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🏜️ McMurdo Dry Valleys

Earth Sciences Antarctica

🏜️ McMurdo Dry Valleys
The world's largest polar desert in Antarctica


🕐 2 min read · Updated 2 Apr 2026 at 20:35
📌 Fast Facts
  • Located in Victoria Land, west of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
  • One of Earth's driest places; no precipitation recorded for nearly 2 million years
  • Extreme environment with permafrost, endolithic bacteria, and minimal visible life
  • Contains Lake Vida and the Onyx River, Antarctica's longest river

The McMurdo Dry Valleys comprise a series of largely snow-free valleys in Antarctica's Victoria Land, positioned west of ...

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