8 Most Driest Countries in the World

Summer can sometimes seem like a hot, dry mess. But in some parts of the world, the concept of being dry has been elevated to a whole other level.

However, it might sound strange that some countries are arid, and the residents beg for rain. Let us talk about the driest countries that exist.

Rain rarely falls in some areas and hasn’t, in some cases, for millions of years.

Due to constant evaporation and transpiration, water is unavailable to plants or people in these dry conditions.

1. Chile

Chile is one of the driest countries on earth, and Iquique is one of the driest places in Chile.

This port city is located at the summit of Chile’s long, thin nation, west of the Atacama Desert.

Nitrate, a natural fertilizer, is mined in the desert around the town, and there are beaches to escape the dry air. It is most likely to rain in January and February.

Also, 5.08 millimeters (0.20 inches) of rainfall every year on average. However, Arica in Chile is the world’s driest city in one of the driest countries, yet it is not the driest place.

Arica is a port city with high humidity and cloud cover despite the lack of rain from the sky.

The moisture in the air does not quite make it to the ground despite being wet.

The neighboring Atacama Desert is in a rain shadow, squeezing precipitation out of the mountains and transporting only dry air to the desert; some areas haven’t seen rain in over 500 years! Annual rainfall averages 0.761 mm (0.03 in).

2. Dry Valley, Antarctica

As much as one imagines snow-covered terrain in Antarctica, Dry Valleys is the world’s driest place in one of the driest countries that exist in the world.

The valleys, the largest ice-free region on the continent, have exceptionally low humidity and almost no ice or snow.

As a result, one can’t reach the valleys by sea-flowing ice due to the nearby mountains. Katabatic solid winds, which occur when cold, dense air forces itself downhill by gravity, contribute.

They may reach up to 200 mph (322 kph) velocities, evaporating all water, snow, and ice as they drop. The average rainfall over there is 0.

3. Libya

Libya is among the driest countries in the world. Nearby Al-Kufrah, Africa’s driest place, are several oasis areas with natural underground springs that provide water to people and animals.

Peaches, dates, and apricots are the principal crops farmed in the area. A low-lying desert is nearby, with dunes reaching up to 980 feet (300 meters). Annual rainfall averages 0.860 mm (0.0338 in).

4. Egypt

Egypt is among the driest countries on earth. Aswan in Egypt is perhaps famous for its dam, but the city mostly lacks wetness.

While other sections of Egypt benefit from sea breezes, Aswan remains hot and dry throughout the year.

The city’s closeness exacerbates high temperatures and dry weather to the Tropic of Cancer.

Sandstorms of up to 100 miles per hour (161 kilometers per hour) are common, and the stones for the Giza pyramids came from Aswan’s dry lowlands.

Annual rainfall averages 0.861mm (0.0338 in). Also, Luxor in Egypt is home to a significant portion of the world’s antiquities and a dry environment.

A scorching wind, known as khamsin, occasionally rushes in from the surrounding Western Desert during the city’s “cool” season, bringing a sandstorm.

The storms can continue for up to two days, whipping the air to a racecar-like 93 mph (150 kph) and causing a 20-degree temperature spike.

Raindrops start to fall and quickly dissipate in the warm air. Annual rainfall averages 0.862 mm (0.034 in).

5. Peru

Peru is one of the driest countries. However, Ica, Peru, is on the outskirts of Lima, near the Atacama Desert.

But it wasn’t always like this in this dry, dusty region. In 2007, scientists discovered fossil evidence of a 4-foot-tall (1.2-meter) penguin species that lived in the area.

Because human remains do not disintegrate without humidity, pre-Columbian mummies are common.

People with asthma benefit from the city’s environment, as the dry air alleviates their symptoms. Annual rainfall averages 2.29 mm (0.09 in).

6. Sudan

Sudan is among the driest countries in the world. However, Wadi Halfa is a picture-perfect desert village smack dab in the middle of the Sahara.

The subtropical high in the region’s descending, drying air influences the surrounding land, resulting in a dry and hot desert. Annual rainfall averages 2.45 mm (0.096 in).

7. Namibia

Although it’s a notable example, Pelican Point is a little jetty in Namibia, a sand-dune-filled African country famed for its dryness.

Despite the dryness, it’s still a popular surfing site, demonstrating that surfers will go to any length to find the perfect wave. Annual rainfall averages 8.13 mm (0.32 in).

8. Algeria

Algeria made it to our list of the driest countries in the world. Aoulef is a small dry village in Algeria.

This small village in central Algeria is the driest spot in a parched country. As if that weren’t enough, Aoulef is also scorching hot; it is a desert oasis.

The settlement is separated from the surrounding miles of the desert by a few palm trees. Annual rainfall averages 12.19 millimeters (0.48 inches).