Climate zones in Colombia, 1991 to 2020
Share of Colombia's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 1,330,792 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 1,138,139 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 87%, C (temperate) 10%, E (polar) 1.6%, B (arid) 0.8%.
Af, tropical rainforest, is the main climate of Colombia, covering 53% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Am (tropical monsoon) next at 26%. In plain terms, tropical rainforest means hot, wet and green every month of the year. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 7.8% 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 Colombia'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) | 6.1% | 1.4% | Af +1.1 percentage points | Cfb -0.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 5.9% | 2.1% | Am +1.8 percentage points | Cfb -0.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 7.8% | 3.7% | Am +1.9 percentage points | Cfb -1.3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 12% | 6.2% | Af +2.4 percentage points | Cfb -2.7 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Af Tropical rainforest | 52% | 53% | 53% | 54% | 56% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 26% | 26% | 28% | 28% | 28% |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 9.4% | 8.5% | 7.8% | 7.2% | 5.8% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 8.1% | 8% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 8.8% |
| ET Tundra | 2% | 1.6% | 1.1% | 0.7% | 0.2% |
| Csb Warm-summer Mediterranean | 1% | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| BWh Hot desert | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Colombia and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Bogotá | Cfb Temperate oceanic | Cfb Temperate oceanic |
| Cali | Aw Tropical savannah | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Medellín | Af Tropical rainforest | Af Tropical rainforest |
| Barranquilla | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Kennedy | Cfb Temperate oceanic | Cfb Temperate oceanic |
| Cartagena | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Cúcuta | Af Tropical rainforest | Af Tropical rainforest |
| Soacha | Cfb Temperate oceanic | Cfb Temperate oceanic |
Zones found in Colombia
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Af. See data sources and licences.