by The Atacama Desert, located in northern Chile, is just a typical arid region. Spanning more than 600 miles (965 km) along the Pacific coast of South America, it is one of the most extreme landscapes on the planet. Thanks to certain oceanic conditions, there are areas that have received zero rainfall throughout recorded history, making the Atacama Desert the same. the driest place on earth.
Let’s take a closer look at the geography and climate of the Atacama to better understand why the Chilean desert is so dry and what else makes it unique.
The Geography of the Chilean Desert
The Atacama Desert, also known as Desierto de Atacama in Spanish, is located between the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Andes Mountains in the east. Its northern border is with southern Peru, and its southern side extends into Chile, stretching towards the country’s port city, Antofagasta.
Within this expanse are several distinctive features, including the Atacama Salt Flat, the Pampa del Tamarugal (Plateau of the Tamarugal) and two famous dry valleys near the town of San Pedro de Atacama: Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon ) and Valle de Marte (Valley of Mars).
People compare the Atacama to Mars because the climate and terrain are similar to the surface of the red planet. Another common name for Mars Valley is Valle de la Muerte, or Valley of Death.
The Atacama desert floor is marked by otherworldly landscapes, with vast stretches of sand and rocky terrain. Unlike other deserts that may contain occasional oases or scattered vegetation, the Atacama Desert is largely characterized by its bareness and desolateness.
The elevation varies throughout the region. For example, San Pedro de Atacama is about 8,000 feet (2,438 m) above sea level, but some higher areas are higher than 16,000 feet (4,877 m).
Climate of the Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert is defined by its extreme aridity. The combination of cold air from the Peru Current (also known as the Humboldt Current) in the Pacific Ocean and warm desert air creates a unique weather pattern. Cold ocean currents cool the air, causing it to lose its moisture. This dry air then sweeps across the coastal and inland areas towards the desert.
The Atacama receives almost no water from precipitation, and some parts of the region have not received rain in centuries, making it the driest place on earth.
This lack of precipitation is due to the high altitude of the Andes Mountains, which prevent ice flowing from reaching the desert sea, as well as katabatic winds (high-density air drawn down by gravity) that descend from the mountains, further drying the mountains. air.
You might assume that the Atacama Desert would be blistering hot because of its extreme dryness, but that assumption would be false. The average summer temperature in Antofagasta, a large port city in northern Chile, is a fairly moderate 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius).
Despite its reputation for extreme dryness, the Atacama Desert is not fully without moisture.
Along the coast, a phenomenon known as the camanchaca occurs: a dense sea fog from the Pacific Ocean that blankets the desert. Although it produces no rain, the camanchaca provides a minimal source of moisture for certain plants and animals.
Wildlife and Vegetation in the Atacama
Despite its harsh conditions, the Atacama Desert is home to a surprising array of wildlife and plant species.
Along the coast and in the valleys, you can find hard cacti, succulents, flowers and herbs adapted to the arid environment. These plants play a vital role in providing habitat and food for the desert’s animal inhabitants, including foxes, birds, rodents and reptiles.
The desert’s prominent salt flat, Salar de Atacama, is located in the southern part, where unique microorganisms thrive in the crisp waters. These micro-organisms act as a food source for leeches, which flock to the country’s largest salt deposit during the summer, adding a splash of color to the barren landscape.
Human Impact on the Atacama Desert
The Atacama desert may not seem welcoming to people, but it is home to more than a million people. Throughout history, the region has seen the exploitation of its natural resources, including rich nitrate deposits (also known as saltpeter deposits), which were extensively mined by companies during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The mining industry brought wealth and development to the region, but it also left scars on the landscape and created conflicts between Chile and Bolivia, both vying for the area’s natural resources.
Today, the Atacama Desert is still a site of interest for scientists and researchers from all over the world. The unique conditions make it an ideal location for studying life in extreme environments, and its lack of light pollution or precipitation makes it a great place to view the night sky.
The Atacama is currently home to the Atacama Large Millimeter Array as well as the Very Large Telescope (ELT), and many astronomy projects have been carried out in the region in the past.
5 Most Inexplicably Dry Places on Earth
The Atacama Desert has the distinction of being the driest place on earth, but there are a number of other places that are similarly (but less harsh). It is perhaps no surprise that the driest regions on the planet, where precipitation is extremely scarce, are usually deserts.
1. Dry Valleys of McMurdo
Although Antarctica’s McMurdo Dry Valleys have a landscape covered in ice and frozen soil, this polar desert also has very low humidity and little rainfall. Located west of McMurdo Sound, the area has an average annual temperature of minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 degrees Celsius) and a total annual precipitation of just under 2.5 inches (6 cm).
McMurdo Sound is famous for being the base of British explorer Ernest Shackleton, who wintered there while trying to reach the South Pole between 1907 and 1909. His hut still stands there.
2. The Sahara Desert
Located in North Africa, the Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world, with high temperatures regularly reaching 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) during the hottest months. It stretches from the Atlantic in the west to the Mediterranean in the north to the Red Sea in the east.
The desert receives an average of 3 inches (7.6 cm) of rain per year, with most of that occurring between December and March. Despite its extreme climate, about 2.5 million people live in the Sahara.
3. Sonoran Desert
Located in southwestern North America, the Sonoran stretches across parts of the United States and Mexico. In the area near the lower part of the Colorado River, the temperature can climb to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) during the summer, and the average rainfall does not exceed 3 inches (7.6 cm).
Common vegetation there includes various cactus plants, including saguaros, as well as mesquite trees and creosote bushes.
4. Arabian desert
Stretching across much of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East, this tropical desert is a desolate land. The region experiences very high temperatures, sometimes as severe as 130 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius).
Although the annual rainfall can range from anything to as much as 20 inches (51 cm), on average, it receives less than 4 inches (10.2 cm) per year. Dust storms and major floods occur periodically, adding to the harsh environment.
5. Namib Desert
Considered to be one of the oldest deserts in the world, the Namib in southern Africa has experienced hyper-arid conditions for millions of years. Located along the west coast of Africa, the area receives little rainfall, with perhaps 2 inches (5 cm) per year inland and half an inch (1.3 cm) per year on average.
Few people live here, although you are inland, you can find elephants, rhinos, lions and other mammals.
This article was created in collaboration with AI technology, then fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.
Source: Driest Place on Earth: Chile’s Atacama Desert
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