South America

map of south america

The title of the driest place on earth goes to Arica, in Chile, which gets just 0.03 inches of rain per year. At that rate, it would take a century to fill a coffee cup. Arica is located at the northern tip of Chile on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It is blessed with a mild, dry climate and waters warm enough for swimming, making it a popular, year-round beach resort. The wettest place? Lloro, Colombia averages 523.6 inches of rainfall a year, or more than 40 feet.