Climate zones in Central African Republic, 1991 to 2020
Share of Central African Republic's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 727,893 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 620,649 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 98%, B (arid) 1.8%.
Almost all of Central African Republic is one climate: Aw, tropical savannah, which covers 97% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020. In plain terms, tropical savannah means hot all year, with a clear dry season. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 1.2% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Am (tropical monsoon).
How Central African Republic's zones have changed and may change
Each row compares a map with 1991 to 2020. "Share in a different zone" is the share of the country's area whose class is different from 1991 to 2020. Future rows are model projections under an emissions scenario, not forecasts.
| Map | Share in a different zone | Different major group | Biggest gain | Biggest loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 to 1930 (past) | 1.8% | 0.6% | BSh +0.6 percentage points | Am -1.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 1% | 0.4% | Am +0.3 percentage points | Aw -0.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 1.2% | 0.4% | Am +0.7 percentage points | BSh -0.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 3.5% | 1.8% | Am +1.7 percentage points | BSh -1.8 percentage points |
For the past row, the comparison runs the other way: the 1901 to 1930 map against 1991 to 2020.
Zone shares by map
| Zone | 1901 to 1930 | 1991 to 2020 | SSP1-2.6 (2071 to 2099) | SSP2-4.5 (2071 to 2099) | SSP5-8.5 (2071 to 2099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aw Tropical savannah | 97% | 97% | 97% | 97% | 97% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 1.2% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.4% | - |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 2% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 2.6% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Central African Republic and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Bangui | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Central African Republic
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Aw. See data sources and licences.