The Atacama desert, known as the driest place on the earth, is situated in which country?
- A.Peru
- B.Chile
- C.Mexico
- D.Australia
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Chile. The Atacama lies in northern Chile between the Andes and the Pacific coast, and it is the driest desert in the world because the cold Peru or Humboldt current chills the air along the coast and the Andes block moisture from the Amazon side; the desert is also known for nitrate and copper deposits. Option A, Peru, lies immediately to the north and shares the same cold current and a dry coastal strip, which is why it is the closest wrong answer. Option C, Mexico, has the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of North America, which receive far more rain. Option D, Australia, has the Great Victoria and Great Sandy deserts, the largest arid stretch of the southern hemisphere but not the driest place on the earth. Remember the chain cold current, rain shadow, driest desert.
Read the full article: Americas and Australia Geography: Facts and PYQs
Practice Questions
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- A.Mount Logan
- B.Denali
- C.Pico de Orizaba
- D.Mount Whitney
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Denali, which was earlier called Mount McKinley, stands in Alaska in the United States and is the highest peak of North America at about six thousand one hundred ninety metres; the name means the high one in the local Athabaskan language and was officially restored in 2015.
Read the full explanation →Aconcagua, the highest peak of South America, is situated in which country?
- A.Chile
- B.Peru
- C.Argentina
- D.Bolivia
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Aconcagua rises to about six thousand nine hundred sixty metres in the Andes in the province of Mendoza in Argentina, close to the border with Chile, and it is the highest peak of both South America and the southern hemisphere, as well as the highest mountain outside Asia.
Read the full explanation →The Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world, is located in which country?
- A.Brazil
- B.Venezuela
- C.Guyana
- D.Colombia
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The Angel Falls drops about nine hundred seventy-nine metres from the Auyan Tepui table mountain in the Guiana Highlands of Venezuela and is the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world; the local name is Kerepakupai Vena.
Read the full explanation →Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, lies on the border of which two countries?
- A.Peru and Bolivia
- B.Chile and Argentina
- C.Brazil and Paraguay
- D.Ecuador and Colombia
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Lake Titicaca lies on the Altiplano plateau of the Andes at a height of about three thousand eight hundred metres and is shared by Peru and Bolivia; it is the highest lake in the world on which steamers ply, which is the exact reason it is called the highest navigable…
Read the full explanation →Death Valley, the lowest point of North America, is located in which state of the United States?
- A.California
- B.Nevada
- C.Arizona
- D.Utah
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Death Valley lies in eastern California within the Mojave desert region and its floor at Badwater Basin is about eighty-six metres below sea level, the lowest land point of North America; it is also one of the hottest places recorded on the earth.
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