The 'Atacama Desert', widely recognized as one of the driest non-polar deserts in the world, is bounded on its western side by which cold ocean current?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Humboldt Current, also known as the Peru Current, is a cold ocean current flowing northward along the western coast of South America, cooling the overlying air and inhibiting precipitation over the Atacama Desert. Warm currents like the Brazilian Current increase humidity, whereas cold currents suppress rainfall and foster coastal aridity. Distractors like the Benguela Current affect the Namib Desert in Africa rather than South America.