CLIMATE AND NATURAL REGIONS

CLIMATE AND NATURAL REGIONS

USEFUL FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS
(O-LEVEL GEOGRAPHY)

NOTE: YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THIS CHAPTER, WILL HELP YOU WHEN READING
AND INTERPRETING MAP BECAUSE SOMETIME CLIMATIC CONDITION DEFINES ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ON THE MAP.

NOTE: YOU ARE RECOMMENDED TO PERFORM REGULAR MAP EXERCISES,
BECAUSE SOMETIME MAP INTERPRETING NEEDS MATHEMATICAL
STATEMENTS.

World climatic types and their characteristics;

The world climate is neither uniform nor static. Climate conditions vary from one region to another throughout the world. Temperature and rainfall are the most important element determining climate which themselves vary from one region to another. Since rainfall and temperature are the most important elements determining climate, they form a good basis for classifying climate.

World climate can be classified as follows;

Equatorial climate, Tropical(Savannah) climate, Tropical desert climate, Warm temperature desert climate, Warm temperature western margin climate, Warm temperature continental climate, Warm temperature eastern margin climate, Cool temperature western margin climate, Cool temperature continental climate, Cool temperature eastern margin climate, Cold temperature western margin climate, Cold temperature continental climate, Cold temperature eastern margin climate, Tundra climate, Polar climate, and Mountain climate.

But the major climates of the world are;

Equatorial climate, Tropical (Savannah) climate, and Desert climate.

EQUATORIAL CLIMATE

This climate commonly occurs in the lowland between 5^o North and South of the equator. However in some part of the world, it may extend up to 10^oNorth and South of the equator, Example Congo Basin in Africa and Amazon Basin in South America. Equatorial climate is characterized by the following characteristics;

High temperatures throughout the year with an average of 27^oC and an annual range at about 3^oC.
Heavy rainfall throughout the year with double maxima.
Mean annual range of 1,500 mm.
Rainfall is commonly convectional type.
Lightning and thunderstorms are common.
Relative humidity is very high
There are no seasons.

TROPICAL (SAVANNAH) CLIMATE

This climate prevails in the region within the tropics between 5^o and 15^o on either side of the equator. Characteristics of this climate include;

Temperature are high during the hot and dry seasons up to 32^oC.
During the coolest months, temperatures drops to 21^oC.
Annual range of temperature is relatively high at 11^oC, which is relatively high.
Temperatures are highest just before the onset of the rainy season.
Rainfall is moderate and is higher near the areas that experience equatorial climate.
Rainfall is usually of convectional type.
Presence of two distinct seasons, the hot and dry seasons.

TROPICAL DESERT CLIMATE.

This occurs between 15^o and 30^o North and South of the equator. For example Namib Desert and Sahara Desert. It has the followings characteristics;

High mean monthly temperature of 29^oC during the hot season.
During the cool season, temperature can be as low as 10^oC.
Daytime temperatures can rise to 47^oC or more.
Night temperatures can drop to as low as 5^oC.
Annual temperature range is very high. It can reach 26^oC while diurnal range of temperature is high as approximately 40^oC.
Rainfall is very low, rare and erratic.

FACTORS INFLUENCING CLIMATE

Climate is made up of elements that are the same as those of weather. The characteristics of various types of climate are the result of influence of the following factors:

a. atitude

Latitude influence temperatures on the surface of the earth such that areas that are nearer to the equator experience high temperature than those further away.

b. Altitude

This factor influences mainly temperature and atmospheric pressure of a region. Low attitude regions are warmer and experience high atmospheric pressure while high-altitude area are cooler and have low atmospheric pressure.

c. Distance from the sea

This factor is also referred to as the effect of being nearer to the sea. The influence of the sea is both on temperature and rainfall of a region. The area which is near to the sea have high temperature and rainfall which modified by the effect of wind while the area which is far apart from the sea has low temperature and rainfall due to the blowing of wind and scarcity of vegetation

d. Aspect

Refer to direction in which the slope faces in the northern hemisphere, the southward facing slopes are warmer than the northward –facing slopes. Thus because the northward - facing slopes never receive direct sunshine as the sun in this region never get overhead.

e. Ocean currents

Ocean currents following along the coast tend to modify the climate of the coastal regions. Warms ocean currents along the coast lead to the formation of rainfall like Mozambique ocean current which is warm, while cold ocean currents lead to the dry of the area like western part of South Africa. Example of that current is Benguela ocean currents.

d. Prevailing winds.

Wind is the medium of transfer of heat and moisture over the land, that blow from high to low pressure area.

The areas which characterized by the wind from ocean, lake or forest experienced by moisture which lead to the formation of rainfall, while the areas which that have no moisture from ocean, lakes or forest lack rainfall.

f. Human activities

Human activities such as development of settlements, agriculture and construction of dams and creating of man- made lakes have a considerable influence on climate especially on local areas. Also due to activities such as clearing of forest it changes climate

IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING CLIMATE AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS;

It helps to identify the nature of the area
It helps to determine the nature of the location of the specific area. Example by considering latitude and longitude.
It helps to improve economic activities such as agriculture by looking at the nature of climate example sugarcane along the tropical area.
It helps in controlling natural hazard.

MAJOR NATURAL REGIONS OF THE WORLD.

The equatorial region
Tropical grasslands/savannah
Mediterranean regions
Warm temperature/steppe
Monsoon region
Tundra/Polar regions

1. THE EQUATORIAL REGION

The equatorial regions lies between latitude zero degree and 5^o degree North and South of the equator.

The areas include Indonesia, Colombia, Congo basin, Amazon basin and West African Coast.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EQUATORIAL REGIONS.

Equatorial regions has dense forests with broad leaves throughout the year.
The temperature of this region is high about 27^oC
There is high humidity

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF EQUATORIAL REGIONS

Agriculture, due to availability of rainfall throughout the year and the soil is fertile.
Tourism activities due to the presence of wild animals such as elephant, Monkeys, Crocodile, Hippopotamus etc.
Navigation due to the presence of numerous water bodies such as rivers example Congo River.
Lumbering due to the presence of many tree species suitable for timber production.

2. TROPICAL GRASSLANDS/SAVANNAH

Savannah grasslands lie between the tropical rainforest and semi-desert vegetation in a broad Latitudinal zone 5^o – 20^o North and South of the equator.

Examples of the areas with savannah climates are Sudan, West Africa, and Western Madagascar and East and Central Africa.

CHARACTERISTICS OF TROPICAL GRASSLANDS.

There is domination of scrub forests and thickets
There are two periods yearly one period is of rain season which takes shorter period and the other period of the dry season which take larger periods.
The day condition is hot while the night condition is cold during the dry season.
The equatorial climate is mostly dry in nature

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF THE SAVANNAH CLIMATE

Agriculture due to the presence of fertile soils
Pastoralism due to the presence of scrubs
Fishing activities
Industrial activities eg wire making, food processing, flour milling and fruit canning

3. WARM TEMPERATURE/STEPPE

Warm temperature region lies between latitude 20^o – 30^o North and South of the equator.

e.g Canada, Argentina, Eurasia etc

CHARACTERICTICS OF WARM TEMPERATURE

(i) There is extensive grassland areas having many names given according to the area found;

Example;

Steppe of Eurasia
Prairie of Canada
Pampas of Argentina

(ii) The climate is very hot in summer and very cold in winter

(iii) There is light rainfall between 380 mm – 700 mm

(iv) There is short vegetation

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES.

Pastoralism of animals such as cattle and sheep.
Agriculture of crops such as maize, wheat and fruits.
There is a presence of industries due to the presence of agricultural products.
Tourism due to presence of wild animals such as lion, cheetah, elephant, hyena, and so many.
Lumbering due to presence of some tree species suitable for timber production.

4. MEDITERRANEAN REGION

Mediterranean region lies between latitude 30^o – 45^o in the Northern hemisphere and between 30^o – 40^oin the Southern hemisphere,

Example of Mediterranean regions are Israel, Spain, Greece, Italy and Egypt.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MEDITERRANEAN REGIONS

Mediteranean regions are marked by warm summer temperatures
Annual temperature ranges are generally smaller since locations on the western sides of the continents are not well positioned to receive the coldest polar air.
The rainfall is normally light and it varies from 500 mm – 760 mm.
The vegetation is normally hard –leafy forests and scrubs.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF THE MEDITERANEAN REGIONS

Agriculture activities mainly irrigation schemes and the crops grown are citrus fruits
The animals kept are cattle, sheep and goats

5. MONSOON REGIONS

Countries which are included in the monsoon region are Vietnam, Cambodia, South China, North Australia and Horn of Africa (Somali

CHARACTERISTICS OF MONSOON REGIONS

There is a high rate of heating during the summer period and cool in the cool season.
The vegetation type ranges from monsoon forest to scrubs
There is little amount of rainfall annually

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF MONSOON REGIONS

Agriculture e.g. Rice in Burma.
Livestock keeping example pigs, water buffaloes and goats.
Light industries due to presence of agriculture activities
Fishing activities.

6. TUNDRA/POLAR REGIONS

The tundra region lies between 60^o – 75^o of latitude mostly along the Arctic coast and lowlands of North America and on the coastal margins of Greenland.

Examples of polar countries areas are North America (Canada), Sweden, Finland, Norway and Soviet Union.

CHARACTERISTICS OF POLAR REGIONS