Copiapó Population 2026

Copiapó has a population of 129,280, making it the #30 biggest city in 🇨🇱 Chile, located in Atacama. Roughly 0.6% of Chile's population lives here. It is about 37× smaller than Santiago, the country's biggest city.

Location of Copiapó (capital Santiago shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

129,280

Rank in Chile

#30

Coordinates

27.37°S, 70.33°W

~381 m elevation · America/Santiago

Distance to capital (Santiago)

678 km

421 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Atacama

City	Population	Rank in Chile
Vallenar	44,895	#61
Caldera	16,150	#133

Cities near Copiapó

Caldera16,150 people · ~59 km away
Vallenar44,895 people · ~141 km away
La Serena154,521 people · ~296 km away
Vicuña27,771 people · ~299 km away
Coquimbo161,317 people · ~304 km away
Ovalle77,138 people · ~369 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Copiapó?

Copiapó has a population of 129,280 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #30 biggest city in Chile.

What region is Copiapó in?

Copiapó is located in Atacama, Chile.

Is Copiapó the capital of Chile?

No, the capital of Chile is Santiago, about 678 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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