The Atacama desert is identified a coastal desert. This type of desert has long, warm summers and cool winters. During the summer, daytime temperatures in the Atacama desert average about 80 degrees, while winter's daytime temperatures reach an average of 72 degrees. Deserts are defined mostly by the amount of rainfall that they receive, and under that classification the Atacama certainly qualifies, with an average rainfall of a mere one centimeter per year. Some areas within the Atacama desert have seen not a drop of rain for thousands of years.
The Atacama desert covers 600 to 700 miles of northern Chili, situated between the Pacific ocean and the Andes Mountains, extending to the border of Peru. Across the Andes from the desert is the Amazon Basin, one of the worlds wettest regions. The Atacama is home to widely varied landscapes, from low lying coastal areas to high mountain plateaus. Much of the land is barren, with just a few pockets of land moist enough to support plant life.
Home to a variety of natural wonders, the Atacama desert has volcanoes, both active and dormant, salt lakes and lagoons. Stunning rock formations abound, as do incredible salt pillars carved by the wind and amazing geysers. The desert, while sparsely populated, is home to several villages, towns and cities, some of which have a fine selection of hotels, resorts, restaurants, casinos and shops to accommodate tourists. Most of the populated areas have water piped in from distant mountain streams, creating pockets of vibrant life in the barrens of the desert.
The Atacama desert, despite its inhospitable climate, has been inhabited by humans for many thousands of years. Once occupied primarily by indigenous peoples like the Atacameños and Incas, the area was later colonized by the Spanish. During the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, under the rule of Spain, coastal towns were established as ports to ship the silver extracted from desert mines. Later, after several years of conflict during which it was claimed by Bolivia, Peru and Chili, primarily for its nitrate mines, most of the Atacama was annexed by Chili.
The bone dry climate of the Atacama desert has shown itself to be an extremely efficient preservative of archaeological treasures. Ancient villages, settlements, forts, and abandoned mining towns in the desert are well preserved and full of relics of the past. Ancient people who were buried in the desert have been mummified by the arid desert soil, some preserved for as long as nine thousand years. Few areas of the world offer such opportunities to study the lifestyle and culture of our distant ancestors.
