The world has several climatic zones but geographer defined the climatic region is based on maximum and minimum temperatures and the temperature range as well as the total and seasonal distribution of precipitation for better understanding.
Major Climatic Regions of the world
The major climatic regions of the world are discussed below:
1. Equatorial Climatic Region (100 N to 100 S)
It is found between 5° and 10° north and south of the equator. This region gets heavy precipitation which is between 150 cm/year. Due to the great heat, the mornings are bright and sunny and evening receive convectional rainfall. Thunder lightning often accompanies the torrential showers. This region is well known for natural rubber called hevea brasiliensis. Amazon basin (South America), Zaire Basin (Africa) especially in western part, and South East Asia (mainly islands) are three well defined regions of this category.
2. The Savana or Sudan Climate (100 to 200 N and S)
It is a transitional type of climate found between the equatorial forests and the trade wind hot deserts. It is confined within the tropics and is best developed in the Sudan where the dry and wet seasons are most distinct, hence its name the Sudan Climate. This climate is characterised by an alternate hot, rainy season and cool, dry season.
The prevailing winds of the region are the Trade Winds, which bring rain to the coastal districts. Savanna is grasslands of tropical zone. They are known as natural Zoo of the World. Llanos and Campos in South America; Kano and Salisbury region in Africa; Northern and Central part of Australia are the important region of this category.
3. The Hot Desert and Mid-Latitude Desert Climate (200 to 300 N and S)
The aridity of hot desert is mainly due to the effects of off-shore trade winds; hence they are also called trade wind deserts. Sahara (Africa) is the biggest desert and the next biggest is Great Australian desert. It is found between 200 to 300 N and S. Hot deserts: Sahara, Australia, Arabian, Iranian, Thar, Kalahari, Namib, Nubian, Mohave (USA), Atacama etc. Cold Desert: Patagonia, Turkestan, Gobi etc.
Why most of the world’s tropical deserts located on the Western margins of continents?
4. The Warm Temperate Western Margin or Mediterranean Climate (300 to 400 N and S)
It is a climate that has dry summers that are hot or warm as well as winters that are cool or mild with moderate or high rainfall. It includes the climate of much of the land near the Mediterranean Sea. Outside the Mediterranean, one can find this climate only in rather small areas. It is found in many places that are roughly between latitudes 30° to 40° north and south of the equator.
Important Regions are: Coastal region of Mediterranean Sea; Southern Tips of South-west Africa near Cape Town; Southern Australian (in southern Victoria and around Adelaide, bordering the St. Vincent and Spencer Gulfs); South West Australia (Swanland); California around San Francisco; Central Chile in South America.
This region is famous for orchard farming e.g. Citrus and fibrous fruits.
List of Famous Local Winds of the World
5. Temperate Grasslands or Steppe Climate (400 to 550 N and S)
It is dry lands due to their position in land masses away from oceanic influences. It is characterised by meagre and unreliable precipitation. The annual range of temperature and rainfall is 13°C and 30 cm. The sub-regions of this climatic region are known by different names in different regions: Steppes (Eurasia); Pustaz (Hungary); Prairies (USA); Pampas (South America- Argentina and Uruguay); Velds (South Africa); Downs (Australia-Murray-Darling basin of southern Australia); Canterbury (New Zealand).
6. Cool Temperate Continental or Taiga or Siberian Climate (550 to 700 N and S)
It is characterised by a bitterly cold winter of long duration and a cool brief summer. The average rainfall is 35-60 cm which is quite well distributed through one year with maximum rainfall in summer. This type of climate is experienced in northern hemisphere only because there is no land mass in southern hemisphere.
Important regions: Alaska across Canada into Labrador and high Rocky Mountains; Moscow and adjoining belt in Siberia; Central Europe.
7. The Arctic or Polar or Tundra Climate (700 to 900 N and S)
It is among Earth's coldest, harshest biomes. The ecosystems of this climatic region are treeless regions found in the Arctic and on the tops of mountains, where the climate is cold and windy and rainfall is scant. The lands of this region are snow-covered for much of the year, until summer brings a burst of wildflowers.
8. The Tropical Monsoon and Tropical marine Climate
It is also known as a tropical wet climate or trade-wind littoral climate. It is a tropical climate that is primarily influenced by the ocean. It is usually experienced by islands and coastal areas 10° to 20° north and south of the equator. There are two main seasons in a tropical marine climate: the wet season and the dry season. The annual rainfall is 1000 to over 1500 mm (39 to 59 inches). The temperature ranges from 20 °C to 35 °C (68 ° to 95 °F). The trade winds blow all year round and are moist, as they pass over warm seas. These climatic conditions are found, for example, across the Caribbean; the eastern coasts of Brazil, Madagascar and Queensland; and many islands in tropical waters.
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