Köppen climate classes
Simplified Köppen–Geiger climate types at world scale.
The Köppen–Geiger system classifies climates by temperature, precipitation, and seasonality — the standard used in geography textbooks and research summaries.
This map shows simplified Köppen groups at world scale. Desert patches (BWh/BSk) overlay the latitude-based bands where hyper-arid regions break the simple north–south pattern. Use alongside the latitude climate map for beginners, then read articles for regional detail.
- Af / Am / Aw — tropical rainforest, monsoon, and savanna climates.
- BWh / BSk — hot and cold deserts (Sahara, Arabia, Outback, SW North America).
- Cfa / Cfb / Csa — humid temperate, oceanic, and Mediterranean climates.
- Dfb / ET — cold continental, tundra, and polar ice climates.
See also: Latitude climate bands, Biomes & ecosystems.
Map key
- ET / EF — tundra & ice
- Dfb / Dfc — cold continental
- Cfa / Cfb — temperate
- Csa / Csb — Mediterranean
- Aw / Am — tropical savanna
- BWh / BSk — desert
Simplified Köppen groups at world scale; desert patches override latitude bands locally. Solid line: Equator; dashed lines: Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn (~23.5°N/S).