35 Mysterious Abandoned Places Around the World You Can Still Visit

13. The Ghost Town of Humberstone, Chile: A Nitrate Boomtown

In the Atacama Desert of northern Chile lies the ghost town of Humberstone, a relic of the nitrate boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1872, Humberstone was once a bustling community, home to thousands of workers who extracted and processed nitrate for export. However, the development of synthetic fertilizers led to the decline of the nitrate industry, and Humberstone was abandoned in the 1960s. Today, the town's rusting machinery, empty buildings, and vast desert landscape create a hauntingly beautiful scene. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Humberstone offers visitors a glimpse into the region's industrial past and the enduring impact of economic change on communities.