Located on the narrow littoral platform of the coastal mountain chain, 186 km north of Antofagasta and 163 km from Calama. This is a small town with 24,574 inhabitants. It was founded as a fishing cove in 1843.

It has a saltpeter railway, a port mechanized by saltpeter, two thermoelectric plants that supply Chuquicamata and the rest of the network in the North.

It is a loading point for products being exported, such as fish meal, its by-products and metals.

A place you should visit close to Tocopilla is the María Elena mine, 230 km northeast of Antofagasta. You should also pay a visit to the Covadonga Resort, symbol of the city Piedra del Camello.