Structural Concentration, Economic Specialization, and Knowledge-Based Pathways for Sustainable Development in Atacama (Northern Chile)

Persistent regional inequalities in economic resource distribution pose a major obstacle to inclusive and sustainable development. In peripheral economies, structural vulnerabilities have been reinforced by long-standing reliance on extractive industries. This study examines the economic structure of Chile’s Atacama Region over a twenty-year period (2003–2023), focusing on sectoral specialization, structural concentration, and their implications for sustainability, territorial resilience, and long-term development. Expanding on prior empirical work (2011–2021), the research adopts a strategic diagnostic approach informed by endogenous growth theory and territorial knowledge management. Three structural indicators—the Theil, Entropy, and Herfindahl–Hirschman indexes—are applied to assess sectoral inequality, productive diversity, and value-added distribution. The results reveal a persistently concentrated and mining-dependent economy, with limited diversification, undermining sustainability and resilience. These findings highlight structural weaknesses that hinder progress toward a knowledge-based and sustainable economy, emphasizing the urgency of diversification strategies that reduce mining dependence and foster inclusive growth. By explicitly linking structural diagnostics to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 8, 9, and 10), this study contributes empirical evidence for designing sustainability-oriented policies and advancing knowledge-driven development pathways in resource-dependent regions.