The Transverse Valleys (Spanish: ''Valles transversales'') are a group of

transverse valley A transverse valley is a valley which cuts at right angles across a ridgeWhittow, John (1984). ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''. London: Penguin, 1984, p. 548. . or, in mountainous terrain a valley that generally runs at right angles to the li ...

s in the

semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi- ...

northern Chile. They run from east to west (traversing Chile), being among the most prominent geographical features in the regions they cross. They are located in the Chilean regions of

Valparaíso Valparaíso (; ) is a major city, seaport, naval base, and educational centre in the commune of Valparaíso, Chile. "Greater Valparaíso" is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Valparaíso is located about northwest of Santiago ...

Coquimbo Coquimbo is a port city, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo is situated in a valley south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with more than ...

, and

Atacama The Atacama Desert ( es, Desierto de Atacama) is a desert plateau in South America covering a 1,600 km (990 mi) strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes Mountains. The Atacama Desert is the driest nonpolar desert in the w ...

. They share some characteristics, such as reaching the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

without passing through an

Intermediate Depression The Central Valley ( es, Valle Central), Intermediate Depression, or Longitudinal Valley is the depression between the Chilean Coastal Range and the Andes Mountains. The Chilean Central Valley extends from the border with Peru to Puerto Montt in ...

, being rather deep and dissecting the landscape, concentrating most agriculture and population in the areas through which they pass, and being intensively cultivated. They are one of the defining elements of the Chilean natural region of Norte Chico. The area of the Transverse Valleys spans roughly 600 km from north to south.Errazúriz, Ana María; Cereceda, Pilar; Gonzales, José Ignacio; Gonzales, Mireya; Henriquez, María; and Rioseco, Reinaldo. ''Manual de Geografía de Chile''. Third edition. 1987. p. 95.

References

Landforms of Atacama Region Landforms of Coquimbo Region Landforms of Valparaíso Region Valleys of Chile {{Chile-geo-stub

See also

References