Climate zones in North Korea, 1991 to 2020
Share of North Korea's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 185,549 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 121,744 km²).
By major group: D (cold (continental)) 100%, C (temperate) 0.1%.
Dwa, hot-summer continental with dry winter, is the main climate of North Korea, covering 50% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Dwb (warm-summer continental with dry winter) next at 42%. In plain terms, hot-summer continental with dry winter means hot, wet summers and cold, dry winters. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 31% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Dwa (hot-summer continental with dry winter).
How North Korea'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) | 11% | 0.1% | Dwa +4.6 percentage points | Dwc -4.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 22% | 0.5% | Dwa +14.9 percentage points | Dwb -12.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 31% | 1.8% | Dwa +19.6 percentage points | Dwb -17.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 57% | 14% | Dwa +20.2 percentage points | Dwb -29.8 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | 46% | 50% | 65% | 70% | 71% |
| Dwb Warm-summer continental with dry winter | 42% | 42% | 30% | 25% | 12% |
| Dwc Subarctic with dry winter | 10% | 5.8% | 1.7% | 0.6% | - |
| Dfa Hot-summer humid continental | 1.1% | 1% | 2.2% | 2.6% | 2.7% |
| Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | 1.5% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.1% | - |
| Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | - | 0.1% | 0.5% | 1.7% | 13% |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | - | - | 0.1% | 0.2% | 1.5% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in North Korea and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Pyongyang | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter |
Zones found in North Korea
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Dwa. See data sources and licences.