Mexico's Driest Region: The Northern Deserts

The northern states of Mexico—Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and parts of San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas—form the country's driest region. Annual rainfall in some areas is less than 250 mm (10 inches). This arid zone includes the Sonoran Desert, one of North America's hottest and driest deserts. Low precipitation, high evaporation, and sparse vegetation make settlement challenging, resulting in relatively low population density compared to central and southern Mexico.