Open forest in Pampa del Tamarugal, February 2006.
Pampa del Tamarugal ("Plateau of the Tamarugal") is a vast plain encompassing a significant portion of the Norte Grande, Chile, and originally named for the Prosopis tamarugo trees that used to cover its surface. It is located between the parallels 19°30’ and 22°15’ south latitude and is considered part of the Atacama Desert.[1] It is bounded on the west by the Chilean Coastal Range and on the east by the western slopes of the Andes. The plain occupies a surface area of 12,500 km2 with an average elevation of 1,100 m.[1]