Our planet is a pretty incredible place, and the weather over the globe can vary drastically. While some countries and continents are known for cold and wet weather, others can be extremely dry, with almost no annual rainfall. So let’s find out: Where does it rain the least in the world?
Arica, a port city in northern Chile, is where it rains the least in the world. Over a 45-year period, the average annual rainfall was only 0.02 inches. Arica is located within the Atacama Desert, where the average rainfall is only 0.04 inches per year, making it the driest place on Earth.
Now, if you want to learn everything there is to know about rainfall in Arica, Chile and the Atacama Desert, keep reading! We are going to dive into the details of this amazing and extremely dry part of the world.
Where Does it Rain the Least in the World?
So, according to global data, it rains the least in the city of Arica in northern Chile. Arica can be found in the Atacama Desert, which spans Chile and Peru.
This part of the world is extremely dry, and Arica only sees about 0.02 inches of rainfall every year! While, on average, the Atacama Desert has 0.04 inches of rainfall annually, some parts of the desert don’t seem to get any rainfall at all!
Of course, understanding why Arica, Chile, has such little rainfall is even more important than knowing that it’s the driest place on earth.
Why Does It Rain So Little in the Arica, Chile?
Essentially, it really never rains in Arica, Chile. In fact, the city only sees actual rainfall 2-4 times every 100 years!
Most of the 0.02 inches of annual perception in Arica comes from the fog that lays low over the city during certain times of the year.
The reason why it rains so little in Arica, Chile, is because it is located in the Atacama Desert and has an extreme desert climate.
While some deserts are painstakingly hot, others can be brutally cold, so let’s find out what the weather is like in Arica (other than being incredibly dry!)
What is the Weather Like in Arica, Chile?
Arica, Chile, being in the southern hemisphere, experiences its winters from May to September and its summers from October to April.
However, it’s interesting to note that the weather and temperature in Arica, Chile, really don’t change very much over the course of the year.
| Arica, Chile | Rainfall | Temperature (F) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | 73.1 |
| February | 0 | 73.8 |
| March | 0 | 72.3 |
| April | 0 | 68.9 |
| May | 0 | 65.8 |
| June | 0 | 63.3 |
| July | 0 | 61.6 |
| August | 0 | 61.7 |
| September | 0 | 62.7 |
| October | 0 | 64.8 |
| November | 0 | 67.3 |
| December | 0 | 70.1 |
| Annual | 0.02 | 67 |
So, even though Arica is in the desert, it actually is neither extremely hot nor freezing cold. You can expect dry, temperate weather all year round!
Because of its weather, Arica is considered an oasis in the desert and is a popular place to live and even a booming tourist destination.
Can Anything Grow in the Atacama Desert?
When it comes to plants, most of us understand that they need at least some rainfall in order to grow! And many people wonder if anything can actually grow with such little rainfall in Arica, Chile, and the Atacama Desert as a whole.
You will probably be surprised to learn that quite a few plants grow in the Atacama Desert! Shrubs, grasses, and annual and perennial plants grow throughout Atacama.
These plants need to be extremely resilient to the lack of water throughout the desert, but they have found a way to grow even with extreme sunlight and low-nutrient soil.
It’s also extremely interesting that Arica, Chile has a thriving agricultural economy and makes much of its money exporting fruits and vegetables!
The bottom line is that even in the driest place on earth, plants can live and thrive as they are so incredibly adaptable to their surroundings.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to finding the driest place on earth with the least rainfall, many people assume that it would be at one of the north or south poles.
However, as you now know, the place in the world where it rains the least is actually Arica, Chile, in the Atacama Desert!
And you now know everything there is to know about the weather in Arica, including why it experiences such little precipitation and why it is actually considered such a wonderful place to live!
If you hate the rain and want to find yourself living in eternal spring with temperate temperatures and beautiful agriculture, you should make your way to Arica, Chile.
