Climate is the average weather experienced by an area over a period of years. It depends upon the temperature, rains, atmospheric pressure, wind directions, mountains, height from the sea level and latitude of that place. Different kinds of climate are found in different parts of the world. Different instruments like thermometer, barometer, rain gauge, etc. are used to study the climate, atmospheric pressure, wind directions, rains, clouds, humidity etc.
The world has been divided into 12 major climatic regions. For convenience, these climatic regions have been grouped into three on the basis of their latitudinal positions and extent. These are – the low latitude climatic zone, the mid-latitude climatic zone and the high latitude climatic zone.
Low latitude climatic zone: It includes the humid tropical region, trade wind coastal region, tropical desert and steppe, tropical monsoon and savanna regions. The temperature in this region is very high and dry. In all seasons, there are heavy rains.
Mid-latitude climatic zone: It includes China type. West European type, Mediterranean, mid-latitude desert and steppe and Manhuria type climatic region. The summers are less hot, but the winters are very cold.
High latitude climatic zone: It includes Taiga type, Tundra type, ice-cap and high mountain type regions. In these places, temperature is very low during the winter and cold even during the summer.
The 12 major subdivisions of climate within the zones are: 1. tropical wet, 2. tropical wet and dry, 3. highlands, 4. desert, 5. steppe, 6. subtropical, 7. subtropical moist, 8. oceanic moist, 9. continental moist, 10. Subarctic, 11. Polar and 12. Ice cap. Climate influences the types of houses we live in, the clothes we wear, the food we eat and the type of transportation we use. Climate differs due to the differences in latitude, land and water temperatures and surfaces of land.
