Climate zones in Kiribati, 1991 to 2020
Share of Kiribati's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 525 map cells used cover 48% of the country's outline (about 450 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 100%.
Aw, tropical savannah, is the main climate of Kiribati, covering 79% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Af (tropical rainforest) next at 20%. In plain terms, tropical savannah means hot all year, with a clear dry season. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 68% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Af (tropical rainforest). The most common zone would then be Af (tropical rainforest).
How Kiribati'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) | 0.6% | 0% | Am +0.6 percentage points | Aw -0.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 54% | 0% | Af +35.6 percentage points | Aw -51.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 68% | 0% | Af +45.5 percentage points | Aw -65 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 77% | 0% | Af +52.8 percentage points | Aw -74.3 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 | 79% | 79% | 28% | 14% | 4.4% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 20% | 20% | 55% | 65% | 72% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 1.1% | 1.7% | 17% | 21% | 23% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in Kiribati
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.