What is the largest country in the world with no permanent rivers?

The largest country in the world with no permanent rivers is Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has seasonal watercourses called wadis, but no naturally flowing river that carries water year-round.

Saudi Arabia covers about 2.15 million square kilometres, making it by far the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula and the largest sovereign state without a permanent natural river. Its interior is dominated by deserts, including the Rubʿ al-Khālī, or Empty Quarter, one of the world’s largest sand deserts.

Rainfall is generally scarce and highly seasonal. When storms arrive, water can rush through dry channels, producing temporary streams and flash floods. These wadis may support groundwater recharge and settlements, but they do not behave like permanent rivers. Saudi Arabia instead relies heavily on groundwater, desalination, reservoirs and water-transfer infrastructure.

The wording “no rivers” can cause confusion because Saudi Arabia certainly has drainage channels and occasional flowing water. The key distinction is permanence. Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates also lack permanent rivers, but each is much smaller than Saudi Arabia.