Finding the driest country on Earth requires looking at factors like average annual precipitation, rainfall patterns, and geographic location. Some of the world’s driest countries are located in Africa, the Middle East, South America, and Central Asia where hot desert climates dominate. When comparing countries, analysts consider both the total average precipitation and the percentage of a country that receives very little rainfall annually. By these metrics, the countries with the least amount of rainfall are Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Chad, and Antarctica (even though it is not an independent country).
What criteria are used to determine the driest country?
There are two main factors used to determine the driest country in the world:
- Average annual precipitation – This measures the total amount of rainfall and other precipitation a country receives on average each year. Countries with lower totals are drier.
- Percentage of dry land – This calculates the proportion of a country’s total land area that is desert, semi-arid, or receives very little rainfall annually. Countries with a higher percentage of dry land are more likely to be the driest.
Other considerations include a country’s location, climate type, rainfall variability, and frequency of drought. Countries situated in the subtropics and at latitudes around 30°N and 30°S are more prone to dry conditions. Places dominated by hot desert climates tend to be drier than tropical or temperate regions. Rainfall variability and drought likelihood also influence dryness.
What are the driest countries in the world?
Here are the top 5 driest countries in the world according to average annual precipitation:
| Rank | Country | Continent | Average Annual Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Libya | Africa | 56 mm |
| 2 | Egypt | Africa | 51 mm |
| 3 | Saudi Arabia | Asia | 59 mm |
| 4 | Chad | Africa | 62 mm |
| 5 | Antarctica | Antarctica | 166 mm |
Libya, located along the Mediterranean coast in North Africa, receives the least annual precipitation of any country on Earth. The north is dominated by the Libyan Desert, one of the most arid places on the planet. Even along the coast, Libya only gets around 56 mm of rainfall per year on average. Most precipitation falls during the winter months.
Egypt is also located in northeast Africa within a hot desert climate zone. The Sahara Desert covers much of the country, limiting rainfall to an average of only 51 mm annually. Egypt does have a short rainy season during the winter when precipitation increases slightly.
Saudi Arabia is a Middle Eastern country encompassed mostly by the Arabian Desert. With average rainfall of only 59 mm per year, it is one of the driest places in the world. Most rain falls between November and April, with very dry conditions the rest of the year.
Chad is situated in north-central Africa within the Sahara Desert. It gets slightly more rain along its southern border, but still only averages 62 mm of precipitation per year nationwide. Rainfall peaks during the summer months.
Antarctica is the world’s driest continent and also makes the list. The cold, icy environment sees an average of only 166 mm of precipitation annually, mostly in the form of snow. Antarctica is considered a desert due to its low precipitation and lack of vegetation.
Which countries have the most area classified as desert?
In addition to low rainfall totals, high percentages of desert or arid land also indicate overall dryness. Here are the countries with the greatest proportions of desert land area:
| Rank | Country | Percent Desert |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt | 96% |
| 2 | Libya | 95% |
| 3 | Kuwait | 92% |
| 4 | Qatar | 90% |
| 5 | United Arab Emirates | 85% |
Egypt and Libya top the list again for having the greatest share of land classified as arid desert. In Egypt, about 96% of the landscape is desert, encompassing most of the eastern Sahara. Libya is a close second with approximately 95% desert coverage from the Sahara in the north and southeast.
Though they may not rank highest for total precipitation, places like Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates contain some of the driest deserts in the world. Well over 90% of these Middle Eastern countries are covered by the Arabian Desert.
What are some key facts about the driest places?
Here are some additional facts about the driest countries and locations:
- The Atacama Desert along the Pacific coast of South America is considered the driest non-polar desert on Earth. Some areas may not have recorded any significant rainfall in hundreds of years.
- Africa’s Sahara Desert expands across multiple countries in the northern part of the continent. Around 3.5 million square miles of land are estimated to be Saharan desert.
- Antarctica is a polar desert, making it the world’s largest desert by total land area at around 5.5 million square miles.
- The Gobi Desert spans parts of northern China and southern Mongolia in Asia. Long periods can pass without any rainfall in this cold desert region.
- The Middle East contains parts of the hot and dry Arabian, Syrian, and Lut deserts. Many major cities have developed along the region’s scarce water resources.
- Desert lands cover about 33% of Earth’s total land area. They are found on every continent and under all climate zones.
- true deserts receive less than 10 inches (250 mm) of average annual precipitation, limiting plant growth.
While the driest nations are found in Africa, the Middle East, and desert regions like Antarctica and the Atacama, arid lands cover substantial parts of many countries worldwide. Desertification and droughts are increasing in some areas, leading to greater water scarcity concerns.
What geographic and climate factors cause such dry conditions?
Several geographic and climate characteristics can create hyper-arid desert regions:
- Subtropical latitudes – Deserts often exist between 15-30° north and south latitude where subtropical high pressure zones inhibit precipitation.
- Rain shadows – Mountains can block rain-bearing winds leading to dry conditions on the leeward side.
- Cool offshore currents – Upwelling currents like the Peru-Chile current in South America cool offshore air and inhibit rainfall.
- Sinkholes – Dry air descends and warms in sinkholes causing evaporation and cloud-free skies.
- Polar regions – The cold, icy interiors of places like Antarctica get very little precipitation.
- Global circulation patterns – Winds like the trade winds can steer moisture away from desert regions.
In addition to these geographic factors, human activities like deforestation, overgrazing, and unsustainable irrigation can turn once fertile areas into desert through the process of desertification. Global climate change may also be exacerbating drought conditions in some parts of the world.
How do organisms survive in such arid ecosystems?
Despite the extremely dry conditions, many species have adapted to survive in deserts environments:
- Cacti and succulent plants store water in fleshy tissues and stems.
- Reptiles like snakes rely on burrows and navigate using sensory pits.
- Nocturnal animals help beat the daytime heat. Rodents forage at night.
- Some birds and insects are able to obtain moisture from food.
- Desert plants have tiny leaves or spikes to reduce water loss.
- Camels can go weeks without water and tolerate body temperatures over 100°F.
- Many species aestivate underground during the driest periods.
Other desert adaptations include fur or feathers to provide insulation, kidneys that conserve water, and the ability to take moisture from food. Some migratory birds escape to wetter areas during parts of the year. Where oases exist, life congregates around scarce water sources.
Human adaptations
People have also adapted culturally and technologically to survive in arid regions through methods like:
- Irrigation systems to channel scarce water resources
- Architecture styles that help keep interiors cool
- Traditional clothing that limits sun exposure and cooling
- Camels and donkeys used for desert transportation
- Oases used for settlement and agriculture
- Underground aquifers tapped through wells
- Solar power to take advantage of abundant sunshine
- Seawater desalination to boost freshwater supplies
Conclusion
Based on factors like low precipitation, high desert coverage, geographic location, and climate, the driest country on Earth is Libya located in northern Africa. Other extremely arid nations include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Chad, and Antarctica. Desert ecosystems around the world host specially adapted plants and animals. People also develop unique cultural and technological approaches to survive in such hot, dry environments with scarce water availability.