World Climate Zones
The world has climate zones such as tropical, desert, temperate and polar, determined mainly by latitude, altitude and distance from the sea.
▶ Interact
Play with the controls to see the idea in action.
📘 Learn
The world has climate zones such as tropical, desert, temperate and polar, determined mainly by latitude, altitude and distance from the sea.
- Tropical climates are hot and wet
- Temperate climates have four seasons
- Polar climates are cold all year
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is World Climate Zones?
Within Geography, which covers maps, landforms, weather, climate, population and settlements: understand how our planet and people connect, this topic explains World Climate Zones. Geography explains how places, people and natural processes connect, so each topic here combines a clear definition with a visual model.
Check that you can explain World Climate Zones in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding World Climate Zones helps you explain patterns on maps and in the news, and make reasoned decisions about places and environments.
World Climate Zones in detail
The world has main climate zones: tropical (hot and wet all year near the Equator), arid or desert (very dry), temperate (moderate, with four seasons), continental (large temperature range, cold winters), polar (very cold, low precipitation) and mountain climates. Latitude is the main control, with others including altitude, ocean currents and distance from the sea.
Climate graphs combine a bar chart of rainfall with a line graph of temperature. The Köppen system classifies climates by temperature and rainfall. Climate zones influence natural vegetation, farming, settlement patterns and way of life, and they are expected to shift with global warming.
How the interactive helps you understand World Climate Zones
Watch the globe in the interactive. Use any sliders or buttons it offers to change the values and see how the globe responds.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of World Climate Zones.
Real-life uses and examples
- Describe a real place where World Climate Zones can be seen, using a map or photograph.
- Explain how World Climate Zones affects people, jobs and land use in a region.
- Support an answer about World Climate Zones with a named case study and specific evidence.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Writing general statements without a named place or example.
- Mixing up cause, effect and consequence when you explain World Climate Zones.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about World Climate Zones
What is World Climate Zones?
The world has climate zones such as tropical, desert, temperate and polar, determined mainly by latitude, altitude and distance from the sea.
What are the most important points about World Climate Zones?
The main points are: Tropical climates are hot and wet; Temperate climates have four seasons; Polar climates are cold all year.
Why is World Climate Zones useful?
Understanding World Climate Zones helps you explain patterns on maps and in the news, and make reasoned decisions about places and environments.
How can I practise World Climate Zones?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to World Climate Zones?
Related topics in Geography include Temperate and Polar Ecosystems, Responding to Climate Change, Energy Resources and Mix.