Climate zones in South Sudan, 1991 to 2020
Share of South Sudan's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 739,501 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 629,514 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 96%, B (arid) 4.1%, C (temperate) 0.2%.
Almost all of South Sudan is one climate: Aw, tropical savannah, which covers 96% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020. In plain terms, tropical savannah means hot all year, with a clear dry season. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 1.2% 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 South Sudan'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) | 1.7% | 1.6% | Aw +0.8 percentage points | BSh -0.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 0.9% | 0.9% | Aw +0.1 percentage points | Csb -0.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 1.2% | 1.2% | Aw +0.3 percentage points | BSh -0.3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 2.2% | 2.1% | Aw +1.5 percentage points | BSh -1.6 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aw Tropical savannah | 95% | 96% | 96% | 96% | 97% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 4.8% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 3.8% | 2.5% |
| Csb Warm-summer Mediterranean | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | - |
| Am Tropical monsoon | - | - | - | - | 0.2% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in South Sudan
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Aw. See data sources and licences.