Climate zones in Mali, 1991 to 2020
Share of Mali's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 1,535,981 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 1,256,613 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 88%, A (tropical) 12%.
BWh, hot desert, is the main climate of Mali, covering 70% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with BSh (hot semi-arid (steppe)) next at 17%. In plain terms, hot desert means very dry and hot. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 3.6% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to BSh (hot semi-arid (steppe)).
How Mali'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) | 2.9% | 2.2% | BSh +1.6 percentage points | Aw -2.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 2% | 1.4% | BSh +0.9 percentage points | Aw -1.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 3.6% | 2.5% | BSh +1.4 percentage points | Aw -2.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 7.4% | 4.6% | BWh +2.7 percentage points | Aw -4.6 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 | 70% | 70% | 71% | 71% | 73% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 16% | 17% | 18% | 19% | 19% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 14% | 12% | 11% | 9.7% | 7.6% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Mali and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Bamako | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Mali
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.