The desert of Atacama, which covers most of the north of Chile and extends until the south from Peru, proves to be the driest place of the ground, the more so as, on most of this territory, it quite simply never rains. An occasional fog provides here about the only moisture which is.
Another notable distinction between Atacama and the majority of the other deserts is due to the absence of any visible vegetation on vast sides of territory. More inside the grounds, to more high-altitude, some oases emerge, and certain points receive even precipitations, which makes it possible to cultivate the ground on a very restricted scale, which make Aymaras on hills arranged in terrace according to an Amerindian ancestral method.
The exploitation of the mines constitutes the angular stone of the local economy, this part of the Andes cordillera conceals richest copper layer in the world, without speaking about the other ores that one finds there. The largest copper mine with open sky is besides in Chuquicamata, close to Calama.
Transport and the trade, the transformation of the fish powder and tourism with small scales, supplement for their part the economic resources.

The more you approach the Bolivian border, the more you will become aware of the indigenous presence within the population, Bolivia while oneself being mainly populated Amerindians.
The main cities of this area are Antofagasta, Iquique and Arica, more in north of all. Calama, which is inside the grounds is for its part an important mining center.
Certain panoramas more époustouflants await you Parks Nacional Lauca, declared world reserve of the biosphere, it contains volcanos to cut the breath and one of the lakes highest perched of the world. Y live vicuñas, vizcachas and more than 150 species of birds. You will be able to see Indians Aymaras practitioner there the breeding of spangled or the alpacas.
In spite of the length of the littoral and the latitudes tropical which characterize this area, one finds there no seaside resort worthy of this name, although Iquique approaches some passably and accomodates many estivants Chiliens.