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Africa climatic zones. Map of climatic zones of Africa Africa lies in climatic zones

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Each continent has its own temperature, change of seasons, abundance or lack of moisture, variety of vegetation, or vice versa - its complete absence. All this is formed under the influence of climatic zones, which create this or that climate.

In what climatic zones is Africa located, its climate, precipitation

The African continent is the only continent in the world that stretches along the sides of the equator. By the way, it has seven climatic zones, since the same zone, depending on which hemisphere it is located in, has its own climatic characteristics.

So, the equatorial climatic belt forms winds that carry heat and moisture all year round. The temperature here is + 25 ° -28 ° С, the rains fall evenly throughout the year and there is no division into seasons.

The subequatorial belt occupies the north and south of the land. Depending on the dry or rainy season of the year, clearly formed, the types of air masses change. In the summer season, equatorial winds bring warmth and moisture, and in winter, tropical winds are drier and hotter.

The temperature throughout the year is kept within the range of + 24-28 ° С, there is little rainfall, they fall on the summer season. By the way, no matter what climatic zones Africa is located in, there is a lack of moisture everywhere on this continent.

African tropics

The tropics cover the largest part of the country. Tropical winds prevail all year round and form a climate with deserts and savannas. The temperature in July is 32 ° С, in January + 18 ° С. Precipitation is rare, no more than 100 mm per year. It is precisely the climatic zones in which Africa is located that led to the absence of severe cold weather on the continent, and even more so frost.

The subtropical belt consists of two areas: the extreme northern and southern territories of the African continent. The temperature here is + 24 ° С in summer, + 10 ° С in winter. In the northern and southwestern regions of Africa, there is a subtropical-Mediterranean type of climate.

From the above, we can conclude in which climatic zones Africa is located. The map also demonstrates that it can be safely considered the hottest continent on our planet.

Distant australia

Australia is the smallest and driest continent on Earth. It has three climatic zones: subequatorial, tropical and subtropical.

Subequatorial occupies the northern part of the mainland. In summer, the equatorial wind blows here, in winter - tropical. Air temperature + 25 ° С all year round.

Uneven rainfall affects the clear division of seasons. Summers are warm, with frequent thunderstorms and showers up to 2000 mm per year, and winters are hot and dry.

The tropical belt has two types of climate. Depending on the location of the territory and the amount of precipitation falling on it, continental (desert) and tropical climates are distinguished.

The region with a particularly arid climate is far from the ocean. Desert areas are located here. The air temperature in the summer season is +30 ° С, in winter + 16 ° С. The west of the tropical zone is shaped by the West Australian Current. Deserts stretch to the shores of the Indian Ocean.

The eastern part receives a sufficient amount of moisture in the form of rain. Warm air coming from the Pacific Ocean has formed a favorable climate here in which the rainforest grows.

The subtropical belt covers southern Australia and is divided into three zones. The southwest is characterized by dry and hot summers and warm and rainy winters. The air temperature in January rises to + 23 ° С, in June - up to + 12 ° С.

The central part is completely desert. It has a continental climate with characteristic strong temperature fluctuations all year round - hot summers and not very warm winters, with light rains.

The southeast is a humid climate, it rains the same throughout the year, in summer the air warms up to + 24 ° С, in winter - up to + 9 ° С.

If we compare in which climatic zones Africa and Australia are located, then we can see a great similarity in the weather conditions of both continents.

The land of ice and snow

Antarctica is a continent of cold and ice. It is located in two climatic zones: Antarctic and Subantarctic.

The Antarctic belt makes up almost the entire territory of the continent, which is covered by a layer of ice up to 4.5 km thick. And this is of great importance in the formation of the climate of Antarctica, since ice reflects up to 90% of sunlight, which makes it difficult to warm up the surface of the continent.

Arctic winter and summer

In summer, on a polar day, the temperature in the Arctic is -32 ° C. In winter, on the polar night, it drops below -64 ° C. The lowest temperature was -89 ° C, it was recorded at Vostok station. Strong winds reach 80-90 m / s.

The subantarctic belt is located in the northern part of Antarctica. Here the climate is milder, and the ice layer is not so thick and in some places bare rocks, with mosses and lichens growing on them. Little precipitation occurs in the form of snow. Summer temperatures are slightly above 0 ° C.

If we compare in which climatic zones Africa and Antarctica are located, we can once again see how radically different weather conditions on our planet can be.

Source: fb.ru

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Equatorial belt covers the coast of the Gulf of Guinea (up to 7-8 ° N) and a significant part of the Congo Basin (between 5 ° N).

NS. and 5 ° S. sh.), before reaching the Indian Ocean due to the significant height of East Africa. The boundaries of the belt are determined by the winter position of the tropical front of each hemisphere. Equatorial air dominates here all year round. Average monthly temperatures are high (25-28 ° C), their course is uniform. Annual amplitudes are less than daily ones. Ascending air currents, calm and weak winds prevail. The humidity is high, the cloudiness is significant. There is a lot of precipitation (up to 2000 mm per year and more), they are evenly distributed over the months. However, there are two particularly rainy periods, spring and autumn, separated by less rainy ones. Precipitation maxima are associated with strong evaporation at the zenith position of the Sun. Precipitation is mainly convective, mountainous and orographic.

Subequatorial belts(northern and southern) encircle the equatorial climatic zone, closing in on the east of the mainland, and extend from 17 ° N. NS. up to 20 ° S NS. They cover Sudan, East Africa and part of South Africa up to the Zambezi, occupying about 1/3 of the mainland. The southern subequatorial belt does not reach the Atlantic Ocean. The boundaries of the zones are determined by the winter and summer position of the tropical front in each hemisphere. The change in air masses is characteristic of the seasons. Equatorial air, carried by monsoons, dominates in summer - humid summers; in winter dry tropical air prevails, carried by trade winds; winters are dry, with very low relative humidity. Consequently, the wet summer and dry winter seasons alternate throughout the year. The annual temperature amplitudes increase in comparison with the equatorial belt. The hottest time is at the beginning of the rainy season. However, even in the coldest months, the temperature does not drop below + 20 ° C. Annual precipitation on the plains is from 1500 to 250 mm on the border with tropical deserts, and on the windward slopes of the mountains it is much higher; almost all of them fall out in the summer. The duration of the humid period decreases in the direction of the tropics from 10 to 2-3 months, respectively, the annual precipitation and moisture content decrease. The driest areas are the Somali Peninsula, which is barred from the equatorial monsoon by the Ethiopian Highlands, and northern Sudan, bordering the tropical belt. The mountains of East Africa (Ethiopian Highlands, Kilimanjaro, Kenya, Ruwenzori, etc.) have a pronounced altitudinal climatic zone (up to the nival belt). In addition, the Ethiopian Highlands is distinguished by a sharp exposure difference in the climate of the western and eastern slopes.

Tropical belts(northern and southern) extend to 30 ° N. NS. and y. sh., cover almost the entire Sahara and the Kalahari basin with its marginal uplifts. Located between the winter position of the polar and summer position of the tropical fronts in each hemisphere. They occupy the largest territory in comparison with other climatic zones. Africa is the continent of the classic development of the tropical climate. The northern tropical belt is especially well developed.

In the territories belonging to the tropical zones, continental tropical air is kept all year round and the trade winds dominate. The weather is mostly clear, the air is dry. Winter is warm, but noticeably colder than summer. Average temperatures of the warmest month are +3 0- + 35 °, the coldest month is not lower than + 10 ° С. Temperature amplitudes are very large (annual temperatures are about 20 ° C, daily temperatures are up to 40-50 ° C). Little precipitation (no more than 50-150 mm per year); they fall irregularly, sporadically, in the form of short showers. The volatility is about 20-25 times the actual evaporation. Such features are characteristic of a dry, desert tropical climate (the world's greatest Sahara Desert, southwest Kalahari and Namib Desert).

In the west of the mainland (the Atlantic Sahara and the Namib Desert), the deserts are not so hot, with more humid sea air, fog and dew. Cold currents pass here and the influence of the eastern periphery of the Atlantic anticyclones affects. The relative humidity of the air is high, but very little precipitation falls. It rains in Namibia even less often than in the Sahara, but more often there is abundant dew and fog. Temperatures are low for these latitudes (mean monthly, as a rule, below + 21 ° С) and daily amplitudes are much less than in continental deserts. The climate is extremely arid also along the coast of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden; it is one of the hottest and driest places in the world.

In the southern tropical zone, in addition to the tropical desert climate, there is a tropical arid and tropical humid (marine). The first is characteristic of the Kalahari Basin, where much more precipitation falls than in the deserts; the second is for the east coast of South Africa, where the Drakensberg Mountains stand in the way of the wet trade winds.

Subtropical belts(north and south) cover the extreme north and south of Africa. Tropical air prevails here in summer, temperate in winter. Wet and dry periods are common. The seasonal variation of temperature, precipitation and winds is clearly expressed. The amount of precipitation ranges from 300-500 mm on the plains to 1500 mm and more on the windward slopes of the mountains. The Atlas Mountains, the Libyan-Egyptian coast and the extreme southwest of the mainland have a subtropical Mediterranean climate. Dry weather prevails in summer, cyclonic activity develops on the polar front in winter, and wet winters. The northwest and north of Africa are characterized by more significant temperature differences over the seasons than for the southwest. On the Mediterranean coast, the average temperatures in July reach + 27 - + 28 °, in January + 11 - + 12 ° C. On the Cape coast, the average temperature of the warmest month does not exceed + 21 ° С, the coldest + 1 3 - + 14 ° С. In the extreme southeast of Africa, the climate is subtropical monsoon. with hot, rainy summers and relatively cold and dry winters. In winter, the westerly winds hardly penetrate the southeastern coast, this is prevented by the mountains. In winter, there is relatively little rainfall. In summer, winds blow from the Indian Ocean along the entire southeastern coast, leaving a large amount of moisture on the eastern slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains.

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Africa is the hottest continent of the Earth, to which it owes its geographical location. The continent is located in four climatic zones: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical and subtropical. Africa is located between 37 ° north and 34 ° south latitude - that is, in equatorial and tropical latitudes.

Equatorial belt Africa is located on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea and stretches inland to Lake Victoria. The equatorial air mass dominates here all year round, therefore there are no seasons of the year, it is constantly hot here, and very often there are heavy rains. Due to abundant moisture (2-3 mm per year) and a very warm climate (above + 20 ° - + 30 ° C throughout the year), a natural zone of humid equatorial forests has formed here. An unimaginable number of animal and plant species are concentrated in the forests of Africa, many of which are still unknown to science. The inner regions of the equatorial belt remain unpopulated.

Subequatorial belt Surrounds the equatorial from the north, east and south. In contrast, there is no longer year-round rains here, but a pronounced rainy and dry seasons appear. In summer, the belt is dominated by the equatorial air mass, bringing the rainy season. The amount of precipitation and the length of this season decrease with distance from the equator. In areas of the mainland, where the season lasts most of the year, variable moist forests are formed, but where the rainy season lasts less than six months, precipitation is no longer enough for the development of woody vegetation - there are light forests and savannahs. It is worth noting that summer in Africa falls on June-August in the northern hemisphere and December-February in the southern, therefore, when the rainy season is in one part of the subequatorial belt, tropical air mass dominates in the opposite - that is, the dry season begins.

Tropical belt Africa is clearly divided into northern and southern. Here the weather is clear all year round, and there is practically no rain.

The amount of precipitation decreases with distance inland. Since a very large area of Africa is located precisely in the northern tropical latitudes, optimal conditions for the formation of deserts are formed here - dry air, increased pressure due to the tropical air mass and remoteness from the ocean. That is why Africa is considered the continent of classical desert development. In addition to the aridity of the tropics of Africa, huge temperature differences should be noted here. In summer, when the Sun rises high, it literally heats up the sand of the desert, and the air temperature rises above 30 and even 40 degrees. The highest air temperature in Africa and around the world was recorded in the Libyan Desert and was + 58 ° C. At the same time, after sunset, the temperature drops sharply by several tens of degrees, and even drops to negative values on winter nights.

Subtropical belt stretched out in a narrow strip along the northern coast of Africa, as well as in the very south of the mainland. It is also divided into north and south. In the subtropics, two air masses are replaced during the year: tropical comes in summer, because summer in the subtropics is hot and dry, and in winter temperate air comes, bringing precipitation. A natural zone of hard-leaved and evergreen forests has formed here. However, in its original form, it has practically never been preserved, since the territory of the subtropics is actively being transformed under the economic activity of man.

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The climate of Africa can be described as a unique phenomenon due to its location.

Africa is the only continent in the world that stretches on two sides of the equator.

It is interesting that the equator not only divides the globe into two hemispheres, it also divides the African continent almost equally.

The climate has a very large impact on the nature of the area, because it determines the weather regimes, as well as changes in weather conditions.

The soil of the area, flora and fauna, all kinds of sectors of the economy, as well as

The formation of certain climatic conditions in Africa is influenced by a variety of factors that subsequently determine the life and activities of people who live in a particular type of climate.

Africa is considered the hottest continent due to its location in the hottest climatic zones.

Interestingly, three of the four climatic zones on the continent are repeated twice.

Due to the fact that Africa is crossed by the equator, around which the equatorial climatic zone has formed, the remaining climatic zones mirror each other.

The subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate zones are found twice on the continent.

Equatorial climate zone of Africa

The equatorial belt occupies an area along the Gulf of Guinea and runs up to the depression in the Congo and.

The whole year is dominated by equatorial warm air mass, which determines the weather conditions.

In this part of Africa there are no seasons with temperature changes and changes in weather conditions, it is constantly very hot here and it often rains. Precipitation falls evenly throughout the year.

365 days a year, the temperature is high here - from 24 ° C to 28 ° C.

The equatorial climate is characterized by abundant rainfall. Over the year, in different regions of the equatorial part of the continent, precipitation falls from 1500 to 2500 mm.

Because of this, very high humidity and heat are formed, which is difficult to endure, the coolness of the night brings relief.

In the African equatorial part, constant clouds and frequent fogs can be observed.

Clouds gather almost every day before lunch, which in the afternoon, in the late afternoon, materialize in rain or thunderstorm.

They represent the flora and fauna in a wonderful abundance, which is not fully understood.

On two sides of the equator, as well as from the east of the equatorial belt, subequatorial climatic zones stretch.

This climatic zone is also very hot, with temperatures throughout the year varying from 26 to 30 ° C in summer and 15 to 17 ° C in winter.

Subequatorial climate zone of Africa

In the subequatorial climate zone, rainy and dry seasons are clearly visible.

The duration of the rains, as well as the numerical indicators of precipitation, decrease as the belt moves away from the equator.

This directly affects the flora of the area.

In places where there is not enough rainfall, tree vegetation practically does not grow, lush forests are replaced by light forests, which smoothly turn into shrouds.

It is very interesting to note the alternation in the subequatorial climatic zones of the rainy season and the predominance of the dry season.

While in one of the subequatorial zones of Africa there is the rainy season, which brings the equatorial air mass, in the other subequatorial zone at this time the air mass from the tropics dominates, which entails the onset of the dry season.

Tropical climate zone of Africa

A characteristic feature of this climate is dry, hot weather and minimal rainfall, which decreases with distance from the center of the continent and further into its interior.

Africa for the most part is spread in a tropical climate, so there are a lot of deserts, the formation of which is facilitated by dry air, a remote location from the ocean, as well as increased pressure due to tropical air masses.

These are ideal conditions for the development of numerous deserts and savannas.

The Sahara is the largest desert on the planet and is located in the tropical climate of Africa. Not a single drop of precipitation may fall here for years and it is extremely difficult for a person to be here.

The air is filled with fine dust and very often strong winds blow, creating sand dust storms.

Wind and dust form whimsical sand.

The tropical belt, in addition to aridity, is inherent in a very sharp daily temperature drop.

During the day, the thermometer rises above 40 ° C, heating up the sand and air, and at night the temperature drops sharply by a couple of tens of degrees and can go down to negative values.

The maximum air temperature around the world was recorded in the Libyan desert of the African tropical belt and reached 58 ° C.

The northern coast, as well as the extreme south of the mainland, occupies a subtropical belt, which is characterized by a change in air masses and a division of the year according to seasons.

The average annual temperature is approximately 20 ° C. It varies significantly depending on the summer and winter seasons.

Subtropical climate of Africa

The subtropical zone of Africa in the northern and southwestern parts of the continent is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and precipitation in winter, which brings temperate air.

In the southeast, a subtropical humid climate prevails.

It contributes to the fact that throughout the year, precipitation is distributed quite evenly here.

Individual regions are determined by the amount of precipitation, the duration of the rainy season. Large areas lack moisture. Africa is characterized by the transport of tropical air by trade winds. High banks make it difficult for wet winds to flow. The western shores in tropical latitudes are washed by cold currents. On the territory of Africa, seven are distinguished: equatorial, two subequatorial, two tropical and two subtropical.

Most of the mainland lies in the hot heat zone. Between the two tropics, the midday sun is always high above and is at its zenith twice a year. Even in winter, the average monthly temperatures do not drop below + 18 ... + 20 ° С. The Sahara receives the most light and heat. Summer temperatures are more than +30 ° С here. In the Tripoli region, there was an absolute maximum temperature on Earth + 58 ° C. Africa is the hottest continent.

Equatorial belt covers a significant part of the basin and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea: it extends to 7-8 ° N. NS. and 5 ° S. NS. Due to the intense warming of the earth's surface in Congo, heavy rainfall occurs throughout the year (Figure 50-1). The wettest place in Africa is at the foot of the city - 9655 mm per year. In precipitation mode
there are two maxima associated with the highest position of the Sun.

The amount of atmospheric precipitation exceeds the evaporation rate by 1.5-2 times. Average precipitation is about 2000 mm. High temperatures + 26 ... + 28 ° С and high temperatures ensure continuous growth of plants. For equatorial climate one season is characteristic - summer with daily heavy (zenital) rains in the afternoon.

The east coast is forming tropical humid climate with the maximum amount of precipitation in summer.

Subtropical belt covers the extreme north and south of Africa. On the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and on the southwestern outskirts of the continent, a subtropical with dry hot summers (+ 28 ° C) and warm, humid winters (+ 12 ° C, precipitation up to 1000 mm) is formed (Fig. 50-4). Subtropical humid climate in southeast Africa, it is characterized by an even distribution of precipitation throughout the year. In winter, they are associated with the westerly transfer of air masses, and in summer, winds blow along the entire southeastern coast from. Atmospheric precipitation is 1500 mm. In summer, a significant amount of moisture remains on the slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains, in winter - on the western slopes of the Cape Mountains. The subtropical continental climate is typical for the deserts of the Cape and Karoo Mountains.

The widespread use of heat reserves for agriculture is hampered by the lack of precipitation and frequent. With precipitation of 600-800 mm, yields are unstable, and with a lower value, agriculture is impossible without it. In the deserts, you can only practice in the oases. Huge territories are occupied by unsuitable for human life and impenetrable equatorial forests. Low fertility of many types of soil and dangerous tropical diseases hinder the development of the economy in Africa.

Africa is located in the equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical climatic zones. The climate of Africa is determined by its geographical position, trade winds, ocean currents, and relief features. Adequate heat allows you to grow tropical and subtropical crops.

11 december 2016

In what climatic zones is Africa located, its climate, precipitation

So, equatorial climatic belt, forms winds that carry heat and moisture all year round. The temperature here is + 25 ° -28 ° С, the rains fall evenly throughout the year and there is no division into seasons.

Subequatorial the belt occupies the north and south of the land. Depending on the dry or rainy season of the year, clearly formed, the types of air masses change. In the summer season, equatorial winds bring warmth and moisture, and in winter, tropical winds are drier and hotter.

African tropics

Subtropical the belt consists of two areas: the extreme northern and southern territories of the African continent. The temperature here is + 24 ° С in summer, + 10 ° С in winter. In the northern and southwestern regions of Africa, there is a subtropical-Mediterranean type of climate.

From the above, we can conclude in which climatic zones Africa is located. The map also demonstrates that it can be safely considered the hottest continent on our planet.

Distant australia

Australia is the smallest and driest continent on Earth. It has three climatic zones: subequatorial, tropical and subtropical.

Subequatorial occupies the northern part of the mainland. In summer, the equatorial wind blows here, in winter - tropical. Air temperature + 25 ° С all year round. Uneven rainfall affects the clear division of seasons. Summers are warm, with frequent thunderstorms and showers up to 2000 mm per year, and winters are hot and dry.

Tropical the belt has two types of climate. Depending on the location of the territory and the amount of precipitation falling on it, continental (desert) and tropical climates are distinguished.

The eastern part receives a sufficient amount of moisture in the form of rain. Warm air coming from the Pacific Ocean has formed a favorable climate here in which the rainforest grows.

Subtropical the belt covers the southern territory of Australia and is divided into three zones. The southwest is characterized by dry and hot summers and warm and rainy winters. The air temperature in January rises to + 23 ° С, in June - up to + 12 ° С.

The central part is completely desert. It has a continental climate with characteristic strong temperature fluctuations throughout the year - hot summers and not very warm winters, with light rains.

The southeast is a humid climate, it rains the same throughout the year, in summer the air warms up to + 24 ° С, in winter - up to + 9 ° С.

If we compare in which climatic zones Africa and Australia are located, then we can see a great similarity in the weather conditions of both continents.

The land of ice and snow

Antarctica is a continent of cold and ice. It is located in two climatic zones: Antarctic and Subantarctic.

Antarctic the belt makes up almost the entire territory of the continent, which is covered by a layer of ice up to 4.5 km thick. And this is of great importance in the formation of the climate of Antarctica, since ice reflects up to 90% of sunlight, which makes it difficult to warm up the surface of the continent.

Arctic winter and summer

Subantarctic the belt is located in the northern part of Antarctica. Here the climate is milder, and the ice layer is not so thick and in some places bare rocks, with mosses and lichens growing on them. Little precipitation occurs in the form of snow. Summer temperatures are slightly above 0 ° C.

If we compare in which climatic zones Africa and Antarctica are located, we can once again see how radically different weather conditions on our planet can be.

The widest part of Africa is located in the center of the hot belt of illumination. The whole continent is treated kindly by the sun all year round, it receives a huge amount of energy from our luminary. The climate of Africa is determined by geographic location, air circulation, the influence of the oceans, and the nature of the underlying surface. According to the combination of these main factors, climatic zones (main and transitional) are distinguished on the mainland: subtropical, tropical, subequatorial and equatorial. In this order, they are replaced in the northern hemisphere from north to south.

General characteristics of the climate in Africa

The equator crosses the continent roughly in the center. The northern - the larger part of the mainland - extends to the Mediterranean Sea in the north and the Arabian Peninsula of Eurasia in the northeast. South of the equator lies a narrow, triangle-shaped part of Africa. The area from the equator to the Northern Tropic receives about 200 kcal / cm2 per year. The average for the total solar radiation on the mainland is 160 kcal / cm2 per year.

Africa's climate is diverse, with heat and moisture unevenly distributed, especially in desert regions. The maximum amount of precipitation is received by the southwestern foot of the Cameroon volcano - up to 10,000 mm / year. Africa surpasses other continents in terms of temperature, is the hottest of them. The largest amount of solar heat falls on the land mass located between the North and South tropics.

We will describe the climate of Africa according to the position of the continent's territories relative to the equator. This is the main climate-forming factor on which the heating of the earth's surface, and of the air, depends. An important role belongs to other conditions: the circulation of the atmosphere, the nature of the relief, the features of the underlying surface, the position relative to other continents, oceans. The main and transitional types of climate in Africa:

Equatorial.
Subequatorial (wet in the south, arid in the north).
Tropical desert.
Subtropical Mediterranean.

Equatorial climate of Africa

A hot and humid climate is formed in the center of the continent near the parallel 0 °. The equatorial belt covers an area from 6 ° N. NS. up to 5 ° S NS. in the Congo basin in the east, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, it reaches 8 ° N. NS. The conditions in this area are determined by equatorial air masses - hot and humid; it rains throughout the year. The air in January and July heats up to + 25 ° C on average, 2000-3000 mm of precipitation falls per year. The moisture coefficient reaches 1.5-2 (excessive).

Evergreen forests

The equatorial climate of Africa creates favorable conditions for warm and moisture-loving plants. The equatorial region of Africa is covered with dense evergreen forests - gilea. It is difficult for animals and people to be under the canopy of the forest, where it is gloomy and stuffy, the air is saturated with the smells of persistent litter and the scent of orchids.

The difficult-to-pass sparsely populated natural zone has been intensively developed in recent years. Timber is cut for the sake of obtaining valuable timber for export. Mahogany, abashi (African maple) and other species are mined.

Subequatorial climatic zone

Occupies vast areas of the mainland from 20 ° S. NS. up to 17 ° N NS. More than 1/3 of Africa's territory is located in areas of subequatorial climate. In the eastern part, the transitional belt is not interrupted by the equatorial one, in the southern hemisphere it does not reach the Atlantic Ocean.

Characteristics of the climate of Africa in the subequatorial region of the continent:

Temperature conditions and humidification are determined by the alternating influence of tropical and equatorial air masses. As a result, the seasons are formed - wet and dry.
In summer, hot and humid air of equatorial latitudes dominate, in winter dry tropical air mass comes in, it becomes a little cooler.
The dry season lasts from 2 to 10 months. The average annual air temperature is over +20 ° С, precipitation will fall about 1000 mm / year (in the southern part of the belt).
The duration of the wet period and the average annual precipitation decrease towards the outskirts of the subequatorial belt.
In the northern regions, there is less rainfall, and the hot breath of the desert is felt. The hottest period of the year occurs at the beginning of the rainy season, when the average monthly temperature exceeds +30 ° C.
The cool months of the humid period are characterized by a temperature of about +20 ° C and above.

Savannah

In addition to the geographical position and atmospheric circulation, the peculiarities of the climate in Africa are determined by the characteristic feature of the relief of the continent. The outskirts of the continent are uplifted; in comparison with the inland areas, they are located higher above sea level.

Mountain ranges and massifs in the north, east and southeast limit the influence of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans on the climate of the savannah zone, which stretches within the subequatorial belt. The peculiarities of flora and fauna in this part of the continent are determined by the alternation of wet and dry seasons, lack of moisture for the formation of full-fledged forests, full-flowing channels.

Tropical belt

The peculiarities of the climate of Africa in the region of the Northern and Southern tropics are the dominance of hot and dry air masses. Areas with an arid tropical climate, a significant daily temperature range, extend in the north and south of the mainland up to 30 parallels. A large area of the continent is influenced by an arid tropical climate. In this belt, the highest average monthly indicators are noted: + 35 ... 40 ° С.

The North African massif receives a lot of solar radiation and very little moisture. The air temperature during the day rarely drops below 20 ° C. There is snow on the mountain peaks in the tropics, and desert and semi-desert areas lie at the foot. The most extensive lifeless areas: in the north - the Sahara, in the south - Namib.

Deserts and semi-deserts

In the Sahara, there are areas where temperature minimums and maximums were recorded (-3 and +58 ° С). Daytime temperature on hot sand and stones reaches + 60 ... 70 ° С, at night it can drop to + 10 ° С. Daily temperature fluctuations reach 50 ° C.

Precipitation in the deserts of Africa falls from 0 to 100 mm / year, which is extremely small. Sometimes the rains do not reach the surface of the earth - they dry up in the air. Humidification is poor, Kuvl. = 0.1-0.3. The life of the desert population is concentrated in oases - the places where groundwater flows out. Farming, cattle breeding, tourist services are developed.

Subtropics of Africa

The extreme south and a narrow strip of the northern coast are occupied by areas of subtropical climate. This is a transitional belt, the features of which are determined by the properties of the air masses of temperate and tropical latitudes. The subtropical climate is characterized by dry and rainy seasons, a significant intake of moisture, which contributes to the development of agriculture. The maximum number of rains in the northwestern and southwestern regions of the African continent occurs in the winter months, in the southeast the rainy season is summer.

The subtropics of Africa and other areas of the mainland attract numerous tourists. World famous resorts are located on the shores of the Mediterranean and Red Seas, the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The main direction of tourism development and types of recreation in North Africa is beach and sightseeing. In the savannah - safari, jeeping. Less visited areas are impenetrable humid forests and unpopulated desert areas.

What is the climate in Africa now and in the past? The answer to this question lies in the beds of dry rivers (wadis), the ruins of once flourishing cities, covered by the sands of the Sahara. There is an aridization of the climate in Africa, deserts are advancing in the north and south. In stark contrast to this phenomenon are floods, when rivers overflow their banks and flood coastal areas. Scientists suggest that catastrophic natural processes may be associated with intensive felling of trees, the widespread construction of cities, roads, the development of agriculture and cattle breeding.

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