Calama, Chile

Calama
City and Commune
From left to right: Norte Grande, Historical town of Ayquina, Codelco corporate building, Church of San Francisco de Chiu Chiu, El Tatio and Chuquicamata
Flag Coat of arms Map of the Calama commune in Antofagasta Region Calama Location in Chile
Coordinates (city): 22°28′S 68°56′W
Country	Chile
Region	Antofagasta
Province	El Loa
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Alcalde	Daniel Agusto Pérez
Area
• Total	15,596.9 km2 (6,022.0 sq mi)
Elevation	2,260 m (7,410 ft)
Population  (2024)
• Total	166,334
• Density	10.6646/km2 (27.6211/sq mi)
Demonym	Calamenian
Time zone	UTC−4 (CLT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−3 (CLST)
Postal code	1399001
Climate	BWk
Website	Official website (in Spanish)

Calama is a city and commune in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. It is the capital of El Loa Province, part of the Antofagasta Region. Calama is one of the driest cities in the world with average annual precipitation of just 5 mm (0.20 in). The River Loa, Chile's longest, flows through the city. With a population of 166,334, it is the 2nd-largest city in the region.

The commune also encompasses the Quechua communities of Estación San Pedro, Toconce and Cupo; and the Lickan-antay communities of Taira, Conchi Viejo, Lasana, San Francisco de Chiu Chiu, Aiquina-Turi, and Caspana.

In 2003 the nearby town of Chuquicamata, once the largest open-pit copper mine in the world, was dismantled citing environmental reasons and encroachment from the mine's expansion. Residents of Chuquicamata then moved to Calama, away from company-owned residences, to find housing on their own.