Chile is home to the Atacama Desert, the world’s driest non-polar desert.
The Atacama lies along northern Chile between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes, with portions of its wider geographic region extending toward Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. Some weather stations in the desert have recorded no rainfall for many years, although conditions vary across the region and occasional rain does occur.
Its extreme aridity results from several factors: the cold Humboldt Current limits evaporation near the coast, the subtropical high-pressure belt suppresses clouds, and the Andes create a rain shadow that blocks moist air from the east. The desert’s salt flats, volcanic landscapes, and mineral deposits reflect this combination of climate and geology.
NASA and other researchers have used the Atacama as an analogue for Mars because of its dry, barren terrain. It is also important for astronomy because high, dry sites provide exceptionally clear skies.