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September 7th, 2026
Daily puzzle · Hard · Satellite map
Theme: Cities Built on the Guano and Nitrate Trade
In the 19th century, seabird droppings and mineral nitrates became 'white gold', fertilizing farms across Europe and America and sparking booms, wars, and railway construction along the Pacific coast. Iquique and Antofagasta grew wealthy shipping nitrates from the Atacama Desert until synthetic fertilizers ended the boom. The Chincha Islands off Pisco were stripped of centuries of guano deposits, while Tocopilla and Mejillones served as key ports feeding the trade's relentless export machine.
1
Iquique, ChileThis Chilean port city was once the world's leading exporter of nitrate fertilizer.
2
Antofagasta, ChileThis major Chilean port grew rapidly during the nitrate mining boom of the late 1800s.
3
Pisco, PeruThis Peruvian port town lies near the guano-rich Chincha Islands offshore.
4
Tocopilla, ChileThis northern Chilean coastal town served as a shipping outlet for inland nitrate works.
5
Mejillones, ChileThis small Chilean port on a natural bay handled nitrate and mineral exports.