CLIMATE AND VEGETATION IN WEST AFRICA

CLIMATE OF WEST AFRICA

West Africa is grouped into six climate regions and these are:

1. The subequatorial region: This is found in the portharcourt and warri in Nigeria Abidjan in coteD'ivoire.

CHARACTERISTICS

1. It has heavy rainfall of over 2500mm per annum.
2. It has a double maximum of rainfall in June/July and September/October with a conventional type of rainfall.
3. There is no month without rainfall of at least 50mm
4. It has a high temperature of about 27c
5. It has low annual range temperature of 2-3
6. It has high relative humidity of over 90%
7. It has a long period of the wet or rainy season between 6-8 month and 3-4 month of the dry season.

2.The tropical hinterland region: This is found in southern Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Cote d'Ivoire.

CHARACTERISTICS

1. It has month moderate rainfall 2000-3000mm.
2. It has 4-5 months of little rainfall i.e the wet season is roughly 6-7 months of the years.
3. It has double maxima of rainfall in the southern boundary and single maximum in the northern boundary.
4. It has a high temperature of over 27c
5. It has an annual temperature range of 6c

3.The tropical continental region: This is found in the heart of West Africa such as Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Coast of Ghana, Southern Mali and the Gambia.

CHARACTERISTICS

1. This is also called the sudan climate
2. Rainfall is between 500-1000mm per annum.
3. There is a long period of little or no rainfall.

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