Driest Places on Earth

Tidjikja is a town in the central region of the northwest African nation of Mauritania. It has oppressively hot summers during which the average daily high temperature exceeds 100 °F.

Located on the left bank of the Saoura Valley, Southwest Algeria’s Béni Abbès has an arid desert climate and receives an average of just 1.2 inches of precipitation per year. As is the case in all Saharan oasis towns, underground reserves are Béni Abbès’ primary water supply.

Southern California’s Indio is located in Coachella Valley. It has a warm and arid climate, though it was able to develop into an agricultural region thanks to the aqueduct All-American Canal that connects the town to the Colorado River.

Pay Menar is a township on the outskirts of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. Especially warm weather in the area led to widespread droughts in 2019 — the worst in Afghanistan in a decade.

Al Wajh is warm year-round, with average highs never falling below 70 °F even during the coldest months. The summers in Al Wajh are extremely hot and dry. The city sits on the eastern shore of the Red Sea, a popular destination for swimming and easily accessible to Al Wajh residents.