Calama

Calama, city, northern Chile. It is situated on the Loa River in an extremely arid region.

It lies on the western slope of the Andes at an altitude of 7,381 feet (2,250 metres) and is linked to Antofagasta, 133 miles (215 km) southwest, by aqueduct. The oasis city is a service centre for the Chuquicamata copper mine and an agricultural marketing centre. The Smithsonian Institution (U.S.) operates a solar observatory nearby. Pop. (2002) 126,135; (2017) municipality, 165,731.