Bevölkerungsgeographische Untersuchungen im Großen Norden Chiles

Abstract

Among the investigations carried out by the author between August 1971 and March 1972 in the 'Great North' area of Chile, questions of population mobility took pride of place. Mapping and questionnaire exercises were carried out in selected settlements (coastal towns, copper mines, nitrate extraction stations, oases) in order to be able to define out-migration and in-migration areas in terms of age and social structure, to elucidate motivations for migration and to clarify aspects of the migration process. The insights obtained in this way were set on a broader quantitative basis and given statistical validity by evaluation of the original data files of the 1970 Census (registration of the area of origin of a 10% sample of in-migrants). 1. Migration gains are primarily made by the large mining establishments of Chuquicamata and Potrerillos-El Salvador and their surroundings and also by the two largest coastal towns, Antofagasta and Arica. 2. The most important areas of out-migration are the zones of past and present nitrate extraction, the oases of the north Chilean desert, the 'Little North' which adjoins the area of investigation to the south and the 'Zona Metropolitana' (Santiago and Valparaiso). 3. The attractive power of the primarily mining-oriented 'Great North' can be traced southwards to Coquimbo Province; further south there is a sharp discontinuity; the population of Aconcuagua Province is oriented wholly to Santiago. 4. Migration in the most important centres of Northern Chile occurs as a rule in several stages, a first step often being a movement from a rural area into the nearest larger settlement. 5. The main migration streams are directed E-W (e.g. Cordillera-mining area-coast) and S-N (e.g. Coquimbo Province or the central zone-copper mines or coastal cities).