Climate zones in Gambia, 1991 to 2020
Share of Gambia's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 12,390 map cells used cover 98% of the country's outline (about 10,347 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 72%, A (tropical) 28%.
BSh, hot semi-arid (steppe), is the main climate of Gambia, covering 72% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Aw (tropical savannah) next at 28%. 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), 13% 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 Gambia'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) | 24% | 24% | BSh +24.2 percentage points | Aw -24.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 2.9% | 2.9% | BSh +2.6 percentage points | Aw -2.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 13% | 13% | BSh +12.8 percentage points | Aw -12.8 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 27% | 27% | BSh +27 percentage points | Aw -27 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) | 48% | 72% | 75% | 85% | 99% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 52% | 28% | 25% | 15% | 0.7% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in Gambia
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.