About McMurdo Dry Valleys: The Dry Valleys are almost the only part of Antarctica with no snow or ice cover. Powerful katabatic winds roar downhill and dry the land completely. NASA tests Mars equipment here because it is so cold, dry and lifeless. It is a desert made of rock and cold, not sand and heat

Location: Victoria Land, Antarctica · Country: Antarctica · Yearly Rain: Almost none · Why So Dry: Fierce, dry winds blow away any snow before it can build up · Temperature: Bitterly cold, around −20°C on average · Nature: Bare rock and gravel with almost no ice very rare for Antarctica · Notable Feature: Scientists study it because it is a bit like the surface of Mars · World Rank: The driest place on Earth overall