Atacama Desert, Chile

The Atacama Desert, covering a total area of 105,000 sq km (40,541 sq mi), stretches 1000km (600mi) from southern Peru into northern Chile. Said to be the driest place on Earth, it receives almost no rainfall whatsoever. In fact, certain parts of the desert may not experience rainfall for hundreds of years. As a result of these harsh conditions, particularly in the lower Atacama Desert, plant and animal life is almost non-existent. The northern coastal areas, however, do receive a little more rainfall, and as a result, are less arid.