The Atacama Desert in Chile is the driest desert in the world.
No plants grow there.
Its elevation is about 8,000 feet (2,438 m), with average temperatures ranging from 32° to 75°F (0° to 25°C).
It rains there about once every 100 years.
This is due to its location on the eastern side of the Coast Range, which results in a weather phenomenon known as the rain shadow effect.
When moist air from the ocean rises up the western side of these mountains, it cools and the water condenses, producing rain.
But when the air goes down the eastern side of the mountains, it grows warmer and drier.
The Atacama receives some precipitation in the form of fog in the coastal areas and of snow in the mountains.
Much of Chile’s copper comes from mines in the Atacama Desert.
