Before the arrival of the Spanish, the Chinchorro and Chango cultures roamed this land, skillfully adapting to the harsh, extremely dry desert environment. Living off of hunted game and irrigated agriculture, the Chinchorro and the Chango people were able to survive through the arrival of the Spanish. Given the intense dryness of the Atacama, remnants of these civilizations have been well preserved. Visitors can easily view the ancient fortresses, geoglyphs and mummies.
When the Spanish arrived, the barren landscape didn't seem worth the struggle against local indigenous forces. Although technically part of Bolivia and Perú, many areas of the Norte Grande remained in the possession of the indigenous peoples. It wasn't until the great War of the Pacific (1879-1884) that Chile, committed to supporting the many Chileans laboring in Bolivian mines, was able to claim the region as its own.
In the early 20th century, the region suddenly became immensely important, as copious amounts of nitrate were discovered in the ground. Entire towns sprouted up around mines in the desert. Most of these towns, however, have since been abandoned, as nitrate was quickly upstaged by more modern European fertilizers. The sudden change in the market took a drastic toll on Chile, resulting in the loss of enormous amounts of money and countless jobs. Needless to say, the future looked dark.
That is until deliverance came in the form of a pinkish, ductile metal: copper. Today, copper continues to be one of Chile's most important natural resources, with export sales contributing greatly to the national economy.