8 Facts about Atacama Desert

Sunday, April 12th 2015. | World


Facts about Atacama Desert tell you about the rainless plateau located in Chile. But it is believed that a part of Peru is included in Atacama Desert. The desert spans on 600 mile area. NASA reports that it takes the record as the driest desert in the world. Many people think that Death Valley is the driest area ever. It is not true because Atacama Desert is 50 times drier compared to Atacama Desert. Let’s find out more interesting facts about Atacama Desert by reading the following post below:

Facts about Atacama Desert 1: the area of the desert

The size of Atacama Desert is 40,600 square miles or 105,000 square kilometers. It features the sand, salt basin and lava flows.  This strip of land is located on Pacific Coast.

Facts about Atacama Desert 2: the driest place in the world

Atacama Desert is called as the drier place in the world. The driest part is seen in the surrounding area of the Yungay town.

Facts about Atacama Desert

Facts about Atacama Desert

Facts about Atacama Desert 3: the rainfall

Can you decide the average rainfall received by the Atacama Desert? Every year, it has 0.6 inches or 15 mm rainfall. However, some areas in Atacama Desert only receive 0.04 to 0.12 inches or 1 to 3 mm rainfall per year. There are several weather stations in the desert with no rainfall at all.

Facts about Atacama Desert 4: the oldest desert on earth

The oldest desert on earth probably is Atacama Desert.  For more than 3 million years, it has hyperaridity.

Atacama Desert

Atacama Desert

Facts about Atacama Desert 5: the arid condition

The arid condition in Atacama Desert is very severe.  You can find no glaciers in several mountains with the high at 6,000 meters or more. Get facts about Arabian desert here.

Facts about Atacama Desert 6: the snow coverage

The mountains with snow coverage on the top are on the Llullaillaco, Monte Pissis and Ojos del Salado.

Atacama Desert Pic

Atacama Desert Pic

Facts about Atacama Desert 7: Mars comparison

Atacama Desert is also compared with the condition of Mars. The soil located at the south of Antofagasta is compared with the soil located in Mars. There is no need to wonder that various movies always used Atacama Desert as a location to film Mars scenes. One of the movies which show Atacama Desert as a Mars is Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets.

Facts about Atacama Desert 8: the flora

Despite the low precipitation received by this desert per year, there are severe unique species of flora here. The border of this desert has more than 500 species of floral. Some of them include llareta, thyme, saltgrass, algarrobo and chañar. Get Asia facts here.

Atacama Desert Image

Atacama Desert Image

 

Facts about Atacama Desert Pic

Facts about Atacama Desert Pic

If you are interested to have a tour in Atacama Desert, you can go to the San Pedro de Atacama town. Do you like reading facts about Atacama Desert?


tags: ,