Top 10 countries with least rainfall globally

Across the vast stretches of the Sahara Desert and the Arabian Peninsula lie some of the driest countries on Earth places where sunshine is relentless, rain is a rare blessing, and survival depends on innovation and adaptation.

Nations such as Egypt, Libya, and Saudi Arabia endure some of the harshest climates in the world, shaped by subtropical high-pressure systems that keep skies clear and conditions extremely dry year-round.

In these regions, rainfall is scarce, unpredictable, and often arrives in short, intense bursts. When it rains, the downpours tend to rush across dry desert valleys called wadis, causing flash floods that vanish almost as quickly as they appear.

Instead of soaking into the soil or replenishing underground water, most of the rainwater evaporates due to the extreme heat.

This makes water one of the most precious and limited resources for people living there.

The physical geography of these countries makes the situation even tougher. Their flat deserts, elevated plateaus, and long distances from large water bodies prevent the kind of atmospheric lifting that helps clouds form and produce rain.

Hot desert winds further dry the air and land, leading to evaporation rates that far exceed any rainfall received.

Even within these countries, rainfall patterns are uneven. Some coastal areas, such as Libya’s Jebel Akhdar highlands and Egypt’s Mediterranean shoreline, receive light showers during winter, but the interior regions remain bone-dry for most of the year.

In the Gulf states, including Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, the challenge is even more intense.

These small nations have no permanent rivers and depend almost entirely on desalination, the process of converting seawater into drinking water, as well as the careful use of limited underground reserves.

Occasionally, rare weather events such as the remnants of Cyclone Mekunu can bring temporary relief to the parched deserts, but these occurrences are few and far between.

The overall trend remains constant: decades of dryness, limited rainfall, and heavy reliance on man-made solutions for survival.

Below is a list of some of the world’s driest countries based on their average annual rainfall:

1. Egypt — 18 mm

Egypt is one of the driest nations on Earth, receiving almost no rainfall across most of its Sahara-covered landscape.

Only the Mediterranean coastal areas see light showers during winter. The River Nile remains the country’s main lifeline, providing water for millions of people and sustaining agriculture along its banks.

2. Libya — 56 mm

With almost its entire landmass covered by desert, Libya experiences extremely low rainfall.

The small mountain regions of Jebel Akhdar in the north get slightly more rain, but most of the country is barren.

Water shortages are a serious issue, pushing the government to rely on large underground reserves and the Great Man-Made River Project to meet national needs.

3. Saudi Arabia — 59 mm

Saudi Arabia’s vast deserts and rocky plateaus, such as Najd and Rub’ al Khali, receive very little and irregular rainfall.

Most of the time, the skies remain clear and dry. When rain does come, it often leads to sudden flash floods because the hard desert surface cannot absorb water quickly.

The country invests heavily in desalination and advanced irrigation technologies to cope with its arid environment.

4. Qatar — 74 mm

Qatar’s desert plains receive very little rainfall throughout the year. With no rivers or lakes, the nation depends heavily on desalination to provide water for homes, farms, and industries.

Its extreme dryness and high temperatures make water conservation a top priority for the government.

5. United Arab Emirates — 78 mm

The UAE endures intense heat and dryness for most of the year, with rainfall limited mainly to short winter periods.

To increase rain, the country uses modern cloud-seeding technology, a process that helps stimulate rainfall by dispersing substances into clouds.

Despite these efforts, water scarcity remains a major challenge, and desalination plants supply most of the nation’s needs.

6. Bahrain — 83 mm

This small island nation in the Gulf is one of the driest places on Earth. With almost no natural freshwater sources, Bahrain relies heavily on desalination and imported water to meet its population’s needs.

Groundwater levels have dropped significantly over the years, forcing the country to focus on sustainable water management.

7. Algeria — 89 mm

Although Algeria’s northern coast gets some winter rain from the Mediterranean, most of its territory lies within the Sahara Desert, one of the driest places on the planet.

Large parts of the country remain uninhabited due to the lack of water and extreme heat.

8. Mauritania — 92 mm

Located on the edge of the Sahara, Mauritania faces frequent droughts and harsh weather.

Rainfall comes only in short, heavy bursts during the summer, leaving long dry spells that strain the country’s water supply and agriculture.

9. Jordan — 111 mm

Jordan receives very limited rainfall, with the eastern desert region remaining nearly dry all year.

The western highlands get slightly more rain, but not enough to sustain the growing population.

As one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, Jordan depends on water recycling, desalination, and shared river agreements to survive.

10. Kuwait — 121 mm

Kuwait completes the list as one of the driest nations in the world. The country’s hot desert climate brings very little rainfall each year, usually between November and April.

Like its Gulf neighbors, Kuwait relies almost entirely on desalination plants to supply drinking water to its population.