Atacama Desert Overview
Location	Northern Chile, between the Andes Mountains (east) and the Pacific Ocean (west).
Characteristics	Considered the driest desert globally, stretching nearly 1,000 km along Chiles northern coast. Borders Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia.
Environmental Extremes	Exhibits extreme dryness, highest UV radiation levels, and highly saline, oxidizing soils
Geological Features	Landscape includes caked salt deposits (playas) and 12 volcanoes mainly situated in the western Andes outliers.
Climate	Average rainfall is about 1 mm per year, with some areas never experiencing rainfall due to geographic barriers blocking humid air. Temperatures average around 63°F (18°C) throughout the year.
Natural Resources	Largest natural supply of Sodium Nitrate, used in fertilizer and explosives production.
Scientific Significance	Soil samples resemble those from Mars, making the desert a testing ground for NASA instruments for Mars missions.
Cultural Significance	Contains the oldest artificially mummified human remains (Chinchorro Mummies) and offers exceptional stargazing opportunities with 300+ clear-sky days per year and minimal light pollution.

Atacama Desert
Overview

Location

Northern Chile, between the Andes Mountains (east) and the Pacific
Ocean (west).

Characteristics

Considered the driest desert globally, stretching nearly 1,000 km along
Chiles northern coast. Borders Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia.

Environmental
Extremes

Exhibits extreme dryness, highest UV radiation levels, and highly saline,
oxidizing soils

Geological
Features

Landscape includes caked salt deposits (playas) and 12 volcanoes
mainly situated in the western Andes outliers.

Climate

Average rainfall is about 1 mm per year, with some areas never
experiencing rainfall due to geographic barriers blocking humid air.
Temperatures average around 63°F (18°C) throughout the year.

Natural Resources

Largest natural supply of Sodium Nitrate, used in fertilizer and
explosives production.

Scientific
Significance

Soil samples resemble those from Mars, making the desert a testing
ground for NASA instruments for Mars missions.

Cultural
Significance

Contains the oldest artificially mummified human remains (Chinchorro
Mummies) and offers exceptional stargazing opportunities with 300+
clear-sky days per year and minimal light pollution.

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