Overland Travel Across Borders: A Tale of Two Frontiers
Línea de la Concordia: Efficient Atacama Flow from Arica to Tacna
The border between Chile and Peru is a single, straight line drawn across the barren Atacama Desert, known as the “Línea de la Concordia” (The Line of Concord). This frontier is one of the busiest in South America, a constant and well-organized flow of people and commerce between the Chilean city of Arica and the Peruvian city of Tacna. The sole crossing point is known as Chacalluta on the Chilean side and Santa Rosa on the Peruvian side. What makes this border unique is its remarkable efficiency and the ease of transit, especially given the history of conflict between the two nations during the 19th-century War of the Pacific, which resulted in this border’s creation.
Colectivo Commute Symbolizing Pragmatic Post-War Harmony
A constant stream of colectivos (shared taxis) and buses makes the short journey between the Arica and Tacna bus terminals, often in under an hour, including the time it takes for immigration procedures on both sides. The landscape is stark and arid, a dramatic desert environment that stretches right to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The smooth and constant flow of tens of thousands of people across this border every day stands as a powerful symbol of the two nations’ modern, pragmatic relationship, a stark contrast to the historical tensions that once defined the region.