Geography · 2

The Atacama Desert is considered Earth's driest non-polar desert. Approximately how long have some of its regions gone without measurable rainfall?

Answer

Over 400 years

Certain hyper-arid zones within the Atacama have received no measurable precipitation for over 400 years, a record unmatched by any other non-polar desert on Earth. This extreme aridity results from the rain shadow of the Andes and cold Pacific currents.

💡 Did you know?

The Atacama Desert hasn't seen measurable rainfall in some regions for over 400 years, making it Earth's driest inhabited place.

Other options people guess

  • Over 50 years
  • Over 150 years
  • Over 1,000 years

Topics

  • atacama
  • desert
  • rainfall
  • arid
  • south-america

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