UKTV - Deserts and Life (2013) Part 1 The Atacama Desert

Deserts and Life

Deserts are the most haunting of all the Earth's landscapes. Sometimes we think of them as vast empty spaces that dwarf and test our human spirit, but that view couldn't be farther from the truth. In reality, deserts are full of colour and contrast - there are mountains and lagoons among the dunes and plains, and they often teem with life and are rich in resources. Their peoples have remarkable qualities of ingenuity and endurance, wisdom and humour; their festivals and gatherings full of colour and energy. This new and exclusive six-part series looks at how these desert realities are at odds with our perceptions, and takes a closer look at the disparate life that exists in the emptiness. By visiting places like the Atacama Desert - which spans Chile and Peru - and boasts white salt basins, emerald-coloured lagoons, lava flows and blue, red and purple mountains, Deserts And Life helps to re-inform our knowledge about these enormous diverse stretches of land.

Part 1: Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert of northern Chile is the world's second driest region (icy Antarctica is first). Although the Tropic of Capricorn passes through the region, the Atacama Desert lies in the rain shadow of Chile's Coast Range, which squeezes out the moisture from the atmosphere. The desert is completely barren and while most areas only receive moisture from an occasional fog or a shower every few decades, the rain gauge at Calama has never recorded any measurable precipitation. The Atacama is a high (most elevations are over 8000 feet) and cold desert, average temperatures range from 0 to 25 Celsius (32 to 75 F).

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