Climate zones in Laos, 1991 to 2020
Share of Laos's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 281,195 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 228,812 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 57%, C (temperate) 43%.
Laos has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Cwa (humid subtropical with dry winter), covers only 38% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Aw (36%) and Am (21%). 4 zones each cover 1% or more of it. In plain terms, humid subtropical with dry winter means hot, wet summers and dry, mild winters. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 29% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Aw (tropical savannah). The most common zone would then be Aw (tropical savannah).
How Laos'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) | 13% | 8.3% | Am +4.4 percentage points | Cwa -5.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 24% | 17% | Aw +10.6 percentage points | Cwa -13.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 29% | 22% | Aw +14.6 percentage points | Cwa -17.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 41% | 34% | Aw +23.3 percentage points | Cwa -29.3 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | 44% | 38% | 25% | 21% | 8.7% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 32% | 36% | 46% | 50% | 59% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 17% | 21% | 28% | 28% | 32% |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 7% | 4.9% | 1.1% | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | 0.4% | 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 Laos and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Vientiane | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Laos
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Cwa. See data sources and licences.