Introduction
Water scarcity is one of the defining challenges of the 21st century, and the driest countries on Earth face it most acutely. These nations receive so little rainfall that agriculture is nearly impossible without irrigation, and many rely on desalination plants, fossil aquifers, or imported water to sustain their populations.
Here are the 10 driest countries in the world, ranked by average annual precipitation across the entire country.
1. Libya
- Average Annual Rainfall: 56 mm (2.2 in)
- Area: 1.76 million km²
- Desert Coverage: ~95% Sahara Desert
- Water Source: Great Man-Made River (fossil water)
Libya is the driest country on Earth by average annual rainfall. Approximately 95% of the country is Sahara Desert, and vast areas receive no measurable rainfall for years at a time. The narrow coastal strip along the Mediterranean receives the most rain, but even there it averages only 250–400 mm per year.
Libya's Great Man-Made River is one of the largest engineering projects in history — a network of pipes carrying fossil water from deep underground aquifers beneath the Sahara to coastal cities. This non-renewable water source is estimated to last only 60–100 years at current extraction rates.
2. Egypt
- Average Annual Rainfall: 18 mm (0.7 in) over desert areas
- Area: 1.0 million km²
- Desert Coverage: ~96%
- Water Source: Nile River (97% of water supply)
Egypt is almost entirely desert, with 97% of its population living along the narrow Nile Valley and Delta. Without the Nile, Egypt would be virtually uninhabitable — the rest of the country receives almost no rainfall. Cairo averages just 25 mm of rain per year.
The construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s gave Egypt control over Nile flooding but ended the annual deposit of nutrient-rich silt that had sustained Egyptian agriculture for 5,000 years.
3. Saudi Arabia
- Average Annual Rainfall: 59 mm (2.3 in)
- Area: 2.15 million km²
- Key Feature: Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter), world's largest sand desert
- Water Source: Desalination (world's largest producer)
Saudi Arabia is one of the driest countries on Earth and contains no permanent rivers. The Rub' al Khali, or Empty Quarter, is the world's largest contiguous sand desert at 650,000 km². Temperatures there can exceed 55°C, and some areas go years without rain.
Saudi Arabia is the world's largest producer of desalinated water, operating massive plants along both the Red Sea and Persian Gulf coasts. The country produces over 5 million cubic meters of fresh water daily through desalination.
4. Kuwait
- Average Annual Rainfall: 115 mm (4.5 in)
- Area: 17,818 km²
- Climate: Hot desert
- Water Source: Desalination provides ~90% of fresh water
Kuwait is one of the smallest and driest countries in the Middle East. Rain falls almost exclusively between November and March, and even then it arrives in brief, intense bursts that often cause flash flooding because the desert soil cannot absorb water quickly.
Kuwait held the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in Asia (54°C at Mitribah in 2016). The country has virtually no natural fresh water sources and depends almost entirely on desalination.
5. Oman
- Average Annual Rainfall: 125 mm (4.9 in)
- Climate: Arid desert to semi-arid
- Key Feature: Dhofar region receives monsoon rainfall
- Notable: Aflaj irrigation system (UNESCO World Heritage)
Most of Oman is hot, arid desert, but the Dhofar region in the south is a remarkable exception. During the khareef season (June–September), monsoon clouds from the Indian Ocean drench the Dhofar Mountains, turning the landscape green — a stark contrast to the rest of the country.
Oman's traditional aflaj irrigation system channels water from mountain springs through underground channels to farms — a UNESCO-recognized engineering achievement dating back thousands of years.
6. United Arab Emirates
- Average Annual Rainfall: 78 mm (3.1 in)
- Climate: Hot desert
- Water Source: Desalination and groundwater
- Notable: Dubai and Abu Dhabi are built on desert
The UAE is one of the driest countries in the world, yet it is home to some of the most water-intensive cities on Earth. Dubai and Abu Dhabi maintain lush green parks, golf courses, and even indoor ski slopes, all powered by massive desalination and air conditioning systems.
The UAE has invested in cloud seeding technology, using aircraft to inject chemicals into clouds to stimulate rainfall. This has had limited success but represents the scale of innovation needed to address water scarcity in extreme desert environments.
7. Qatar
- Average Annual Rainfall: 74 mm (2.9 in)
- Area: 11,571 km²
- Climate: Hot desert
- Water Source: Desalination (99% of drinking water)
Qatar is a small, flat peninsula jutting into the Persian Gulf. It receives minimal rainfall and has no permanent rivers or lakes. Nearly 99% of drinking water comes from desalination plants, making it one of the most water-dependent nations on Earth.
Despite its aridity, Qatar is one of the wealthiest countries per capita thanks to its natural gas reserves. The country has invested billions in water security infrastructure.
8. Algeria
- Average Annual Rainfall: 89 mm (3.5 in)
- Area: 2.38 million km² (largest in Africa)
- Desert Coverage: ~80% Sahara
- Wetter Zone: Tell Atlas coast (400–900 mm/year)
Algeria is the largest country in Africa, and roughly 80% of its territory is Sahara Desert. The northern coastal strip along the Mediterranean receives moderate rainfall, but the vast southern interior is one of the driest places on Earth.
The Saharan section of Algeria includes the Grand Erg Oriental and Grand Erg Occidental — two of the world's largest sand seas. Temperatures in southern Algeria regularly exceed 50°C in summer.
9. Jordan
- Average Annual Rainfall: 111 mm (4.4 in)
- Climate: Arid to semi-arid
- Water Source: Dwindling aquifers and the Jordan River
- Notable: One of the most water-scarce countries in the world
Jordan is one of the most water-scarce countries on Earth. The Dead Sea, which borders Jordan to the west, is shrinking by about 1 meter per year as the Jordan River's water is diverted for agriculture upstream.
The ancient city of Petra, carved into rose-red sandstone cliffs, demonstrates how the Nabataean civilization engineered sophisticated water management systems to thrive in this arid environment over 2,000 years ago.
10. Bahrain
- Average Annual Rainfall: 83 mm (3.3 in)
- Area: 778 km²
- Climate: Hot desert, very humid
- Water Source: Desalination and groundwater springs
Bahrain is a small island nation in the Persian Gulf with minimal rainfall. Historically, the islands were known for their freshwater springs, some of which bubble up from the seafloor. The name "Bahrain" means "two seas" in Arabic, possibly referring to freshwater springs mixing with saltwater.
Today, those natural springs have largely dried up due to overextraction of groundwater, and Bahrain now depends on desalination for most of its fresh water supply.
Key Facts
- Libya averages just 56 mm of rainfall per year, making it the driest country on Earth.
- Egypt gets 97% of its water from the Nile River; the rest of the country is virtually rainless.
- Saudi Arabia is the world's largest producer of desalinated water.
- Six of the top 10 driest countries are in the Middle East.
- The Dead Sea, bordering Jordan, is shrinking by about 1 meter per year.
Fun Facts
- Parts of the Sahara in Libya have gone over a decade without a single recorded raindrop.
- Qatar produces 99% of its drinking water through desalination — the highest percentage of any country.
- The UAE has tried cloud seeding with drones to artificially create rainfall.
- Bahrain's name means "two seas," possibly referring to its freshwater springs rising through the ocean floor.
Final Thoughts
The driest countries on Earth face an existential challenge: sustaining growing populations with vanishingly little rainfall. From Libya's fossil water pipelines to Saudi Arabia's massive desalination industry, these nations are pioneering solutions to water scarcity that the rest of the world may soon need to adopt.
