This document describes 12 major world climate regions defined by temperature and precipitation patterns: 1) Tropical Wet, 2) Tropical Wet & Dry, 3) Arid, 4) Semiarid, 5) Marine West Coast, 6) Mediterranean, 7) Humid Subtropical, 8) Humid Continental, 9) Subarctic, 10) Ice Cap, 11) Tundra, 12) Highlands. Each climate region is characterized by distinct temperature and precipitation levels that support unique biomes and human activities.

2. World Climate Regions
1. Tropical Wet
2. Tropical Wet & Dry
3. Arid (Desert)
4. Semiarid
5. Marine West Coast
6. Mediterranean
7. Humid Subtropical
8. Humid Continental
9. Subarctic
10. Ice Cap
11. Tundra
12. Highlands

3. • Little variation in temperature over the year.
• It is always hot with a daily average temperature of
80 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Rains on a daily basis and yearly average rainfall
is usually more than 80 inches.
• Found in Central and South America, as well as
Africa, South Asia (India), Southeast Asia and
Indonesia .
• Associated with Rainforests and Jungles.
• Found along the Equator or areas close to the

4. • This sub region has a rainy season in the summer and
a dry season in winter.
• Temperatures are cooler in the dry season.
• Yearly rainfall is less than a Tropical Humid Climate.
• Tropical Wet & Dry climates are found next to
tropical humid climates in Africa, South & Central
America, and parts of Asia.
• Instead of rainforests, there are tropical grasslands
called savannas.

5. • Deserts are categorized by the amount annual
rainfall received.
• Deserts receive less than 10 inches of rainfall
per year.
• Hot deserts (Sahara) have low humidity and
high temperatures during the day. At night the
temperature falls because the dry air cannot
hold heat well.

6. This sub-region does not receive much
precipitation at all – Usually about 16 inches per
year.
Summers are hot and winters are mild to cold.
This climate is located in the interior of continents,
or in a zone around deserts.
Much of the American west falls into this climate
type.

7. • Located close to the oceans and is frequently
cloudy, foggy, and damp.
• Warm ocean waters off the coast moderates and
keeps temperatures relatively constant throughout
the year.
• Precipitation is evenly distributed
throughout the year.
• Rains a lot throughout the year.
• Because of heavy precipitation, thick forests of tall
trees grow in this region.

8. • Primarily found surrounding the
Mediterranean Sea.
• Summers are dry and hot while winters
are cool and rainy.
• Supports a dense human population and
rich agricultural activity.
• Many of the first great human
civilizations thrived in this climate.

9. • Long periods of heat and humidity characterize this
climate region.
• These areas are found on the east coast of
continents and are often subject to hurricanes in
late summer and autumn.
• Winters are mild to cool, depending on latitude.
• Very suitable for raising crops, (rice).
• Summers are hot, with much more rainfall than in
winter.
• Winters are cool to mild, with more rain than snow.

10. • This climate region experiences a variety in
temperature and precipitation.
• Mostly found in mid-latitude (40’s to 50
degrees) interiors of northern hemisphere
continents.
• These regions also experience four distinct
seasons.
• Much of the western part of this region is
now farmlands..
• Deciduous Forests thrive in this climate.

11. • Evergreen forests called “TAIGA” cover
the lands in this climate region.
• Summers are short and cool while the
winters are long and extremely cold.
• Wood products from these forests are
an important part of our economy.
• Alaska and Canada are in this region.

12. • Snow, ice, and permanently freezing temperatures
characterize this region.
• So cold it rarely snows.
• This region is sometimes referred to as a Polar
Desert because it receives less than 10 inches of
precipitation per year.
• Lichens and a few low plants grow on the rocks.
• Found only on Greenland and Antarctica

13.  Tundra is the flat, treeless
lands forming a ring around the Arctic Ocean.
 Almost exclusively located in the northern
hemisphere
 Very little rainfall – less than 15 inches/year.
 Permanently frozen subsoil called “Permafrost”
 Mosses, grasses, lichens, wildflowers, and
shrubs grow quickly during the short summers.

14. • Highland climates vary depending upon:
Latitude and Altitude
• Temperature falls as altitude increases,
so highland regions are colder than the
regions that surround them.