Mejillones
Mejillones | |
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Flag Coat of arms Map of Mejillones in Antofagasta Region Mejillones Location in Chile | |
| Coordinates (city): 23°06′S 70°27′W / 23.100°S 70.450°W | |
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Antofagasta |
| Province | Antofagasta |
| Founded | 1842 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Commune |
| Area | |
• Total | 3,803.9 km2 (1,468.7 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 14,084 |
| • Density | 3.7025/km2 (9.5895/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 13,629 |
| • Rural | 455 |
| Demonym | Mejillonino |
| Sex | |
| • Men | 4,654 |
| • Women | 3,764 |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (CLT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−3 (CLST) |
| Area code | 56 + 55 |
| Website | Municipality of Mejillones |
Mejillones is a Chilean port city and commune in Antofagasta Province in the Antofagasta Region. It is situated in the northern side of the Mejillones Peninsula, 60 km north of the city of Antofagasta. It has 14,084 inhabitants.
To the west, in the northern part of peninsula, is Punta Angamos, the site of the naval combat of the same name, fought during the War of the Pacific (1879-1883).
Mejillones is surrounded by the waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and by the most arid desert in the world to the east, the Atacama Desert. It also marks the country's widest point (362 km) along a parallel.
The port of Mejillones has eight terminals which together stand for 7.1% of the annual tonnage of Chile's external trade as of 2024.