Climate zones in Cameroon, 1991 to 2020
Share of Cameroon's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 546,095 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 466,155 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 93%, B (arid) 5.2%, C (temperate) 1.9%.
Aw, tropical savannah, is the main climate of Cameroon, covering 72% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Am (tropical monsoon) next at 20%. In plain terms, tropical savannah means hot all year, with a clear dry season. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 4.9% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Am (tropical monsoon).
How Cameroon'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) | 17% | 0.8% | Aw +14.6 percentage points | Am -13.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 4.4% | 1.4% | Am +2.1 percentage points | Aw -1 percentage point |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 4.9% | 1.6% | Am +2.5 percentage points | Csb -1.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 6.7% | 2.6% | Am +3.9 percentage points | Csb -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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aw Tropical savannah | 57% | 72% | 71% | 71% | 71% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 34% | 20% | 22% | 22% | 24% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 4.3% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 4% |
| Csb Warm-summer Mediterranean | 1.8% | 1.6% | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 1.9% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.4% |
| BWh Hot desert | 0.9% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% | - |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 0.1% | - | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Cameroon and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Douala | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Yaoundé | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Cameroon
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.