Climate zones in Eswatini, 1991 to 2020
Share of Eswatini's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 22,338 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 17,155 km²).
By major group: C (temperate) 60%, B (arid) 40%.
Eswatini has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, BSh (hot semi-arid (steppe)), covers only 40% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Cwb (32%) and Cwa (28%). 3 zones each cover 1% or more of it. In plain terms, hot semi-arid (steppe) means dry and hot, but with enough rain for grass. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 34% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Cwa (humid subtropical with dry winter).
How Eswatini'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) | 42% | 32% | BSh +32.1 percentage points | Cwa -21.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 18% | 3.7% | Cwa +11.7 percentage points | Cwb -14.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 34% | 11% | Cwa +13.2 percentage points | Cwb -23.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 57% | 27% | Aw +14.1 percentage points | Cwb -31.2 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 8.3% | 40% | 43% | 46% | 53% |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 42% | 32% | 17% | 7.9% | 0.4% |
| Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | 50% | 28% | 40% | 41% | 32% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | - | - | 0.2% | 4.6% | 14% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in Eswatini
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Cwa. See data sources and licences.