Where is the atacama desert?

The Atacama Desert is located in South America, primarily running along the Pacific coast of Chile . It also touches small parts of Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. It is famously known as the driest non-polar desert in the entire world, with some areas receiving virtually no rainfall for centuries. That's right, centuries! * Key Location: It's situated in a high-altitude plateau, locked between two mountain ranges: the Andes Mountains to the east (which create a rain shadow) and the Chilean Coastal Range to the west. * Why it's so dry: The dryness is mainly due to the combined effect of the rain shadow from the Andes and the constant cooling influence of the Humboldt Current in the Pacific Ocean, which prevents moisture from forming rain clouds. It's a stunning, almost Martian landscape, making it a prime spot for astronomical observatories.