Who discovered the Atacama Desert?

Answer 1

The Atacama Desert, located in northern Chile, was not "discovered" in the traditional sense, as it has been inhabited by indigenous peoples for thousands of years. European explorers, such as the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, were among the first outsiders to document the region. The desert's extreme conditions and unique ecosystem have been studied extensively in modern times, but it was always a part of the indigenous landscape long before European contact.