The “twin cities” of La Serena and Coquimbo shape the major metropolitan area of the semi-desert Region of Coquimbo. Located approximately 470 km north of Santiago, La Serena and Coquimbo are gateways to the Atacama Desert. La Serena is the second oldest city in Chile, and Coquimbo is an old fishing, industrial and trading port. Rich in history and colonial architecture, La Serena and Coquimbo are located by the Pacific Ocean, and close to sandy beaches, fishing villages, fertile valleys, The Andes Mountains, astronomical observatories, local MPAS and among other places to be explored and discovered!
Coquimbo Region
Similar to most of the other regions of Chile – characterized by long and narrow geography – the region of Coquimbo lies between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Several rivers – such as the Elqui – run from the Andes Mountain Range to the ocean, forming highly productive and green valleys amidst this semiarid environment that supports agricultural activities. The region is also rich in mineral deposits, which are the base of mining activity. Clear skies at higher altitude makes the region an ideal host to several astronomical observatories. With respect to the marine ecosystem, upwelling areas near the coastline encourage high productivity, supporting industrial and small scale coastal fisheries. The region hosts a wealth of marine fauna, including the notorious Humboldt Penguin, as well as sea otters, sea lions along the coast. We hope you will have the opportunity to see these animals first-hand during your visit to the Region.
More info:
http://turismoregiondecoquimbo.cl/ o http://chile.travel
About Chile
Chile is a long and narrow country that extends from the arid north of the Altiplano at latitude 17° S, to windswept and ice-covered Tierra del Fuego in the south at 56° S.
Chile has a unique geography: its territory includes Easter Island, in Polynesia, 3,700 km from the mainland, as well as territory in Antarctica (Chile Antártico, 1,250,000 km2). Continental and insular Chile, which includes the mainland and offshore islands and archipelagos, covers 756,096 km2.
Chile’s main territory is roughly twice the size of Germany and consists of a strip of land 4,200 km long and 90 to 440 km wide. In the far south, the land is transected by hundreds of islands and fjords.
But don’t just take our word for it. For more information, please visit:
http://chile.travel/ o https://www.thisischile.cl/?lang=en