The six continents of the Earth are absolutely different from each other. For example, in Eurasia - the most diverse climatic conditions in the world. According to the climate, one can single out the hottest continent - Africa, the coldest - Antarctica. The wettest continent is South America. But Australia is the driest continent on Earth.
Reasons for low rainfall
Australia is almost bisected by the southern tropic. This means that tropical air prevails here. In most of the mainland, dry and hot tropical masses persist throughout the year, so there is very little rainfall. Above the tropics in both hemispheres of the Earth, areas of high atmospheric pressure are formed. In them, the air sinks and becomes drier, resulting in constant clear weather and almost no precipitation.
Most of Australia receives no more than 250 mm of precipitation per year. This is several times less than in the Moscow region. And given that the climate of Australia is much warmer, you can understand that the dryness of the air heremuch more than ours.
There is another reason why this is the driest continent on Earth. These are mountains in the east of the continent. In Australia, there are trade winds - winds blowing from the tropics to the equator. They are directed from the Pacific Ocean to the mainland. Encountering mountains on their way, air masses rise up the slope, pouring rain on the east coast. And in the interior, the air comes already dried up and does not give precipitation.
Consequences of dry climate
As a result of the arid climate, the predominant part of Australia has deserts and semi-deserts. The most famous are the Great Victoria Desert, Great Sandy, Gibson, Simpson. And in the area of Lake Eyre, nicknamed the "dead heart of Australia", precipitation does not exceed 125 mm. And the relative humidity here is no more than 20-30%.
There are few rivers in Australia. They mainly originate from the Great Dividing Range. The largest is the Murray with its main tributary, the Darling. But there are rivers in the north of the mainland, where the subequatorial climate dominates.
Flora and fauna of the driest continent on Earth
In such conditions, only adapted species of plants and animals that can withstand the dryness of the climate survive. In eucalyptus trees, dense leaves turn edge to the sun's rays to reduce evaporation. And long roots can extract water from a depth of tens of meters. There are also dwarf species of eucalyptus, and tall trees. The thickets of this plant are dangerous with frequent fires, since the essential oils contained inleaves, ignite easily in hot and dry conditions.
In the deserts, cereals (spinifex) and shrubs are also common - acacia, various s altworts, quinoa. Introduced in the 20th century, prickly pear cactus quickly spread and became a noxious weed.
Of the inhabitants of the desert, the most interesting is the Moloch - a small lizard, all covered with growths and spikes. It is able to absorb moisture from the entire surface of the skin. Other animals include various birds that feed on seeds of cereals, reptiles and insects.
Which continent is the driest?
Strange question, right? But it's all about how to determine the driest continent on Earth.
If you take the driest place in the world, South America pulls ahead. Here, in the coastal Atacama Desert, there is no rainfall for years. Fog associated with the cold Peruvian current is practically the only source of moisture.
In terms of average rainfall, Antarctica can also be attributed to the driest continents. Most of its precipitation is no more than 100 mm per year, and they fall in the form of "diamond dust" - small ice needles. But due to the exceptionally cold climate, snow accumulates, forming an ice sheet on the mainland.
But among the places inhabited by man, the driest continent on Earth is Australia. Large reserves of groundwater, which are used both for irrigation and for watering pastures, help out here.
