Climate zones in Myanmar, 1991 to 2020
Share of Myanmar's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 829,822 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 663,080 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 54%, C (temperate) 45%, B (arid) 0.9%, D (cold (continental)) 0.4%, E (polar) 0.2%.
Myanmar has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Cwa (humid subtropical with dry winter), covers only 37% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Aw (31%) and Am (23%). 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), 25% 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 Myanmar'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) | 6.2% | 4.1% | Aw +2.2 percentage points | Cwa -2.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 20% | 16% | Aw +9.8 percentage points | Cwa -12.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 25% | 21% | Aw +12.7 percentage points | Cwa -16.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 40% | 32% | Aw +19.2 percentage points | Cwa -26.6 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 | 40% | 37% | 24% | 21% | 11% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 29% | 31% | 41% | 44% | 50% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 22% | 23% | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 8.4% | 7.2% | 5% | 4% | 2.6% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 0.3% | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Dwb Warm-summer continental with dry winter | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| ET Tundra | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | - |
| Dwc Subarctic with dry winter | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Myanmar and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Yangon | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Mandalay | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Nay Pyi Taw | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Hlaingthaya | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
Zones found in Myanmar
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.