The global hydrologic cycle in the Los Alamos general circulation model (GCM) is compared to available global observations. Global observations of the water vapor, water-vapor flux and water-vapor flux divergence derived from the National Meteorological Center's final analysis for the period 1986--1989. The new precipitation data set of Legates and Willmott (1990) is used for the global precipitation observations. Global evaporation is derived as a residual of the precipitation and water-vapor flux divergence. There are a number of similarities as well as discrepancies between the GCM and observations. The large-scale nondivergent GCM circulations are remarkably similar to the observed circulations; the large-scale GCM precipitation and evaporation patterns are also qualitatively similar to observations. Discrepancies are mainly quantitative and small-scale in nature: the GCM atmosphere is relatively dry which results in a slightly greater evaporation and precipitation rate than is observed; the GCM South Pacific convergence zone is displaced too far to the northwest. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1992