Climate Zones for Kids
⏱ 7 min read
Have you ever noticed that some parts of the world are always hot, while others are always cold? That is because our planet is split up into different climate zones. A climate is the weather a place usually has, year after year. Geographers usually talk about five big climate zones. Let's travel through them all.
Why aren't all places the same?
The main reason is the shape of the Earth and the way it sits in space. The Earth is round, and it's tilted slightly. The middle of the planet — the equator — gets the Sun's rays straight on, full power, all year. That makes it very hot. The top and bottom — the poles — get the Sun's rays at a slanting angle, spread out and weakened. That makes them very cold.
Other things change a place's climate too: how high above sea level it is (mountains are colder), how close it is to the sea (the sea evens out temperatures), and which winds usually blow there.
1. Tropical climate
Tropical climates are the hottest. They are found in a band around the equator, in places like Brazil, Indonesia, central Africa, and northern Australia. It is warm all year — usually 25–30°C — and there's lots of rain.
Tropical rainforests grow here, full of toucans, monkeys, parrots, sloths and tens of thousands of insects. The Amazon and Congo are tropical regions.
2. Dry (arid) climate
Dry climates get very little rain — sometimes less than 25 cm a year. This is where deserts are found, like the Sahara in Africa, the Arabian Desert in the Middle East, the Gobi in Asia, and the Outback in Australia.
Days can be scorching hot (over 50°C in the Sahara), but nights can be surprisingly cold because there is no water in the air or clouds to hold on to the heat. Camels, scorpions, lizards and very tough plants like cactuses live here.
3. Temperate climate
Temperate climates are in-between climates — not too hot, not too cold. Most of Europe, the eastern United States, parts of China, and New Zealand have temperate climates. They have four clear seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Temperate regions are good for farming, which is one reason why so many people live in them. Forests of oak, beech and maple trees grow here, and animals like deer, foxes, badgers and squirrels.
4. Continental climate
Continental climates are found deep inside large continents, far from the calming effect of the sea. Think of central Russia, Canada or the central United States. These places have very hot summers AND very cold, snowy winters — sometimes a 50°C swing between them.
Huge forests of pine and fir trees (called the taiga) grow in many continental areas, and big animals like wolves, bears, moose and elk live in them.
5. Polar climate
Polar climates are the coldest of all. They are found at the top and bottom of the world: the Arctic (around the North Pole) and Antarctica (around the South Pole). It is so cold that water stays frozen most of the year. Trees can't grow there at all.
Animals here have thick fur or feathers and lots of fat to keep warm: polar bears, Arctic foxes and walruses in the north; penguins, seals and whales in the south.
Why does climate matter?
Climate decides almost everything about a place: what plants grow, what animals live there, what people can farm, what clothes they wear, and even what their houses look like. Roofs are pointy in snowy places (so snow slides off) and flat in dry places. Houses in tropical places have big open windows for the breeze.
Right now, scientists are very worried because human pollution is changing the world's climate — making the planet warmer overall. That is why looking after the Earth, planting trees, and using less energy is so important for the future.
Wherever you live, you live in one of these climate zones. Next time you put on your coat or sun hat, think about why your weather is the way it is — and how different it would be if you lived a few thousand kilometres north or south.