COPIAP

capital of Copiap provincia, and Atacama regin, an extremely arid territory in northern Chile. It lies 35 miles (56 km) inland from the Pacific coast in the fertile Copiap River valley, an irrigated oasis (usually regarded as the southern limit of the Atacama Desert) that has been farmed at least since the Inca period prior to Spanish settlement in 1540. The community was elevated to villa (town) status in 1744, when it became San Francisco de la Selva de Copiap. With the discovery of gold and silver deposits in the 19th century, Copiap became a significant mining and political centre, its position being exemplified by the construction (185051) of the Caldera and Copiap railway, one of the first in South America. After a period of decline from 1875 to 1925, the town's economy was revived by the development of copper mines, and a smelter was completed in 1950 at nearby Paipote. The railway and all-weather roads connect Copiap to the port and resort of Caldera, 50 miles (80 km) northwest, to Santiago, and to the adjacent provinces. A road also crosses the Andes Mountains into Argentina. Pop. (1990 est.) 80,241.