Climate zones in Paraguay, 1991 to 2020
Share of Paraguay's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 508,367 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 400,857 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 45%, C (temperate) 33%, B (arid) 22%.
Paraguay has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Aw (tropical savannah), covers only 36% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Cfa (33%) and BSh (22%). 4 zones each cover 1% or more of it. In plain terms, tropical savannah means hot all year, with a clear dry season. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 32% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Af (tropical rainforest).
How Paraguay'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) | 8% | 6% | Am +3.6 percentage points | Aw -3.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 19% | 18% | BSh +4.3 percentage points | Cfa -12 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 32% | 30% | Af +8.1 percentage points | Cfa -22.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 43% | 41% | Am +12.8 percentage points | Cfa -32.5 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aw Tropical savannah | 40% | 36% | 38% | 38% | 37% |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | 35% | 33% | 21% | 9.7% | - |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 20% | 22% | 27% | 28% | 29% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 4.3% | 7.9% | 12% | 16% | 21% |
| Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | 0.7% | 0.5% | - | - | - |
| Af Tropical rainforest | - | 0.5% | 3.1% | 8.6% | 13% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Paraguay and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Asunción | Cfa Humid subtropical | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Paraguay
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.