Atacama Desert
One of the driest places on Earth, virtually devoid of life.
The Atacama Desert is a desert plateau on the Pacific coast of South America. It is one of the driest places on Earth, virtually devoid of life because it is blocked from receiving precipitation by the Andes mountains to the east and the Chilean Coast Range to the west. The cold Humboldt Current and the anticyclone of the Pacific are essential to keep the dry climate of the Atacama. The average precipitation in the Chilean region of Antofagasta is just 1 mm (0.039 in) per year. Some weather stations in the Atacama have never received rain. Evidence suggests that the Atacama may not have had any significant rainfall from 1570 to 1971.
- location
- Northern Chile, west of the Andes
- average_rainfall
- About 1 mm (0.039 in) per year in the Chilean region of Antofagasta
Lore & Background
The Atacama Desert's extreme aridity is caused by its position between the Andes mountains to the east and the Chilean Coast Range to the west, which block it from receiving precipitation. The cold Humboldt Current and the anticyclone of the Pacific are essential to keep the dry climate. The average precipitation in the Chilean region of Antofagasta is just 1 mm (0.039 in) per year. Some weather stations in the Atacama have never received rain. Evidence suggests that the Atacama may not have had any significant rainfall from 1570 to 1971. It is so arid that mountains that reach as high as 6,885 m (22,589 ft) are completely free of glaciers and, in the southern part from 25°S to 27°S, may have been glacier-free throughout the Quaternary, though permafrost extends down to an altitude of 4,400 m (14,400 ft) and is continuous above 5,600 m (18,400 ft). Nevertheless, there is some plant life in the Atacama, in the form of specialist plants that obtain moisture from dew and the fogs that blow in from the Pacific.
Reader's Guide
The Atacama Desert holds global significance as one of the driest places on Earth. Its average precipitation in the Chilean region of Antofagasta is just 1 mm (0.039 in) per year, and some weather stations have never received rain. Evidence suggests no significant rainfall from 1570 to 1971. The desert is so arid that mountains reaching 6,885 m (22,589 ft) are completely free of glaciers, and the southern part from 25°S to 27°S may have been glacier-free throughout the Quaternary. Permafrost extends down to 4,400 m (14,400 ft) and is continuous above 5,600 m (18,400 ft). Despite this, specialist plants obtain moisture from dew and fogs that blow in from the Pacific. The desert's extreme conditions make it a natural laboratory for studying aridity and its effects on geology, climate, and life.
Did You Know?
- The average precipitation in the Chilean region of Antofagasta is just 1 mm (0.039 in) per year.
- Some weather stations in the Atacama have never received rain.
- Evidence suggests that the Atacama may not have had any significant rainfall from 1570 to 1971.
- Mountains in the Atacama that reach as high as 6,885 m (22,589 ft) are completely free of glaciers.
- Specialist plants in the Atacama obtain moisture from dew and the fogs that blow in from the Pacific.
Biome Context and Climatic Character
The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth. It is virtually devoid of life because it is blocked from receiving precipitation by the Andes mountains to the east and the Chilean Coast Range to the west. The cold Humboldt Current and the anticyclone of the Pacific are essential to keep the dry climate. The average precipitation in the Chilean region of Antofagasta is just 1 mm (0.039 in) per year. Some weather stations in the Atacama have never received rain. Evidence suggests that the Atacama may not have had any significant rainfall from 1570 to 1971.
Vegetation and Survival Strategies
Despite the extreme aridity, there is some plant life in the Atacama, in the form of specialist plants that obtain moisture from dew and the fogs that blow in from the Pacific.
Biodiversity and Endemism
The Atacama Desert is virtually devoid of life because it is blocked from receiving precipitation by the Andes mountains to the east and the Chilean Coast Range to the west.
Vulnerability and Degradation Pressures
The source does not provide specific information about vulnerability and degradation pressures for the Atacama Desert.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Atacama Desert?
It is a desert plateau running along the Pacific coast of northern Chile, stretching roughly 1,600 kilometres west of the Andes. The core area spans about 105,000 km², expanding to roughly 128,000 km² when the barren lower Andes slopes are included.
What are Atacama Desert's powers/role?
It holds the distinction of being the driest non-polar desert on Earth, with annual rainfall of only about 15 mm, and it is also the largest fog desert on the planet. Its extreme aridity is caused by being pinched between the Andes and the Chilean Coast Range, which together wall off moisture from both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
How does Atacama Desert's story end?
As a living landscape rather than a finished narrative, its role continues to evolve: it remains a premier site for astronomical observation and a key testing ground for Mars mission technology. Human habitation there dates back to at least 7000 BCE with the Chinchorro culture, so the story is very much still unfolding.
Why is Atacama Desert important?
Its near-permanent cloudless skies and ultra-low humidity make it one of the best locations on Earth for ground-based astronomy, hosting facilities such as ALMA and the Very Large Telescope. Its Mars-like conditions also make it invaluable for testing planetary-exploration equipment, and it carries deep cultural significance as a site settled by the Chinchorro people since roughly 7000 BCE.
What is Atacama Desert's origin/backstory?
The desert's extreme dryness is a product of its geographic position between two major mountain ranges — the Andes to the east and the Chilean Coast Range to the west — which together create a powerful rain-shadow effect. This configuration blocks moisture from both oceans, producing one of the most persistently arid environments outside the polar regions.
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