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Major Climatic Types – UPSC Geography Notes
Overview: The Earth experiences a wide variety of climates due to differences in latitude, altitude, ocean currents, and land-sea distribution. To study and compare these systematically, geographers have classified world climates into distinct types. This topic is vital for UPSC Geography, as it forms the basis for understanding global vegetation, agriculture, and settlement patterns.
Table of Contents
- 1. What is Climate?
- 2. Factors Affecting World Climate
- 3. Classification of World Climates
- 4. Köppen’s Classification of Climate
- 5. Major Climatic Types and Their Characteristics
- 6. Importance of Climatic Classification
- 7. UPSC Quick Revision Notes
- 8. Previous Year Question
1. What is Climate?
Climate refers to the average weather conditions of a place over a long period (usually 30 years or more). It includes temperature, rainfall, humidity, and wind patterns.
Weather is short-term (daily changes), while climate represents long-term trends.
2. Factors Affecting World Climate
- 1. Latitude: Determines solar energy received — equator is hot, poles are cold.
- 2. Altitude: Temperature decreases with height.
- 3. Distance from the Sea: Coastal regions have moderate climate; interiors have extremes.
- 4. Ocean Currents: Warm currents increase, cold currents lower coastal temperatures.
- 5. Pressure and Wind Belts: Influence rainfall and humidity.
- 6. Topography: Mountains and plains modify rainfall distribution.
3. Classification of World Climates
Several scientists have proposed systems to classify world climates. Among them, the most widely accepted is Köppen’s Climate Classification — based on temperature and precipitation patterns.
4. Köppen’s Classification of Climate
Developed by Wladimir Köppen (1918), it divides world climates into five main groups (A–E), each with subtypes based on temperature and rainfall.
| Group | Main Type | Characteristics | Examples / Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Tropical | Hot and humid; high rainfall throughout the year | Amazon Basin, Congo Basin, Indonesia |
| B | Dry (Arid and Semi-Arid) | Low rainfall; evaporation exceeds precipitation | Sahara, Arabian, Thar, Australian deserts |
| C | Temperate (Warm Mid-Latitude) | Moderate temperature; distinct summer and winter | Mediterranean, Eastern USA, South China |
| D | Cold (Continental) | Long, severe winters; short summers | Canada, Siberia, Northern Europe |
| E | Polar | Extremely cold; little precipitation (mainly snow) | Antarctica, Greenland, Arctic region |
5. Major Climatic Types and Their Characteristics
(A) Tropical Climates
- Tropical Rainforest (Af): Hot and wet all year; daily convectional rainfall. Dense evergreen forests (e.g., Amazon, Congo).
- Tropical Monsoon (Am): Distinct wet and dry seasons; heavy summer rainfall (e.g., India, Bangladesh, Myanmar).
- Tropical Savanna (Aw): Wet and dry seasons; tall grasses with scattered trees (e.g., East Africa, Brazil’s Campos).
(B) Dry Climates
- Desert (BWh/BWk): Very low rainfall; extreme temperature variation (e.g., Sahara, Thar, Atacama).
- Steppe (BSh/BSk): Semi-arid; short grasses, transitional between desert and humid regions (e.g., Central Asia, Pampas).
(C) Temperate Climates
- Mediterranean (Cs): Hot dry summers, mild wet winters (e.g., Italy, Spain, California).
- Humid Subtropical (Cfa): Hot, humid summers; mild winters; convectional rainfall (e.g., SE USA, China).
- Marine West Coast (Cfb): Cool, moist throughout year; influenced by westerlies (e.g., Western Europe, New Zealand).
(D) Cold (Continental) Climates
- Taiga or Boreal (Df): Long, cold winters; short summers; coniferous forests (e.g., Siberia, Canada).
- Cool Continental (Dw): Cold dry winters, warm wet summers (e.g., NE China, Korea).
(E) Polar and Mountain Climates
- Tundra (ET): Very cold; mosses and lichens; permafrost (e.g., Arctic coast, Alaska).
- Ice Cap (EF): Permanent ice and snow; no vegetation (e.g., Antarctica, Greenland).
- Highland (H): Climate varies with altitude; cooler and wetter than lowlands (e.g., Himalayas, Andes).
6. Importance of Climatic Classification
- Helps in understanding global agriculture and vegetation patterns.
- Aids in predicting weather and climate change.
- Useful for urban planning, tourism, and ecosystem management.
- Forms basis for regional geography and biogeography studies.
7. UPSC Quick Revision Notes
Tropical – Hot & wet; Dry – Desert & Steppe.
Temperate – Moderate climate; Mediterranean = dry summer, wet winter.
Cold – Severe winters (Taiga).
Polar – Tundra & Ice Cap.
Highland – Varies with altitude.
Main control factors → Latitude, altitude, ocean currents, pressure belts.
8. Previous Year Question
Q. The Mediterranean type of climate is characterized by:
(a) Rainfall throughout the year
(b) Rainfall mainly in winter
(c) Rainfall mainly in summer
(d) Very low rainfall
Answer: (b) Rainfall mainly in winter
Related Keywords
Major Climatic Types UPSC Notes, Köppen Classification, World Climate Regions, Mediterranean Climate, Tropical Rainforest, Tundra Climate, Physical Geography Notes, Climatology UPSC.
Sources: NCERT Class XI – Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Goh Cheng Leong (Certificate Physical and Human Geography), World Climate Atlas (simplified for UPSC learners).
