Matilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matilla
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Town
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Church of Matilla
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| Country |  Chile |
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| Region |  Tarapacá |
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| Province | Tamarugal | |||
| Government | ||||
| • Type | Municipal council | |||
| Elevation | 1,206 m (3,957 ft) | |||
| Population
(2017 Census)
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| • Total | 380 | |||
| Sex | ||||
| • Men | 181 | |||
| • Women | 199 | |||
| Time zone | UTC-4 (CLT) | |||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (CLST) | |||
| Area code(s) | (+56) 5 | |||
Matilla is a small village and green area, called an oasis, located in the middle of Chile's Atacama Desert. It is about four kilometers southwest of another oasis town named Pica. In 2017, Matilla had 380 people living there and 217 homes.
Matilla is known for its old underground water channels. These channels are called socavones by the local people. They are a type of puquios, which are ancient systems that bring water from underground sources. In Matilla, these channels get their water from the Pica Aquifer, a large underground water supply.
Contents
What is Matilla Like?
Matilla is a unique place in the desert. It is an oasis, meaning it has water and plants in a very dry area. This makes it a special spot in the vast Atacama Desert.
How Many People Live in Matilla?
According to the 2017 Census, 380 people call Matilla home. There are 217 houses in the village. This makes Matilla a small but lively community.
What is the Water System in Matilla?
Matilla uses an old system of underground water channels. These channels are known as socavones. They are a type of puquios, which are special tunnels built to collect water from underground. The water for Matilla comes from the Pica Aquifer. This aquifer is a natural underground storage of water.
How Water Quality Improved in Matilla
In the late 1800s, people in Matilla sometimes got sick. This was because the village's water was not very clean. There was also a swamp nearby that made things worse.
However, things changed for the better. In 1904, a new water supply was created. This happened thanks to Father Luis Friedrich and some wealthy people in the area. They helped pay for the work to bring clean water to Matilla.
Who Lives in Matilla?
Most people in Matilla have Spanish family backgrounds. This is a bit different from the nearby town of Pica. Many older residents of Pica have more indigenous heritage.
Matilla's History
Matilla has a long and interesting history. It was first known to Europeans a very long time ago.
When Was Matilla First Known?
Spanish explorers first learned about this area in 1536. This was when men working for Diego de Almagro passed through Matilla. They were on their way back to Peru.
When Was Matilla Founded?
Local stories say that Matilla was founded in 1547. This was supposedly by a person named Márquez de Loayza. He arrived from what is now Bolivia. Other historical records suggest the town might have been founded later, in 1642.
See also
In Spanish: Matilla (Chile) para niños
