Ilo is a port city at the shores of the Pacific Ocean, located in the southern región of the country, in de Department of Moquegua. The city was founded by Spaniards in a territory previously occupied by pre-columbian cultures. The city gained importance as a fishing hamlet and strategic port to supply goods to the southern cities.
Ilo played an important role during the War of the Pacific, and became a staging area for the Chilean forces in their campaign through Tacna and Arica. During the XXth century due to migration from the Andean highlands, and is now a modern trading hub with attractive beaches for tourists during the summer.