Introduction
The driest cities sit in the rain shadows of mountains or in the hearts of great deserts. Some have gone years or even decades without measurable rainfall.
Despite extreme aridity, millions of people live in these cities, relying on river water, desalination, or ancient water management systems.
1. Arica, Chile
- Annual Rainfall: 0.76 mm
- Dry Record: 14 years without rain (1903-1918)
- Population: ~220,000
Arica is the driest city in the world with a significant population. It sits in the Atacama Desert, the driest non-polar desert on Earth.
The city gets its water from the Lluta River, which flows from the Andes.
2. Iquique, Chile
- Annual Rainfall: 0.5 mm
- Location: Atacama Desert
- Population: ~200,000
Iquique rivals Arica as one of the driest cities on Earth. The Atacama Desert stretches along the coast, but the cold Humboldt Current moderates temperatures.
Fog catchers (large mesh screens) have been installed to harvest moisture from coastal fog.
3. Aswan, Egypt
- Annual Rainfall: 0.86 mm
- Location: Upper Egypt
- Population: ~300,000
Aswan averages less than 1mm of rain per year. The Nile River provides all the water the city needs.
The Aswan High Dam controls the Nile's flow and provides most of Egypt's hydroelectric power.
4. Luxor, Egypt
- Annual Rainfall: 0.86 mm
- Location: Upper Egypt
- Famous for: Valley of the Kings
Luxor's extreme dryness is what preserved the ancient Egyptian temples and tombs in the Valley of the Kings for thousands of years.
Rare rainstorms can actually damage ancient monuments that were never designed for water exposure.
5. Lima, Peru
- Annual Rainfall: 9 mm
- Population: ~10 million
- Notable: Driest capital of a major country
Lima is the second largest desert city in the world (after Cairo). Despite sitting on the Pacific coast, the cold Humboldt Current prevents rain-forming clouds from developing.
The city relies on rivers flowing from the Andes and is increasingly turning to desalination.
6. Cairo, Egypt
- Annual Rainfall: 25 mm
- Population: ~21 million
- Location: Edge of Sahara
Cairo is the largest city in the world's driest region. The entire city's water supply comes from the Nile River.
The Sahara Desert begins immediately to the west of Cairo's urban area.
7. Dubai, UAE
- Annual Rainfall: 94 mm
- Population: ~3.5 million
- Water Source: Desalination
Dubai gets very little rain but has built a metropolis using desalinated seawater. The city produces over 2 billion liters of desalinated water per day.
Cloud seeding is used to try to increase rainfall over the UAE.
8. Las Vegas, USA
- Annual Rainfall: 106 mm
- Population: ~2.2 million metro
- Water Source: Lake Mead
Las Vegas sits in the Mojave Desert. The city relies on Lake Mead for 90% of its water, but the lake has been dropping to historically low levels.
Despite the desert location, Las Vegas has golf courses, fountains, and water features that are increasingly controversial.
9. Walvis Bay, Namibia
- Annual Rainfall: 13 mm
- Population: ~67,000
- Location: Namib Desert coast
Walvis Bay sits on the Namibian coast where the cold Benguela Current creates a hyperarid environment. Fog is more common than rain.
The coastal desert is home to unique fog-dependent ecosystems, including beetles that harvest moisture from fog.
10. Swakopmund, Namibia
- Annual Rainfall: 15 mm
- Population: ~46,000
- Location: Namib Desert coast
Swakopmund receives almost no rain but regular coastal fog. The town has a distinctly German colonial character, established in 1892.
Sand dunes from the Namib Desert reach right to the edge of the town.
Key Facts
- Arica, Chile went 14 years (1903-1918) without any measurable rainfall.
- The Atacama Desert contains areas where no rainfall has ever been recorded.
- Lima, Peru is the driest capital city of a major nation, with only 9mm per year.
- Desalination provides water for millions of people in the driest coastal cities.
- Some dry cities use fog catchers to harvest moisture from coastal fog.
Fun Facts
- Parts of the Atacama Desert have been used to test Mars rovers because the terrain is the closest analog on Earth.
- When it rains in the Atacama, dormant flower seeds bloom in a spectacular event called "desierto florido" (flowering desert).
- Dubai desalinates over 2 billion liters of water per day.
- Luxor's dryness is so reliable that ancient Egyptian tombs survived for 3,000 years in near-perfect condition.
Final Thoughts
The driest cities challenge our assumptions about where humans can thrive. Through rivers, desalination, and ingenuity, millions of people have built vibrant communities in places where rain is a novelty rather than a norm.