city, northern Chile, situated on the Pacific coast. Founded in about 1850, it developed as a shipping point for copper mined inland. Now it is a major port and rail terminus for the nitrate and iodine mined at nearby María Elena and Pedro de Valdivia and for the copper mined at Chuquicamata, 93 miles (150 km) east. Hydroelectric power for Chuquicamata is generated in Tocopilla, where there is a copper-concentrate plant. Tocopilla is also known for its deep-sea fishing. It possesses an airport and is linked by road to the Pan-American Highway and the main north–south railroad. Pop. (2002) 23,352.