While the region offers the rigors of an unforgiving sun and desert, it also has gentle beaches and an eternal spring. The region has a land area of 42,225 km2 and a population of 286,105. The port city of Iquique, the regional capital, holds a place of honour in Chilean history as the site of a historic naval battlefought on its harbour on May 21st, 1879. Nowadays Iquique is a thriving city where most of the region’s economic activity takes place, centering around the Iquique Duty-Free Zone (ZOFRI), a major business and trade centre. During the 19th century Tarapacá was a major nitrate industry hub. Nowadays Tarapacá has successfully positioned itself as a major business and service hub for the macro-region comprising northern Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil. The regional economy centers around seaport services and exports, university services, ZOFRI, marine products, logistics and distribution, tourism, and mining goods and services. Chief among regional attractions are its vast salt fl ats, notably Huasco and Coposa; Chacarilla, Tana and Tarapacá gorges, and the Pampa del Tamarugal desert nature reserve. The indigenous population has turned the small towns dotting the desert into shrines to history, piety, and hard work.