what is the driest place on the planet?

Answer 1

Depending on who you want to believe the driest spot on the planet is:

(i) Atacoma desert in Chile
Cited by the US Geological Survey

http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Driest-Place-on-Earth-Atacama-Desert-55456.shtml

This is the best known answer.

(ii) Lut desert in eastern Iran
Cited by Encyclopaedia Britannica

http://www.wonderquest.com/DesertDriest.htm

(iii) The Dry Valleys in Antarctica

http://www.flex.net/~lonestar/coldest.htm

Answer 2

Atacama Desert - Location: The Pacific Coast of Chile in South America, between Arica and Antofagasta. Facts: These incredibly dry mountains see an average of less than .004 inches precipitation each year. Antarctica can be dry but it is no comparison to Atacama. Not even a contender.
Fun fact:
This is one of the reasons why the Amazon basin and river are the largest anywhere in the world. The mountains that are responsible for collecting all the rainfall, and cause the Amazon to be the largest river in the world are also the same reason the Atacama doesn't ever receive any rainfall. The driest and one of the wettest places in the world are right next to each other!

Answer 3

I'm fairly sure Antarctica is the largest and driest desert in the world.

Answer 4

Antarctica; specifically the Dry Valleys. Humidity there is as low as 2%. By comparison in warm deserts like the Sahara it's typically 40%.

Answer 5

Atacama desert in Chile of South America.Rainfall is barely measurale here even though it lies adjacent to pacific coast.It lies between The Andes Mountains and the Pacific ocean.Tropic of capricon runs through this desert.

Answer 6

McMurdo Dry Valleys lies in Antarctica

Answer 7

Joel G hit the nail on the head

Answer 8

Death Valley, quite appropriately named since without water nothing can exist

Answer 9

PROBABLY THE DEAD SEA... IF EVERYTHING IS DEAD DON'T YOU THINK THE CLIMATE IS VERY DRY?