Climate zones in Burkina Faso, 1991 to 2020
Share of Burkina Faso's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 326,480 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 273,865 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 55%, A (tropical) 45%.
BSh, hot semi-arid (steppe), is the main climate of Burkina Faso, covering 52% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Aw (tropical savannah) next at 45%. In plain terms, hot semi-arid (steppe) means dry and hot, but with enough rain for grass. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 3.5% 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 Burkina Faso'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) | 4.5% | 3.5% | Aw +1.2 percentage points | BWh -1 percentage point |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 5.2% | 4.8% | BSh +4.5 percentage points | Aw -4.8 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 3.5% | 3.2% | BSh +1.7 percentage points | Aw -1.8 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 5.1% | 4.8% | BSh +1.4 percentage points | Aw -1.4 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 52% | 52% | 56% | 54% | 53% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 44% | 45% | 40% | 43% | 43% |
| BWh Hot desert | 4.3% | 3.3% | 3.6% | 3.4% | 3.3% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Burkina Faso and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Ouagadougou | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
| Bobo-Dioulasso | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Burkina Faso
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was BSh. See data sources and licences.