Los ferrocarriles salitreros como factor de desarrollo temprano en Tarapacá (1858-1873)

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.