Agriculture, Copper Mining, and Migration in the Andean Cordillera of Northern Chile

Abstract

The heterogeneous economic structure of the northern Chilean Andes (oases agriculture, exploitation of saltpetre, copper mining) was conducive to a differing population development in the various areas of the region. The exploitation of the great copper deposits led to a significant increase in the population of the high mountains in recent decades. This was accompanied by a serious depopulation of the rural areas and a concentration of population in certain large mining settlements and their surroundings. The population pressure was not reduced for there was only movement from the rural areas to the mining centres and to the bigger towns. To verify and exemplify this, migrations toward the biggest open copper mine in the world, Chuquicamata, and the nearby oasis town, Calama (province of Antofagasta) are investigated. The discussions focus on emigration from the oases of the Andean Cordillera. The analysis tries to answer the questions: (1) What are the reasons for the emigration from the oases and how important is the growing population there?, (2) Who emigrates from the oases and what are the effects of this migration on the areas of origin?, and (3) How can the economic and social situation of the migrant population in the area of destination be described?