,025 m
- Cerro Torretorreni · 3,953 m
- Cerro Copaquiri · 3,929 m
- Cerro Caticuma · 3,918 m
- Loma Quiscaya · 3,559 m
- Cerro Guatacondo · 3,454 m
- Cerro Pucana · 3,422 m
- Cerro Piscala · 3,252 m
- Cerro Macata · 3,209 m
- Cerro Grande · 3,033 m
- Cerro Macaya · 3,014 m

…and 72 more.

### History

37 ruins.

- Campamento Don Guillermo
- Campamento Mar
- Challacollo
- Ex Planta Challacollo
- Oficina Anita
- Oficina Argentina
- Oficina Aurrera
- Oficina Baquedano
- Oficina Buenaventura
- Oficina Calacala
- Oficina Cóndor
- Oficina Diez de Septiembre
- Oficina Gloria
- Oficina Gloria Victoria
- Oficina La Granja
- Oficina Lagunas Centro
- Oficina Lagunas Norte
- Oficina Lagunas Sur
- Oficina Nena
- Oficina Pan de Azúcar
- Oficina Paposo
- Oficina Peña Chica
- Oficina Pirineo
- Oficina Pontevedra

…and 13 more.

### Getting around

19 railway stations; 4 airfields.

- Canchones
- Estación Aguada
- Estación Alianza
- Estación Central
- Estación Cerro Gordo
- Estación El Godo
- Estación Empalme
- Estación Gallinazos
- Estación Hiláricos
- Estación Noria
- Estación Pan de Azúcar
- Estación Peñasol
- Estación Ramaditas
- Estación San Antonio
- Huemul
- Mosquitos
- Oficina Victoria
- Pintados
- Pintados
- Pissis
- Quillagua
- Soronal
- Tamarugal

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 Tocopilla and the best time to visit

Using the climate of Tamarugal Province, the warmest month is Feb (average 28 °C) and the coolest is Jul (24 °C), after allowing for this place being about 1,468 m lower than the climate reference point (about 6.5 °C per 1,000 m). About 20 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Feb (5 mm) and the driest May (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 28 5 

Feb 28 5 

Mar 28 3 

Apr 27 1 

May 25 0 

Jun 24 1 

Jul 24 0 

Aug 25 1 

Sep 26 1 

Oct 26 0 

Nov 27 1 

Dec 27 2 

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

## Nearest hospital, bank and fuel from Tocopilla

Need Nearest mapped Distance 

Hospital Centro Salud Familiar Juan Marques V · Pica 35 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-20.48956&mlon=-69.33390#map=17/-20.48956/-69.33390) 

Bank State Bank · Pica 35 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-20.49108&mlon=-69.32872#map=17/-20.49108/-69.32872) 

Petrol pump Copec Pica · Pica 35 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-20.49364&mlon=-69.33295#map=17/-20.49364/-69.33295) 

Hotel Raíces de Pica · Pica 32 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-20.51234&mlon=-69.36057#map=17/-20.51234/-69.36057) 

School Colegio oasis del desierto colonia pintados · Tocopilla 18 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-20.63246&mlon=-69.57207#map=17/-20.63246/-69.57207) 

Police station Tenencia Pica · Pica 34 km [Map](https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-20.49675&mlon=-69.33746#map=17/-20.49675/-69.33746) 

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 Tocopilla

Places mapped inside Tocopilla in open map data, by type.

- Hospitals5
- Banks3
- Petrol pumps5
- Hotels28
- Shopping malls1
- Schools16
- Restaurants19
- Police stations5

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 Tamarugal Province

- Camiña
- Colchane
- Huara
- Pica

## Quick answers

- Where is Tocopilla?In Tamarugal Province, Tarapacá Region, Chile
- What is the population of Tocopilla?18,172 (2022 estimate)
- What is the median age in Tocopilla?About 30 years (2022 estimate)
- What is the population density of Tocopilla?About 1.3 people per km²
- What borders Tocopilla?Alto Hospicio, Calama, Huara, Iquique, María Elena, Pica and Tocopilla
- What is there to see in Tocopilla?Baños IPLA, Casa patronal Humberstone, Geoglifos Cerro Serpejo, Geoglifos de Pintados
- What time zone is Tocopilla in?UTC−3 (summer UTC−4)
- What currency is used in Tocopilla?Peso (CLP)
- What language is spoken in Tocopilla?Spanish (main languages nationally)
- How many villages are in Tocopilla?102 named settlements (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap)
- What is the elevation of Tocopilla?Settlements lie between 809 m and 3,829 m
- What is the highest point in Tocopilla?Cerro Yarvicoya (4,890 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit Tocopilla?January to December
- Where is the nearest hospital to Tocopilla?Centro Salud Familiar Juan Marques V, about 35 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest bank to Tocopilla?State Bank, about 35 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest petrol pump to Tocopilla?Copec Pica, about 35 km from the centre
- How many hospitals are in Tocopilla?5 mapped
- How many banks are in Tocopilla?3 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in Tocopilla?5 mapped
- What is the P-code of Tocopilla?CL01401 (OCHA common operational dataset)