Climate zones in Somalia, 1991 to 2020
Share of Somalia's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 553,795 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 473,149 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 98%, A (tropical) 2.3%.
BWh, hot desert, is the main climate of Somalia, covering 55% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with BSh (hot semi-arid (steppe)) next at 43%. In plain terms, hot desert means very dry and hot. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 5.1% 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 Somalia'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) | 2.7% | 1.8% | BWh +0.8 percentage points | Aw -0.8 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 5.1% | 1.7% | BSh +4.9 percentage points | BWh -3.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 5.1% | 1.8% | BSh +5 percentage points | BWh -3.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 6% | 2.1% | BSh +6 percentage points | BWh -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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BWh Hot desert | 54% | 55% | 52% | 52% | 51% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 43% | 43% | 47% | 47% | 49% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 3% | 2.3% | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.2% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Somalia and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Mogadishu | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
| Borama | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
Zones found in Somalia
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.