Atacama Desert Atacama Desert The Atacama Desert () is a desert plateau in South America covering a 1000-km (600-mi) strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes mountains. The Atacama desert is one of the driest places in the world (the driest being the McMurdo Dry Valleys ) , as well as the only true desert to receive less precipitation than the polar deserts. According to estimates, the Atacama Desert occupies , or if the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included. Most of the desert is composed of stony terrain, salt lakes ("salares"), sand, and felsic lava
World Affairs Council of the Desert World Affairs Council of the Desert The World Affairs Council of the Desert, a non-partisan and non-profit organization, located in the Coachella Valley, California. The Council provides an opportunity for the discussion of current national and international topics. Founded in the early seventies as the “Desert Forum”, it served initially as a branch of the Los Angeles Council. By 1975, the organization had changed its name to The World Affairs Council of the Desert and is currently located in Indian Wells, CA. Over the years the Council has increased its membership, program series and established itself as a separate non-profit