What is the wettest place on Earth?

Measured by the amount of rainfall, the wettest place on Earth is in India. It is the village of Mawsynram, in the state of Meghalaya. It really pours there. They get an average of 11,872 millimetres of rain per year. That’s almost 12 metres – vastly more than the average amount that falls in the Netherlands. Here, we don’t even get 1 metre per year.

Top year
Mawsynram’s 12-metre annual rainfall is an average. So, in some years, they get a lot more rain than that. In that respect, 1985 was a record year – they had 26 metres of rain! This huge amount of rain means the village’s inhabitants have their hands full trying to maintain their bridges and roads.

There’s drought, too
Most of the rain falls in the rainy season, from May to October. During that period, the residents have to wear a kind of umbrella-hat whenever they go outside. These hats, which are known as knups, are made from bamboo and banana leaves. There is also a dry period. From December to February, Mawsynram gets almost no rain at all. At these times, there is hardly any drinking water at all.