Arica, Chile

Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Arica, Chile
The region around Arica was home to a variety of native inhabitants for thousands of years, but the city itself was officially founded by Lucas Martinez of Begazo in 1541, eventually adopting the rather lengthy moniker of Real Ciudad San Marcos de Arica or Royal City of San Marcos of Arica. The allusion to royalty may have been a nod to the wealthy Spaniards who lived and worked there, but it could also have referred to the region's burgeoning silver industry.

The Potosi silver mine was the largest in the world’s history, and by association Arica became a draw for pirates and privateers such as Francis Drake, John Watling, Thomas Cavendish, and Richard Hawkins . Regional conflicts saw the city come under Bolivian control twice during the 830s and 840s, and the city eventually became part of Chile after the War of the Pacific in the 880s. Arica still functions as Bolivia’s main route to the ocean, especially by train.

Arica is also known as the driest inhabited place on Earth, at least as measured by rainfall: average annual precipitation is 0.76 mm (0.03 inches).

It is BROWN everywhere. There are a few irrigated green areas, but mostly brown. El Paso is high desert, but all the sand areas of clumps of "something" growing, but Arica is only sand.

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