Climate zones in Iraq, 1991 to 2020
Share of Iraq's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 608,257 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 437,545 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 89%, C (temperate) 10%, D (cold (continental)) 1%.
BWh, hot desert, is the main climate of Iraq, covering 79% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Csa (hot-summer mediterranean) next at 10%. In plain terms, hot desert means very dry and hot. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 4.9% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to BWh (hot desert).
How Iraq'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) | 6.2% | 1.5% | BWh +4.1 percentage points | BWk -2.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 2.5% | 1.4% | BSh +0.4 percentage points | Csa -0.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 4.9% | 2.5% | BWh +2.1 percentage points | Csa -1.3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 8.1% | 3.8% | BWh +4.2 percentage points | Csa -2.1 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BWh Hot desert | 75% | 79% | 79% | 81% | 83% |
| Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | 10% | 10% | 9.9% | 9.1% | 8.3% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 10% | 9.8% | 10% | 9.6% | 8.6% |
| Dsa Hot-summer continental with dry summer | 1.7% | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Dsb Warm-summer continental with dry summer | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | - | - |
| BWk Cold desert | 2.9% | - | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Iraq and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Baghdad | BWh Hot desert | BWh Hot desert |
| Al Mawşil al Jadīdah | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
| Mosul | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
| Erbil | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean |
| Basrah | BWh Hot desert | BWh Hot desert |
| Karbala | BWh Hot desert | BWh Hot desert |
| Sadr City | BWh Hot desert | BWh Hot desert |
| Kirkuk | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
| Abū Ghurayb | BWh Hot desert | BWh Hot desert |
| Sulaymaniyah | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean |
Zones found in Iraq
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was BWh. See data sources and licences.