Atacama Desert
Facts and practical information
The Atacama Desert is a desert plateau in South America covering a 1,600 km strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes Mountains. The Atacama Desert is the driest nonpolar desert in the world, as well as the only true desert to receive less precipitation than the polar deserts and the largest fog desert in the world. Both regions have been used as experimentation sites on Earth for Mars expedition simulations. The Atacama Desert occupies 105,000 km2, or 128,000 km2 if the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included. Most of the desert is composed of stony terrain, salt lakes, sand, and felsic lava that flows towards the Andes. ()
Antofagasta
Best Ways to Experience the Place
Wildlife
AnimalsSee what popular animal species you can meet in this location.
Chinchilla
Chinchillas are charming, crepuscular rodents native to the Andes mountains in South America. They are somewhat larger and more robust than ground squirrels. Originally found in Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, and Chile, wild chinchillas are now restricted to Chile.
Mammals
Andean flamingo
The Andean flamingo is a rare bird species indigenous to the Andes mountains of South America. Previously classified under the genus Phoenicopterus, it has since been reclassified under the genus Phoenicoparrus, closely related to James's flamingo.
Birds
Humboldt penguin
The Humboldt penguin, named after the explorer Alexander von Humboldt, is a medium-sized penguin species primarily found in the Pingüino de Humboldt National Reserve in Chile and Peru. With their distinctive black and white plumage, these penguins are easily...
Birds
Llama
Llamas have been indispensable companions to the people of the Andes for centuries. These domesticated South American camelids have served as sources of meat and pack animals since the Pre-Columbian era. Known for their soft, lanolin-free wool, llamas are social...
Mammals
Vicugna
The vicuña is a wild camelid native to the high alpine regions of the Andes in South America and is closely related to llamas. These graceful animals are believed to be the ancestors of domesticated alpacas and are highly prized for their incredibly fine wool.
Mammals
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