The Nitrate Railways As An Early Development Factor In Tarapaca (1858-1873)

Abstract

For nearly 85 years the economic history of the province of Tarapaca
was determined by near-absolute influence of The Nitrate
Railways Company Limited. Without being a monopoly in law, in
practice came to control much of the mineral traffic, with some
complicity on the regional and national authorities. This led to a
dependency condition that, seen in perspective, dismissed dynamism
to an industry exposed to the rigors of a fluctuating demand
as their price.
Officially opened in 1868, The Nitrate Railways was the culmination of a series of unsuccessful projects aimed at controlling the
transport of nitrate, a very attractive considering the increasing
global demand. Although its specificity was indeed a plus for the
industry, the real legacy of the road is in the marginal impact of its
implementation. In that sense, the railroad marked a turning point
in population growth of Tarapaca and the accelerated diversification
of productive activities.

Keywords: nitrate, railway, Tarapaca, monopoly.