Discover copper riches under Chile's Atacama Desert and learn about the processing and trading of copper. Copper mining in northern Chile's Atacama Desert. Inc. Encyclopaedia Britannica View all videos associated with this article Although some farming occurs in the desert's river oases, this barely sustains a few thousand traditional growers. At Pica, lemons are produced, and a variety of items are grown along the salt marsh borders of San Pedro de Atacama. Water from the Loa River is used to irrigate potato and alfalfa farms in Calama, near Chuquicamata.
The Atacama Desert (Desierto de Atacama) is a huge desert plateau in northern Chile, situated west of the Andes Mountains. The majority of the plateau is covered by the Atacama Desert, which spans for about 600 kilometers along the Pacific coast. Known as the world's driest desert, it is bounded on the east by the Andes and has an area of almost 41 thousand square kilometers. Its vegetation is diverse, with over 500 species including thyme, llareta, pimiento trees, saltgrass, and kumbaru. Additionally, the desert is home to many animal species, including liolaemus nitidus, liolaemus fabiani, iguanians, lava lizards, Humboldt penguins, and Andean flamingos. Where is the Atacama Desert in Chile located on a map?
Visit the Lagoons of Miscanti and Miiques
Two of Chile's most stunning lagoons, known as lagunas altiplanicas, are located in the Atacama highlands. Miscanti Lagoon, with its vivid blue color, is located underneath the same-named active volcano. Miiques Lagoon, only a few minutes away, has a vivid blue colour and an excellent location for observing vicunas (similar to llamas) in the wild. Visit this page to learn more about visiting Miscanti and Miiques Lagoons.
What is the world's driest place?
Not all dry areas are absolutely devoid of moisture. The Atacama Desert is the driest of the three driest regions on Earth. It is located around 4 kilometers above sea level and covers an area of 40,500 square miles. It receives an average annual rainfall of 1 mm.
