Atacama Desert Facts & Worksheets

The Atacama Desert is the world’s driest non-polar desert and one of the driest overall, behind only a few areas inside the McMurdo Dry Valleys. It is the world’s largest fog desert and the only hot true desert with less precipitation than polar deserts. Because of its parallels to the Martian environment, the region has served as a testing site for Mars expedition simulations.

See the fact file below for more information on the Atacama Desert, or you can download our 31-page Atacama Desert worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

SETTING

• As stated by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Atacama Desert ecoregion stretches for approximately 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) along Chile’s northern third’s short coast, from near Arica (18°24’S) southward close to La Serena (29°55’S).
• The Peruvian Matorral ecoregion borders it on the north, while the Chilean Matorral ecoregion borders it on the south. The less arid Central Andean dry Puna ecoregion is to the east.
• South of the Loa River, between the parallel Sierra Vicuna Mackenna and the Cordillera Domeyko, lies the drier area of this ecoregion. The Pampa del Tamarugal is located to the north of the Loa.
• The dominant physical feature of the coast in northern Chile is the Coastal Cliff west of the Chilean Coast Range.

ARIDITY

• The area around the defunct mining town of Yungay, home to the University of Antofagasta Desert Research Station in Chile’s Antofagasta Region, is considered the driest site on Earth.
• In Chile’s central sector, bounded by Antofagasta, Calama, and Copiapo, dry spells lasting up to four years have been documented. From 1570 until 1971, the Atacama may not have had any significant rainfall, according to the evidence. 
• Since the Atacama is so dry, there aren’t glaciers on many mountains higher than 6,000 meters (20,000 feet). The only summits with persistent snow cover are the highest ones, such as Ojos del Salado, Monte Pissis, and Llullaillaco.
• Despite popular belief that the Atacama Desert is devoid of flora, there is a colossal flatland known as Pampa del Tamarugal that was formerly covered with forest. However, the need for firewood connected with silver and saltpeter mining resulted in massive deforestation in the 18th and 19th centuries.

COMPARISON TO MARS

• The soil in an area south of Antofagasta, which averages 3,000 m (10,000 ft) in elevation, about 100 km (60 mi), has been compared to Mars.
• Most notably, Mars sequences were filmed in the Atacama for the television series Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets.
• The Atacama Desert soil in the vicinity of Yungay was tested using the same procedures as the Viking 1 and Viking 2 Mars landers in 2003. Still, the researchers were unable to find any evidence of life there.
• At the exact location where water was first found on Mars, the Phoenix Mars Lander found perchlorates in 2008. The Earth-Mars Cave Detection Program, financed by NASA, conducts tests in the Atacama Desert.
• On February 21, 2023, researchers discovered an unidentified “dark microbiome” in the Atacama Desert.

FLORA AND FAUNA

• A wide variety of vegetation grows in the desert despite its geographic and climatic limitations. Within the boundaries of this desert, more than 500 plant species have gathered.
• The most prevalent include thyme, Ilareta, saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), and, in areas with enough humidity, chanar (Geoffroea decorticans), pimiento tree, and leafy Algarrobo (Prosopis chilensis) trees.
• In years with enough precipitation, like in 2015, the Atacama desert flowering (Spanish: desierto florido) can be observed from September to November.
• The Atacama Desert’s temperature restricts the variety of species that can survive year-round. Certain desert regions are so dry that no plant or animal life can exist.
• During the warm and muggy season, particularly on the Lomas, desert wasps and butterflies can be seen. In the desert, red scorpions can also be found. 
• Only a few specially adapted mammal species, like Darwin’s leaf-eared mouse, can survive in the Atacama Desert due to its extreme aridity.
• While guanacos can roam into more arid areas and survive longer without fresh water, vicunas must remain close to a reliable source of water. Along the coast, South American sea lions and fur seals frequently congregate.

HUMAN PRESENCE

• The majority of settlements are near the Pacific coast in the sparsely inhabited Atacama. The most sophisticated pre-Columbian communities in Chile were discovered in oases in the interior.

Chinchorro Culture

• Between 7000 and 1500 BCE, the Chinchorro civilization emerged in the Atacama Desert. Sedentary fishermen, these people lived mainly around the shore.
• They may be found from the modern-day city of Ilo in southern Peru to Antofagasta in northern Chile. 
• Human settlement in these locations was made possible due to freshwater in the dry coastal zone. 
• The Chinchorro were well known for their intricate burial and mummification rituals.

Inca and Spanish Empires

• At a height of around 2,400 m (8,000 ft), San Pedro de Atacama is similar to many other tiny settlements. 
• The Atacameno tribe predominantly inhabited the severely dry interior before the Inca Empire and the advent of the Spanish.
• The pre-Hispanic oasis community of Pica was a crucial stopping point for travelers between the coast and the Altiplano under the Inca Empire.
• During the Spanish Empire’s sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, the coastal cities first appeared as shipping ports for silver produced in Potosi and other mining hubs.

Republican Period

• Bolivia, Chile, and Peru gained control of the desert in the 19th century. Due to the discovery of sodium nitrate resources and because of the region’s hazy borders, the War of the Pacific quickly developed there.
• The majority of the desert was acquired by Chile, and communities along the coast transformed into bustling international ports that welcomed many migrant Chilean workers.

OTHER USES

Sports

• Many fans of all-terrain sports visit the Atacama Desert, where previous rounds of the Lower Atacama Rally, Lower Chile Rally, Patagonia-Atacama Rally, and Dakar Rally have been held.
• Participants in the Atacama Crossing, a week-long foot race, traverse the Atacama’s diverse topographies. In the Atacama Desert, a gathering known as the Volcano Marathon takes place close to the Lascar volcano.

Solar Car Racing

• In November 2012, 18 solar-powered automobiles were on show in front of the La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago. From November 15–19, 2012, the vehicles raced 1,300 km (810 mi) through the desert.

Tourism

• Most visitors that travel to the desert for sightseeing stay in San Pedro de Atacama. One of Chile’s top three tourist destinations is the Atacama Desert. The ESO hotel was built especially for astronomers and researchers.

THE DRIEST PLACE ON EARTH

• The Atacama Desert, along with the polar deserts, is one of the driest locations on the planet. The Andes Mountains encircle the desert, keeping the rain at bay.
• The Pacific Ocean, which stands west of the Atacama Desert, additionally hinders cloud formation and rain from developing. As a result, the Atacama Desert is bone-dry.

COLD AND PURPLE DESERT

• Although the phrase “cold desert” seems contradictory, a desert isn’t always associated with scorching heat.
• Typical temperatures range from 0°C to 30°C, and the Atacama desert has a colder temperature all day because of the influx of cold ocean air, unlike other deserts that cool down after nightfall.
• Parts of the Atacama Desert’s iconic orange terrain change to a vivid purple tint every few years. In the desert, nothing much thrives, yet in the spring, beautiful purple flowers appear and rely on the meager amount of moisture the area receives.
• Visitors are amazed by the flowers’ endurance to live even in the driest of environments and their beauty.

MUMMIFIED BIRDS

• The study of 27 mummified parrots discovered in the Atacama Desert was completed in 2021. Among the parrots recovered as bones and mummified without their feathers were macaws and Amazon parrots.
• Researchers believe these parrots were captured in the Amazon Rainforest and transported to the region years ago.
• In pre-Columbian Chile, tropical parrots were a symbol of wealth and prestige. The bright feathers of the birds would have been used by the inhabitants of the period for several reasons, including headdresses worn as a display of power.

HUMAN ATTRACTIONS

• Surprisingly, the Atacama Desert draws commerce and people. Over the years, the desert has been used for trade, farming, and mining. Some farming has been accomplished close to the sparse desert oasis.
• Nowadays, many people trek in the desert, and sporting activities like sand surfing, rallying, and foot racing are staged in the dunes.

Mano del Desierto (The Desert Hand)

• East of Antofagasta, the statue of an enormous hand extends upward through the parched ground.
• A symbolic depiction of earlier human rights violations that Chileans had to deal with, it was created by Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrazabal.
• It’s inspiring to see art integrated into the scenery of the Atacama Desert, which is harsh and lifeless. It is accessible through Pan-American Highway Route 5.

ROAD TRIPS AND ASTROLOGY HOTSPOT

• Despite being desolate, the Atacama Desert is well-connected and home to diverse scenery. Along with being incredibly convenient for inhabitants, the highways allow visitors to conduct road trips similar to Route 66.
• The Valley of the Moon, Altiplanic Lagoons, and Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos may all be visited in one journey.
• The absence of people and rainfall in the area means the sky is pollution-free and cloud-free, making it widely regarded as one of the ideal sites for astrologers.
• Since it can be seen from the desert, the Milky Way Galaxy draws a lot of telescopes and observatories. In this field, cutting-edge technology is utilized to spy on stars hundreds of lightyears away.
• One of the largest observatories in the area is ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array). Once a week, observatories are open to visitors and offer a memorable experience.

Atacama Desert Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Atacama Desert across 31 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Atacama Desert. The Atacama Desert is the world’s driest non-polar desert and one of the driest overall, behind only a few areas inside the McMurdo Dry Valleys.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Atacama Desert Facts 
2. Atacama Poem
3. Bubble Word
4. Mars on Earth?
5. Atacama Desert-TLEMENT
6. FLO-UNA of Atacama
7. Mix and Match
8. Pics and Clues
9. Astrology Spot
10. Cool Things in Atacama
11. Dry, Dry Desert

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Atacama Desert located?

The Atacama Desert is located in South America, primarily in northern Chile. It stretches over a vast area of approximately 105,000 square kilometers (40,541 square miles) along the Pacific coast, bordered by the Andes Mountains to the east.

What is the climate like in the Atacama Desert?

The Atacama Desert is known for its extreme aridity, making it one of the driest places on Earth. The region experiences long periods without rainfall, with some areas not receiving any rain for years. The climate is characterized by clear skies, minimal cloud cover, and a wide range of temperature fluctuations between day and night.

What unique features can be found in the Atacama Desert?

The Atacama Desert boasts several unique features. It is home to the Atacama Salt Flat, one of the largest salt flats in the world, and the Valley of the Moon (Valle de la Luna), known for its moon-like landscape. The El Tatio geysers, a geothermal field with numerous active geysers, are another notable feature. The desert also contains several observatories due to its exceptional astronomical conditions.

What flora and fauna are found in the Atacama Desert?

Despite its extreme conditions, the Atacama Desert is home to some resilient plant and animal species. Plant life includes cacti, succulents, and various shrubs adapted to survive in arid environments. Animal species such as the viscacha (a rodent), the Andean flamingo, the vicuña (a camelid), and several reptiles and insects have adapted to the harsh desert conditions.

Are there any human settlements in the Atacama Desert?

Yes, there are human settlements in the Atacama Desert. While large portions of the desert remain uninhabited, some cities and towns can be found throughout the region. Antofagasta, Calama, and Copiapó are a few of the larger urban centers, primarily serving as mining and commercial hubs. Additionally, indigenous communities have lived in the desert for centuries, relying on their traditional knowledge to navigate the challenging environment.

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