| Coquimbo | |
| Native Name Lang: | es |
| Settlement Type: | City and Commune |
| Flag Alt: | Flag |
| Shield Alt: | Coat of arms |
| Pushpin Map: | Chile |
| Pushpin Map Narrow: | yes |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location in Chile |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Chile |
| Coordinates: | -29.9531°N -71.3433°W |
| Coor Pinpoint: | city |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Chile |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Elqui |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Government Type: | Municipality |
| Leader Title: | Alcalde |
| Leader Name: | Ali Manouchehri |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1867 |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 1429.3 |
| Elevation M: | 15 |
| Population Total: | 200117 |
| Population As Of: | 2012 census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Urban |
| Population Blank1: | 154316 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Rural |
| Population Blank2: | 8720 |
| Population Demonym: | Coquimban |
| Demographics Type1: | Sex |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Men |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 79,428 |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Women |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 83,608 |
| Timezone: | CLT |
| Utc Offset: | −3 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 1780000 |
| Area Code: | 56 + 51 |
Coquimbo is a port city, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo is situated in a valley 10km (10miles) south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with more than 400,000 inhabitants. The commune spans an area around the harbor of 1429.3sqkm.[2] The average temperature in the city lies around, and precipitation is low.
The area was originally occupied by indigenous people, who used it as a settlement and for fishing purposes. The natural harbor in Coquimbo was taken over by Pedro de Valdivia from Spain in 1550. In 1879 it was recognized as a town. The city was on the main path of totality of the Solar eclipse of July 2, 2019.
Coquimbo was first mentioned in the English speaking world when Charles Darwin visited during his voyage on HMS Beagle, stopping in the town on 14 May 1835 describing the town as "remarkable for nothing but its extreme quietness."[3] Starting in the mid 1800s tens of thousands of Englishmen moved to Coquimbo establishing a distinct English architectural and culinary legacy. English settlement was fueled by the gold and copper industry in the region which peaked in 1860, the same time as the construction of a large English cemetery.
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Coquimbo had 163,036 inhabitants (79,428 men and 83,608 women). Of these, 154,316 (94.7%) lived in urban areas and 8,720 (5.3%) in rural areas. The population grew by 32.8% (40,270 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[2]
As a commune, Coquimbo is a fourth-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2012-2016 alcalde was Cristian Galleguillos Vega.[1]
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Coquimbo is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Pedro Velásquez (Ind.) and Matías Walker (PDC) as part of the 8th electoral district, (together with Ovalle and Río Hurtado). The commune is represented in the Senate by Gonzalo Uriarte (UDI) and Jorge Pizarro Soto (PDC) as part of the 4th senatorial constituency (Coquimbo Region).
The city is an industrial and shipping center. It is growing quickly, registering a 32.8% growth rate from 1992 to 2002. Tourism has started to develop. It is an access point for beach towns to the south, such as Guanaqueros and Tongoy. The port is still important for shipping, especially fruit and copper from mines in the region. Wine is also produced in the area.
The city has a football team called Coquimbo Unido which plays in the Chilean Primera División B. Their home games are played at the Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso Municipal Stadium, which has a capacity of 17,750 seats. They are nicknamed "Los Piratas", because of the tradition of pirates that arrived to the coasts of Coquimbo. Their biggest rival is Club de Deportes La Serena.
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Chile.
Coquimbo is twinned with:
