Climate zones in Niger, 1991 to 2020
Share of Niger's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 1,448,213 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 1,185,126 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 100%.
Almost all of Niger is one climate: BWh, hot desert, which covers 93% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020. In plain terms, hot desert means very dry and hot. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 1.7% 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 Niger'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) | 1.6% | 0% | BWh +1.4 percentage points | BSh -1.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 0.5% | 0% | BSh +0.2 percentage points | BWh -0.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 1.7% | 0% | BSh +1.7 percentage points | BWh -1.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 3.3% | 0% | BSh +3.3 percentage points | BWh -3.3 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BWh Hot desert | 92% | 93% | 93% | 92% | 90% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 8.2% | 6.8% | 7% | 8.4% | 10% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Niger and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Niamey | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
Zones found in Niger
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.