Frank and Joanne with Woggie Visit The World’s Driest Inhabited Continent On Earth

Frank and Joanne with Woggie Visit The World’s Driest Inhabited Continent On Earth

Technically the driest continent on Earth is Antarctica; the continent is however not inhabited by human societies apart from research teams and explorers who at time venture into the vast wilderness. Australia is, therefore, the world’s driest inhabited continent on earth. Australia is also the smallest continent occupying a land mass of about 2.97 million square miles which is about 5% of the Earth’s land mass, as well as the lowest and flattest continent.

Australia’s Climate

The climate in Australia is influenced by the land size and the sinking hot air of subtropical high-pressure belt, which move south and north in tandem with the seasons. The climate varies widely with droughts lasting several months, which is thought to be caused by the El Nino Southern Oscillation. The wide variation in climatic conditions is partly as a result of the geographical size of the continent, and a significant portion of the continent is either semi-arid or desert. Only small portions of the southwest and southeast corners of the continent experience temperate climate and have moderately fertile soils. Towards the northern part of the country have a tropical climate, with some tropical rainforests, deserts, and grasslands lying in between. The climate of the continent is also influenced by ocean currents that affect the dryness of the continent and contribute to the cyclones to the north of Australia, which is produced by seasonal tropical low-pressure systems.

Biodiversity in Australia

The forests in Australia consist typically of evergreen species like the eucalyptus especially in the arid regions, while the wattles are common in the deserts and drier regions. Some of the famous Australian animals are the monotremes, which include the echidna and the platypus and marsupials like the kangaroo, wombat, and koala. Some of the common birds include kookaburra and the emu. Australia is a host to numerous of the world’s most venomous snakes. It is believed that many plants and animals became extinct immediately after human settlement, which includes Australia’s megafauna.