Why is Australia one of the driest continents?

Answer 1

Australia has a compact shape and no significant bodies of water penetrate very far inland. This is important because it means that moist winds are prevented from penetrating to inland Australia, keeping rainfall low and dryness up.

Answer 2

Australia is the world's second driest continent (but the driest inhabited continent). Antarctica is the world's driest continent.

The great majority of the land mass of Australia is either arid or semi-arid, there is very little surface water, the rain fall is low and, in comparison to other continents, there are fewer rivers that actually run other than immediately after heavy rain. Inland New South Wales and Victoria are well serviced by rivers, but little rainfall.

Along the eastern side of the continent runs the Great Dividing Range, from the north right down to western Victoria. The tendency is for rain-bearing clouds to be stopped by these mountains, preventing as much rainfall from penetrating inland.

Because Antarctica is a "polar" region, there is no precipitation, it has no lakes or rivers and is in fact the driest continent. The interior of Antarctica is considered the world's driest desert because the extreme cold freezes water vapour out of the air.

Answer 3

The reason why Australia is known as the dry continent is becuase most of it is desert (Especially in the centre of the country). And Australia lies in an area dominated by pressure for most of the year so thats probably why there is alot of drought.

Answer 4

No.

the driest continent on Earth is Antarctica.

Answer 5

No, Antarctica is the driest continent.