Climate zones in Liberia, 1991 to 2020
Share of Liberia's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 112,113 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 95,641 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 100%.
Am, tropical monsoon, is the main climate of Liberia, covering 76% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Af (tropical rainforest) next at 15%. In plain terms, tropical monsoon means hot all year, with a very wet season and a short dry spell. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 7.6% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Aw (tropical savannah).
How Liberia'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) | 5.7% | 0% | Aw +5.3 percentage points | Am -5.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 4.6% | 0% | Aw +1 percentage point | Af -1.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 7.6% | 0% | Aw +5.1 percentage points | Am -3.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 12% | 0% | Aw +8.9 percentage points | Am -6.4 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Am Tropical monsoon | 81% | 76% | 77% | 73% | 70% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 15% | 15% | 14% | 13% | 13% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 3.4% | 8.7% | 9.7% | 14% | 18% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Liberia and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Monrovia | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
Zones found in Liberia
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Am. See data sources and licences.
