Atacama Desert

desert · Chile · extreme environment · driest place

Incredibly dry.. The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places in the world. Some parts get almost no rain for years at a time, creating a barren, moonlike landscape.

Massive strip of land.. The Atacama stretches for about 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) along the coast of northern Chile, making it a huge desert despite covering a specific region rather than spreading across an entire continent.

Between two giants.. The desert sits on a high plateau between the Pacific Ocean and the towering Andes Mountains, creating a unique geography that traps dry air and prevents rain.

Stark and colorful.. The Atacama features dramatic salt flats, rocky mountains, and exposed rock layers in shades of red, purple, and brown that make it look like another planet.