Climate zones in Chad, 1991 to 2020
Share of Chad's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 1,538,043 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 1,270,734 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 84%, A (tropical) 16%.
BWh, hot desert, is the main climate of Chad, covering 67% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with BSh (hot semi-arid (steppe)) next at 17%. In plain terms, hot desert means very dry and hot. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 3.2% 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 Chad'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) | 3.1% | 1.7% | BSh +1.1 percentage points | Aw -1.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 1.8% | 0.7% | BSh +0.5 percentage points | BWh -0.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 3.2% | 1.2% | Aw +1.2 percentage points | BWh -1.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 7.7% | 4.2% | Aw +4.2 percentage points | BWh -2.3 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 | 66% | 67% | 66% | 66% | 64% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 16% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 15% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 18% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 20% |
| BWk Cold desert | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.2% | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Chad and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| N'Djamena | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
Zones found in Chad
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.