Climate zones in Tajikistan, 1991 to 2020
Share of Tajikistan's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 211,634 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 142,137 km²).
By major group: E (polar) 45%, D (cold (continental)) 29%, B (arid) 17%, C (temperate) 8.9%.
Tajikistan has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, ET (tundra), covers only 44% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Dsb (14%) and Dsc (12%). 8 zones each cover 1% or more of it. In plain terms, tundra means too cold for trees; a brief, chilly summer. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 47% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Dsc (subarctic with dry summer).
How Tajikistan'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) | 16% | 8.8% | Csa +4.2 percentage points | ET -2.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 32% | 18% | BSh +4.2 percentage points | ET -9.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 47% | 27% | Dsc +6.3 percentage points | ET -17.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 73% | 46% | Dsc +10.3 percentage points | ET -32.5 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ET Tundra | 47% | 44% | 35% | 27% | 12% |
| Dsb Warm-summer continental with dry summer | 13% | 14% | 16% | 17% | 18% |
| Dsc Subarctic with dry summer | 13% | 12% | 16% | 18% | 22% |
| BSk Cold semi-arid (steppe) | 11% | 11% | 6.7% | 6.3% | 7.9% |
| Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | 4.8% | 8.9% | 12% | 14% | 17% |
| BWk Cold desert | 4.4% | 3.4% | 1.8% | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Dsa Hot-summer continental with dry summer | 4.8% | 2.8% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 4.2% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | - | 2.1% | 6.4% | 7.7% | 9.5% |
| BWh Hot desert | 1% | 0.9% | 0.1% | 1.8% | 3.1% |
| EF Ice cap (frost) | 1.2% | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Dfc Subarctic (boreal) | - | - | 2.9% | 4.2% | 6% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Tajikistan and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Dushanbe | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean |
Zones found in Tajikistan
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was ET. See data sources and licences.