The Andes are a mountain chain that runs along the entire west coast of South America, from Panama (at the southern tip of Central America) to the Strait of Magellan (at the southern tip of South America). This chain is about 4,500 miles (7,240 kilometers) long and contains high plateaus and one of the driest deserts on the planet, the Atacampa. The tallest mountain in South America, Aconcagua (22,834 feet [6,960 meters]), is located in the southern Andes, on the border between Chile and Argentina. The ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu is located in the Andes of Peru.