Driest Cities in Iraq

Top 100 cities ranked by driest cities

Driest Cities - Iraq

1 Al Mishkhāb 17 3.1"
2 Najaf 17 3.1"
3 Kufa 17 3.1"
5 Nahiyat Ghammas 04 3.3"
6 Ash Shāmīyah 04 3.4"
7 Karbala 12 3.7"
8 Al Hillah 06 4.0"
10 Al Hindīyah 12 4.1"
11 Nasiriyah 09 4.1"
12 Al Diwaniyah 04 4.3"
13 al-Qasim 06 4.3"
14 Hīt 01 4.4"
15 As Samawah 03 4.4"
16 Ramadi 01 4.5"
17 Al Maḩāwīl 06 4.6"
18 Ar Rumaythah 03 4.6"
19 Ar Ruţbah 01 4.6"
20 Al Musayyib 06 4.7"
22 Al Madīnah 02 4.8"
23 ‘Afak 04 4.8"
24 Umm Qaşr 02 5.0"
25 Ash Shaţrah 09 5.1"
26 Al Fallūjah 01 5.2"
27 Ḩadīthah 01 5.3"
28 Al Qā’im 01 5.3"
30 Qal‘at Sukkar 09 5.5"
31 Az Zubayr 02 5.6"
32 An Nu‘mānīyah 16 5.6"
33 Al Fāw 02 5.7"
34 Al Maḩmūdīyah 07 5.7"
35 Aş Şuwayrah 16 5.7"
36 Abū Ghurayb 07 5.8"
37 Al Qurnah 02 5.8"
38 Al-Kut 16 5.8"
39 Al Ḩayy 16 5.9"
40 Al Hārithah 02 5.9"
41 Basrah 02 5.9"
43 Al ‘Azīzīyah 16 6.2"
44 Balad 18 6.3"
45 ‘Anat al Qadīmah 01 6.3"
46 ‘Anah 01 6.3"
47 Rāwah 01 6.3"
48 Ad Dujayl 18 6.4"
49 Baghdad 07 6.4"
50 Sāmarrā’ 18 6.5"
51 Khāliş 10 7.1"
52 Baqubah 10 7.1"
53 Tikrīt 18 7.3"
54 Al ‘Amārah 14 7.8"
55 Al Ḩaqlānīyah 01 8.2"
56 Al Miqdādīyah 10 8.3"
57 Bayjī 18 8.3"
58 ‘Alī al Gharbī 14 8.5"
59 Abī al Khaşīb 02 9.7"
60 AlZwya 18 10.1"
61 Ţūz Khūrmātū 18 11.1"
62 Mandalī 10 11.5"
63 Tall ‘Afar 15 11.9"
64 Ash Sharqāt 18 12.2"
65 Kifrī 10 12.7"
66 Kelar 05 13.6"
67 Khānaqīn 10 14.0"
68 Kirkuk 13 14.1"
69 Al Ḩawījah 13 15.0"
70 Sinjār 15 15.2"
72 ‘Aynkāwah 11 18.6"
73 Al-Hamdaniya 15 19.8"
74 Mosul 15 21.0"
75 Tallkayf 15 21.0"
76 Ibrāhīm al Khalīl 08 21.5"
77 Ash Shaykhān 15 22.7"
78 Barţalah 15 23.8"
79 Jamjamāl 05 24.7"
80 Erbil 11 25.5"
81 Kays Qal‘ah 15 26.1"
82 Halabja 19 27.6"
83 Sumayl 08 28.3"
84 Koysinceq 11 29.0"
85 Sīnah 08 29.7"
86 Ṟuwandiz 11 29.9"
87 Soran 11 29.9"
88 Dihok 08 30.2"
89 Zaxo 08 30.2"
90 Simele 08 30.2"
91 Sulaymaniyah 05 30.2"
92 Hajiawa 05 30.3"
93 Batifa 08 31.5"
94 Begova 08 31.5"
95 Hetit 08 32.8"
96 ‘Aqrah 15 33.2"
97 Taxe Cheya Azadiye 08 33.4"
98 Baynjiwayn 05 37.7"
99 Qeładizê 05 38.4"
100 Al ‘Amādīyah 08 43.7"

The driest cities in Iraq receive the least annual precipitation, often characterized by arid landscapes and abundant sunshine. Al Mishkhāb receives just 3.1 inches of precipitation annually.

Dry climates offer benefits including more sunny days, less seasonal affective disorder, lower humidity, and reduced mold and allergen concerns. These cities are often located in the desert Southwest or other arid regions with dramatic natural landscapes.

Water management is a critical concern for the driest cities, many of which rely on distant water sources, desalination, or strict conservation measures. As populations grow in these areas, sustainable water use and drought resilience become increasingly important priorities.

Did You Know?

  • 1. Al Mishkhāb gets just 3.1" of precipitation per year - less than many cities get in a single month.
  • 2. Most of the driest cities are in the desert Southwest, where evaporation often exceeds precipitation by a factor of 10 or more.
  • 3. Water conservation is a way of life in these cities, with many implementing xeriscaping requirements and water usage restrictions.

Browse Rankings by Region

Iraq - By Region

Al-Qadisiyah Anbar Babil Basra Diyala Duhok Erbil Nineveh Salah ad Din Sulaymaniyah Wasit

By Country

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belgium Benin Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guadeloupe Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Malta Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of the Congo Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand The Netherlands Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe