Climate zones in Mauritius, 1991 to 2020
Share of Mauritius's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 2,391 map cells used cover 95% of the country's outline (about 1,926 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 97%, C (temperate) 2.7%.
Am, tropical monsoon, is the main climate of Mauritius, covering 51% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Af (tropical rainforest) next at 39%. In plain terms, tropical monsoon means hot all year, with a very wet season and a short dry spell. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 52% 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 Mauritius'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) | 36% | 6% | Af +28.9 percentage points | Am -18.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 45% | 2.7% | Am +25.7 percentage points | Af -31.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 52% | 2.7% | Am +32.4 percentage points | Af -39.3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 58% | 2.7% | Am +26 percentage points | Af -39.3 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Am Tropical monsoon | 69% | 51% | 77% | 83% | 77% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 10% | 39% | 8% | - | - |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 12% | 7.2% | 15% | 17% | 23% |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | 8.7% | 2.7% | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in Mauritius
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Am. See data sources and licences.