Fun facts about Atacama Desert
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The Atacama Desert is considered the driest place in the world, especially around the abandoned Yungay mining town.
Atacama Desert
Chile/Peru
The Atacama Desert is a desert plateau on the Pacific coast of South America, stretching along a 1,600-kilometre-long (1,000-mile) strip of land in northern Chile, west of the Andes. It covers an area of 105,000 km2 (41,000 mi2), rising to 128,000 km2 (49,000 mi2) if the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included.
From the “Climate” section
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo: NASA · Public Domain
The llareta is one of the highest-growing wood species in the world, found at altitudes between 3,000 and 5,000 m.
Atacama Desert
Chile/Peru
The Atacama Desert is a desert plateau on the Pacific coast of South America, stretching along a 1,600-kilometre-long (1,000-mile) strip of land in northern Chile, west of the Andes. It covers an area of 105,000 km2 (41,000 mi2), rising to 128,000 km2 (49,000 mi2) if the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included.
From the “Flora” section
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo: NASA · Public Domain
The Atacama Desert is home to the Vallenar toad, which lays eggs in permanent ponds or streams.
Atacama Desert
Chile/Peru
The Atacama Desert is a desert plateau on the Pacific coast of South America, stretching along a 1,600-kilometre-long (1,000-mile) strip of land in northern Chile, west of the Andes. It covers an area of 105,000 km2 (41,000 mi2), rising to 128,000 km2 (49,000 mi2) if the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included.
From the “Fauna” section
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo: NASA · Public Domain
The Atacama Desert has rich deposits of copper and other minerals, including the world's largest natural supply of sodium nitrate.
Atacama Desert
Chile/Peru
The Atacama Desert is a desert plateau on the Pacific coast of South America, stretching along a 1,600-kilometre-long (1,000-mile) strip of land in northern Chile, west of the Andes. It covers an area of 105,000 km2 (41,000 mi2), rising to 128,000 km2 (49,000 mi2) if the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included.
From the “Human presence” section
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo: NASA · Public Domain
The Atacama Desert experiences more than 200 cloudless nights each year, making it ideal for astronomical observations.
Atacama Desert
Chile/Peru
The Atacama Desert is a desert plateau on the Pacific coast of South America, stretching along a 1,600-kilometre-long (1,000-mile) strip of land in northern Chile, west of the Andes. It covers an area of 105,000 km2 (41,000 mi2), rising to 128,000 km2 (49,000 mi2) if the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included.
From the “Astronomical observatories” section
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo: NASA · Public Domain