[6] Additionally, the Puclaro Dam, a 640-meter-long structure, contains a reservoir that holds 4.63 million cubic meters of water for agricultural irrigation along the Elqui River.

Mining and agriculture have shaped the distribution of settlements in the Coquimbo Region, particularly around transverse valleys and mineral deposits.

[citation needed] Other indigenous groups present in the region include the Aymara, Atacameño, Mapuche, and Quechua, many of whom migrated from Peru and Bolivia.

Other major urban centers include Ovalle (66,405), Illapel (21,826), Vicuña (12,910), Salamanca (11,615), and Los Vilos (10,966), based on data from the 2002 census.

Several local cable and UHF television channels, such as CuartaVisión and Ovalle TV, offer regional programming that includes news, sports, and cultural content.