Climate zones in Kazakhstan, 1991 to 2020
Share of Kazakhstan's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 4,731,877 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 2,706,262 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 58%, D (cold (continental)) 42%, E (polar) 0.7%, C (temperate) 0.2%.
Kazakhstan has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, BSk (cold semi-arid (steppe)), covers only 35% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Dfb (31%) and BWk (22%). 6 zones each cover 1% or more of it. In plain terms, cold semi-arid (steppe) means dry grassland with cool or cold conditions. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 41% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Dfa (hot-summer humid continental).
How Kazakhstan'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) | 14% | 6.2% | BWk +3.5 percentage points | Dfb -2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 29% | 4.8% | Dfa +16.5 percentage points | Dfb -17.8 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 41% | 8.2% | Dfa +20.8 percentage points | Dfb -25.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 55% | 21% | Dfa +11.9 percentage points | Dfb -29.1 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSk Cold semi-arid (steppe) | 36% | 35% | 37% | 38% | 42% |
| Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | 33% | 31% | 13% | 4.8% | 1.5% |
| BWk Cold desert | 19% | 22% | 23% | 25% | 31% |
| Dfa Hot-summer humid continental | 7.8% | 7% | 24% | 28% | 19% |
| Dfc Subarctic (boreal) | 2.5% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Dsa Hot-summer continental with dry summer | 1.3% | 1.6% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.6% |
| ET Tundra | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Dsb Warm-summer continental with dry summer | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | - | 0.2% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1% |
| Dsc Subarctic with dry summer | 0.1% | 0.1% | - | - | - |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | - | - | - | 0.1% | 1.4% |
| BWh Hot desert | - | - | - | - | 1% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Kazakhstan and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Almaty | Dfa Hot-summer humid continental | Dfa Hot-summer humid continental |
| Astana | Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | Dfa Hot-summer humid continental |
| Shymkent | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean |
Zones found in Kazakhstan
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was BSk. See data sources and licences.