Iquique is a port city and commune located on the Pacific coast in northern Chile. It serves as the capital of both the Iquique Province and the Tarapacá Region. The city is situated west of the Pampa del Tamarugal, which is part of the Atacama Desert. Its name originates from the Aymara language term "Iki Iki," which translates to "land of dreams."
The city developed significantly during the 19th-century saltpetre mining boom in the Atacama Desert. Historically, it was a Peruvian city with a large Chilean population until it was conquered by Chile during the War of the Pacific between 1879 and 1883. According to the 2017 census, Iquique has a population of 191,468 and serves as the main commune of Greater Iquique.
In modern commerce, Iquique is distinguished as one of only two free ports in Chile, alongside Punta Arenas in the far south. These designations provide specific trade status for the region's maritime activities.