What is the name and where is the dry desert in the world? The dry desert in the world of the attack: landscape, minerals, plants and the animal world, residents, attractions, “Humanoid Atacama”. Why do not corpses decompose in the attack?

In this article, we will consider the most arid place on Earth and find out its secret, as well as look at the lifeless desert from the other side.

Planet Earth is very diverse. On it you can find truly paradise places with magnificent forests, blue lakes, mountains and seas. The other side of the planet can frighten, kill and bring us even horror. Powerful volcanoes, acidic lakes, and lifeless deserts are found on the globe. We will tell you about the most arid, but at the same time an amazing desert in more detail and give several interesting facts.

What is the name and where is the dry desert on the ground?

Africa is famous for the deserts, which has every reason and soils to find the hottest and dry places on this continent. Moreover, one of the hottest places there is concentrated, for example, the Dallol desert in Ethiopia with a mark of the average annual temperature of 35 ° C.

• But the dry and sultry place is located on the west coast of the mainland South America. And the name of this desert - Atacama. Geographically it has launched on the territory of the state Chile And occupies a considerable area of \u200b\u200b105,000 km². But it was not always so. Before the famous events of the Pacific War in the 80s, it belonged to the state of Bolivia.
• If you look at the map, then the desert is located near the water, and the western border is completely washed by the Pacific Ocean. On the other hand, it is outlined by the Andes. Recall that this is a nine kilometer mountain range, which is included in the list of the highest and long formations. In addition, the attack has borders with the Latin American states Argentina and Peru, and with Bolivia it is shared by the Likankabur volcano.

• Atacama is not a completely flat desert, there are high mountains of 6885 m altitudes. This is due to a close location with mountain peaks. But they are never covered with ice. Somewhere else, the ice would forever cover the tops of the mountains even more than 4000 m, but not here.
• On the territory, the channels of prehistoric rivers were preserved, which dried up about 120 thousand years ago, and since then they have not seen water. There is only one reservoir - this is the Loa River, which flows in the southern part of the desert, crossing it.
• But miracles happen in such an unusual place. For example, in May 2010, the attack was covered with precipitation in the form of snow. Huge snowdrifts paralyzed the life of cities and the scientific observatory.
• It is interesting not only that the desert is located along the ocean coast, but also its temperature. The average temperature indicators cannot be called the hottest or hellish. In January there is summer, and the temperature on the ocean coast is + 20 ° C. In February, when winter comes, the temperature only drops a little to +14 ° C.

Interesting: this is the oldest desert. Scientists have confirmed that its age ranges in the range of 20-40 million years. For comparison - the age of sugar only reaches 4 million, but on Antarctica it is slightly more than 10 million.

Why is the Atacama the dry desert?

This fact leads a little to a paradoxical thought - if the temperature is not very hot and the ocean is close, then why is attacking, and not sugar, for example, the dry desert. This is generally the dry place on our globe. Let's smoke deeper.

• This status is explained simply - in the attack very little precipitation. On average, the annual indicator ranges about 10 mm. But there are even places where precipitation is absent at all or very rarely fall out. Consider the Chilean region of the Antofagasta desert. Rains here can only be seen in a dream, because the annual indicator does not exceed 1 mm of precipitation.
• But this is not a record. There are places on this dry land where the rain has never been registered in the entire history of observations. Scientists documented the fact of the lack of significant precipitation in this desert of long 400 years. This is the period 1570 to 1971.

• Another registered record - 0% humiditywhich is the lowest world indicator.
• The reason that the desert is recognized as the dry as a whole is the oceanic Peruvian current. It is it that creates a certain temperature situation, cooling the lower layer of the atmosphere. After all, a cold stream from the side of Antarctica simply does not have time to warm up.
• In addition, the Andes often close possible wet streams. Because of which, very little precipitation has been falling on the territory of the attack, and there have been no significant rains or significant precipitation for four hundred years. For comparison - the monthly norm, for example, for Moscow is 35 mm per month. And in a year-it comes out about 600-800 mm rainfall.

What are the landscapes and minerals in the dry desert?

The desert should be dry, but the attack is just a Martian surface. And it is not surprising that soil tests from Mars and attacks are similar in structure. Scientists have repeatedly tested space technology in this area, before sending to the Red Planet.

• But the dry part is considered Lunar Valley, whose landscapes are similar to pictures from the moon. And they became a field of testing of lunar drives. Even the valley became the location for the filming of the cult series "Star Warrior".
• The length of the entire attack desert is 1 thousand kilometers, but the main part is Tamarugal's plain. Moreover, this plain is at an altitude of 900 m above sea level. The rocks made of rocks, which over time were covered with sand dunes, gravel and pebbles, consists.
• Mountain ridges are quite high and end closer to the coastal zone. Their height is from 0.5 to 2 km in the area of \u200b\u200bthe cliffs and volcanic mountains. The eastern part of the desert is located near the Mountain Range of Anda. This part is known for high volcanic hills, the height of which is more than 6 thousand m.

• Atacama is a favorite place for astronomers, because its sky is clear 300 days a year. Therefore, scientists do not interfere with observing the starry sky. It is not very surprising that it was here that the Alma telescope was built, which is the largest in the world. His work is constantly supported by 66 smaller radio telescopes.
• For the desert, characteristic mistswho have become a source of water for local ones. Special devices "fogging" were invented here. These are huge cylinders or rectangles in the growth of an adult. Walls of nylon threads. When the fog falls, the condensation process goes through, and the water drops along the threads into the barrel.
• Such cunning equipment can collect about 18 liters of water per day. In the bowels of the attacks are not as empty as outside. There are large copper reserves and a source of sodium nitrate. By the way, this is the largest natural reserve of this substance.

The most arid place of South America and its living world

Such a dry desert for obvious reasons cannot boast of violent vegetation. Everything that grows here has unstable vegetation.

• Most often, cacti and certain types of acacia are found. And deep into the desert, they are replaced by lichens and small cacti. You can also sometimes see Tillandsia, which steadfastly tolerates drought.
• There is a certain time, it is strictly limited and depends on the number of precipitation. Spring comes here from September to November and pleases with infrequent showers. It is then that the wasteland blooms in the literal sense of the word. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe city of Vannar, a flowering carpet of local herbs, onion plants and calendars appears for a short while.
• Such a miracle can be seen not every year. Therefore, when the land is watered with rains, plants are stocked with water for the next dry years. At the same time, other signs of life are also manifested. Lizards, insects and birds begin to reproduce willingly. But they are all closer to the water of the ocean.
• The most productive years in this sense is the period from 1991 to 1997. This is another proof that water is the main source of life.

The development of the dry desert: the history of the inhabitants of lifeless earth in Chile

We will immediately refute the myth that the desert has no life at all. A reasonable man will find a way out even in this position.

• For many centuries, the territory of the Atacama was a house for its indigenous inhabitants - the Indians of the Atamenos tribe. To date, the population is about a million people. The main occupation of local are agriculture, they also successfully breed alpak and lamas.
• Atacama, or rather her earthly wealth, became a zone of conflict. After all, three bordering states claimed to be a rhinestone: Bolivia, Peru and Chile. Therefore, in the 19th century, the desert was the center of mass debate. And all because in such an abandoned and unnecessary territory, large reserves of sodium nitrate were found. Therefore, this conflict received the title "Selitrovka War".

• The state of Chile in this war was supported by the UK, which became the key to victory. The end of the war in 1883 was an agreement under which Chili received all the rights to mines in the area. Bolivia, in turn, lost all previously owned territories.
• The active development of sodium nitrate went to the First World War and allowed Chile to strengthen his economy. The infrastructure was violently fluttered, large sea ports and the railway connection between the cities began to work. At the moment, the Chilean nitrate is mined on a local scale, and copper mines took its place, located near the Kalam River. Also today the desert is dotted with 170 abandoned mines.

The "Humanoid Atacama" from the dry desert: why do not corpses decompose in the attack?

This unusual find was made by historian Oscar Mugnos, stumbled upon her in an abandoned village of La-Noria. Having visited the desert in 2003, the professor discovered a small bundle, inside which the mummy of the creature was remotely similar to the human body.

• The mummy looked good, even the teeth were present, but the body length was only 15 cm. The obvious differences between the find from a person were immediately striking. Instead of 12 necessary ribs, she had eight, and her head was elongated and in the shape of an egg.
• The resemblance to the movie aliens and gave rise to the name of the mummy "The Humanoid Atacama." You can only look at the little woman of the humanoid in the photo, since it was purchased by a private collector for 160 thousand dollars.

• The mummy was examined in detail by scientists of Standford University and came to the conclusions that this is a feminine body, and it is definitely a person. Most likely, the biological mother was from Chile. A typical mutation led to such a state of the girl.
• Another group of scientists confirmed that this girl was born with serious anomalies, which included as many as 60 gene, and died almost immediately. Her age is not a million years old, as expected, but forty. The body is preserved in this form due to the dry nature of the local climate.
• The mummies of the Indian people were also found that they were perfectly preserved due to the lack of moisture, but had as many as 9 thousand years.

Interesting attractions of the dry desert in the world

Atacama is a rather interesting desert. It has many beautiful places, attractions and legends. It is not very surprising that tourists come here to find adventures. Let us consider in detail everything that can be seen by visiting these dry lands.

11 meter hand of the Obstam Desert

• “Mano del Desierto”, which has the popular name “The Hand of the Desert”, is geographically located near the Pan American highway No. 5, in the Chilean region of Antofhasta.
• This is a huge palm of a person 11 meters high. The hand is not completely extended from the sand, but only for three quarters. The author of the unusual sculpture of Mario Irararasabal.
• The idea of \u200b\u200bthe master was to express all human injustice, pain, helplessness and flour. The hand has been poured out of concrete and open to visits since 1992.
• The sculpture is popular not only among tourists, it enjoys the directors of cinema and clip makers. From such popularity, the hand often suffers, because it is like to paint graffiti.

Mystical attack: mysterious alien geoglyph

• The largest prehistoric drawing of a giant similar to a person is in the Pustama desert. His age, according to scientists, is 9 thousand years. From the most famous geoglyphs in the desert of Naski, it is 1370 kilometers. And it is the largest pattern of this kind in the world. He is drawn on Mount Sierro unique, in the attack.
• A 86 meter -long find can only be viewed from the air. Geoglyph is called the Tarapaki. In this desert there are other geoglyphs. But these are simple lines, flowers and owls smaller.
• Officially, geologists believe that these drawings are a kind of “road signs” for the Incas and their caravans. However, there is a small “but” - geoglyphs can only be considered from the sky! Therefore, it remains a mystery to whom and who leaves them.

Amazing attack: Ancient Church in a dry desert

• In the small village of Chiu-Chiu, which is located on the territory of the attack desert, there is one old attraction. The small church of St. Francis or San Pedro de-Atakam, which was built in the 17th century, is considered one of the oldest structures of the colonial era.
• The church is not impressive with exquisite forms and painted frescoes. Her beauty is in simplicity, which completely coincides with local concepts and architecture. The church served as a source of Christianity and introduced the religion of local Indians.

Astronomical Atakama: Paranal Observatory

• The desert has favorable conditions for observing cosmic bodies. It was here, on the mountain of Cerro Paralanal 2635 meters high, the Paranal Observatory was located. It is known for the fact that Alma is working here - the largest telescope with additional devices for its work.
• Not far from the observatory, another interesting place. The ESO Hotel hotel is located 3 km, the highlight of which is its unusual building. The hotel is almost half built uphill. The second half appears, but the concrete structure is painted under the tone of the mountain and merges with the landscape.
• Here, guests feel great, because there are two gardens, a gym, a pool and, of course, a restaurant on the territory. The attraction did not ignore cinema. Here one of the parts of the “Quantum of Mercy” was shot in 2008.

Salar de Atakama-Salt Lake in the Desert

• Salard-Atakama The largest salt marsh in the territory of the Chile state. An unusually beautiful place is surrounded by mountains: in the east of the Andes, and in the West by the mountains of the Cordiller-Domeyko. In the same area there are Akamarachi volcanoes and a very active Lascar.
• The lake itself occupies an area of \u200b\u200b3 thousand km and this is the third place in the world ranking. Solonchak is not completely waterless, there are several lagoons filled with very salty water. In the lake there are 27% of the world supply of lithium, and pink flamingos live on the shore.

The desert of the attack is amazing. She wears the title of the dry desert of the world, but knows how to bloom with a whole carpet. She is strict, but not lifeless. Locals learned to work and live in difficult conditions. Atakama is full of attractions. And it is not surprising that there are sometimes more tourists in her towns and villages than the settlers themselves. It can definitely be argued that this is a unique place on planet Earth.

Video: The most arid place on the ground from a bird's eye view