Identifying the world’s hottest nation begins with identifying what constitutes a hottest country. Is it, for example, the nation that recorded the world’s warmest temperature in a single year?
On June 22, 2021, Nuwaiseeb in Kuwait reached 53.2C (127.7F). Do you live where it was the hottest ever recorded in contemporary times? Death Valley, California, recorded a temperature of 56.7C (134F) in 1913.
Considering both summer and winter temperatures, is it the nation with the warmest average summer temperature?
Are the last 30 years the warmest on record for this country’s average year-round temperature?” These criteria have validity, but we’ll focus on the last one for this post.
The 10 hottest countries in the world from 1991 to 2020 (measured in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit)
- Mali – 28.83°C / 83.89°F
- Burkina Faso – 28.71°C / 83.68°F
- Senegal – 28.65°C / 83.57°F
- Tuvalu – 28.45°C / 83.21°F
- Djibouti – 28.38°C / 83.08°F
- Mauritania – 28.34°C / 83.01°F
- Bahrain – 28.23°C / 82.81°F
- Palau – 28.04°C / 82.47°F
- Qatar – 28.02°C / 82.44°F
- Gambia – 27.97°C / 82.35°F
83.89°F (28.83°C) is the annual average temperature of Mali, the world’s hottest nation. Mali, which lies in West Africa, is bordered by Burkina Faso & Senegal, the next two countries. Almost the whole territory of Mali is covered by the Sahara Desert, making drought a constant threat.
Where on Earth is the hottest place?
At first look, the temperature of 28.83°C (83.89°F) seems to be unusually low. However, bear in mind that these are average temperatures throughout the year, not just average highs during the summer.
As a result, this figure includes the summer highs and the day-night temperatures in the spring, autumn, and winter.
In Timbuktu, Mali, the average daily high is 83°F in January, the coldest month of the year, and ranges from 97°F to 108°F from March to mid-October. Cooler winter nights in the lower 58-65°F range mean that the annual average temperature is lowered to the mid-80s (°F).
What nations are the warmest on the planet?
It is generally true that places closer to the equator (zero degrees latitude) have higher temperatures throughout the year.
More extreme winter temperatures may be expected as one gets closer to the equator, so the northern hemisphere is more affected by seasonal weather changes than the southern hemisphere.
Why are countries in temperate zones cooler?
The curvature of the Earth is a major factor in why nations near the equator suffer higher temperatures.
Sunlight hits the equator at a nearly perpendicular angle due to the Earth’s approximately spherical shape, which focuses on a smaller area and increases its likelihood of being absorbed.
As a result, the higher angle at which sunlight reaches the poles has a larger potential for reflecting off nearby objects (especially in areas already covered in snow).
In addition, since sunlight must pass through a wider layer of atmosphere to reach the surface when coming at a greater angle, it is more likely to be reflected, deflected, or absorbed by atmospheric particles.
Consequently, the closer to the poles a nation is, the less solar energy it receives and the colder.
Earth’s axis of rotation also has a role in temperature change. The tilt of the Earth, not its distance from the sun, causes the seasons on Earth.
For a brief period each year between May and September, our planet’s tilted axis turns the North Pole toward the sun, increasing the amount of sunlight reaching the Northern Hemisphere.
Summer arrives in the Northern Hemisphere because more sunshine is absorbed. Six months from now, the Earth’s North Pole will be pointing away from the sun as it completes the second half of its orbit.
Because of the reduced solar absorption, the Northern Hemisphere enters a period of cooler weather known as autumn and winter. Thanks to the South Pole turning toward the sun, the Southern Hemisphere now has its spring and summer.
Is there a correlation between climate change and national borders?
Although physical elements like lakes & mountain ranges have the potential to influence weather and climate, politics is often what determines country boundaries.
Consequently, the climate, weather, & temperature are not affected by national boundaries. Temperatures and climates vary widely from country to country and even within a single country.
This is particularly true in nations with a huge population, like Russia or the United States. Depending on their latitude & proximity to coasts, mountains, or the Great Lakes, the states of the United States have a wide range of climates to provide their residents with a wide range of recreational and cultural options.
Do the world’s hottest nations tend to become hotter?
Observational data suggests that the Earth’s temperature is rising. As a result, global average yearly temperatures are anticipated to increase, regardless of how hot or cold a nation is.
According to the NOAA, July 2021 was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States of America. Numerous studies, including those from NASA and the NOAA, show that the years from 2014 to 2020 were the hottest six-year span in at least the previous 171 years. This is a fact.
Also See: Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Country 2022
Studies like this show that human-induced climate change and global warming are both real and occurring. However, considerable doubts remain about how much temperatures will increase and what people can or will do to avoid, offset, or adapt to this change in the climate.
Country | Average Yearly Temperature (°C) | Average Yearly Temperature (°F) |
---|---|---|
Mali | 28.2500 | 82.8500 |
Burkina Faso | 28.2500 | 82.8500 |
Kiribati | 28.2000 | 82.7600 |
Tuvalu | 28 | 82.4000 |
Djibouti | 28 | 82.4000 |
Senegal | 27.8500 | 82.1300 |
Maldives | 27.6500 | 81.7700 |
Mauritania | 27.6500 | 81.7700 |
Palau | 27.6000 | 81.6800 |
Benin | 27.5500 | 81.5900 |
Gambia | 27.5000 | 81.5000 |
Marshall Islands | 27.4000 | 81.3200 |
Ghana | 27.2000 | 80.9600 |
Seychelles | 27.1500 | 80.8700 |
Bahrain | 27.1500 | 80.8700 |
Qatar | 27.1500 | 80.8700 |
Togo | 27.1500 | 80.8700 |
Niger | 27.1500 | 80.8700 |
Somalia | 27.0500 | 80.6900 |
United Arab Emirates | 27 | 80.6000 |
Sri Lanka | 26.9500 | 80.5100 |
Sudan | 26.9000 | 80.4200 |
Brunei | 26.8500 | 80.3300 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 26.8000 | 80.2400 |
Cambodia | 26.8000 | 80.2400 |
Nigeria | 26.8000 | 80.2400 |
Guinea-Bissau | 26.7500 | 80.1500 |
Samoa | 26.7000 | 80.0600 |
Grenada | 26.6500 | 79.9700 |
Chad | 26.5500 | 79.7900 |
Singapore | 26.4500 | 79.6100 |
Ivory Coast | 26.3500 | 79.4300 |
Thailand | 26.3000 | 79.3400 |
Sierra Leone | 26.0500 | 78.8900 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 26 | 78.8000 |
Barbados | 26 | 78.8000 |
Guyana | 26 | 78.8000 |
Micronesia | 25.8500 | 78.5300 |
Philippines | 25.8500 | 78.5300 |
Indonesia | 25.8500 | 78.5300 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 25.7500 | 78.3500 |
Suriname | 25.7000 | 78.2600 |
Guinea | 25.7000 | 78.2600 |
Solomon Islands | 25.6500 | 78.1700 |
Oman | 25.6000 | 78.0800 |
Comoros | 25.5500 | 77.9900 |
Saint Lucia | 25.5000 | 77.9000 |
Eritrea | 25.5000 | 77.9000 |
Panama | 25.4000 | 77.7200 |
Malaysia | 25.4000 | 77.7200 |
Kuwait | 25.3500 | 77.6300 |
Venezuela | 25.3500 | 77.6300 |
Belize | 25.3000 | 77.5400 |
Liberia | 25.3000 | 77.5400 |
Tonga | 25.2500 | 77.4500 |
Timor-Leste | 25.2500 | 77.4500 |
Papua New Guinea | 25.2500 | 77.4500 |
Cuba | 25.2000 | 77.3600 |
Gabon | 25.0500 | 77.0900 |
Bangladesh | 25 | 77 |
Jamaica | 24.9500 | 76.9100 |
Brazil | 24.9500 | 76.9100 |
Central African Republic | 24.9000 | 76.8200 |
Nicaragua | 24.9000 | 76.8200 |
Haiti | 24.9000 | 76.8200 |
Bahamas | 24.8500 | 76.7300 |
Costa Rica | 24.8000 | 76.6400 |
Kenya | 24.7500 | 76.5500 |
Saudi Arabia | 24.6500 | 76.3700 |
Cameroon | 24.6000 | 76.2800 |
Equatorial Guinea | 24.5500 | 76.1900 |
Republic of the Congo | 24.5500 | 76.1900 |
Dominican Republic | 24.5500 | 76.1900 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 24.5000 | 76.1000 |
Colombia | 24.5000 | 76.1000 |
El Salvador | 24.4500 | 76.0100 |
Vietnam | 24.4500 | 76.0100 |
Fiji | 24.4000 | 75.9200 |
DR Congo | 24 | 75.2000 |
Vanuatu | 23.9500 | 75.1100 |
Yemen | 23.8500 | 74.9300 |
Mozambique | 23.8000 | 74.8400 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 23.7500 | 74.7500 |
India | 23.6500 | 74.5700 |
Paraguay | 23.5500 | 74.3900 |
Honduras | 23.5000 | 74.3000 |
Guatemala | 23.4500 | 74.2100 |
Cape Verde | 23.3000 | 73.9400 |
Laos | 22.8000 | 73.0400 |
Uganda | 22.8000 | 73.0400 |
Madagascar | 22.6500 | 72.7700 |
Algeria | 22.5000 | 72.5000 |
Mauritius | 22.4000 | 72.3200 |
Dominica | 22.3500 | 72.2300 |
Tanzania | 22.3500 | 72.2300 |
Ethiopia | 22.2000 | 71.9600 |
Egypt | 22.1000 | 71.7800 |
Malawi | 21.9000 | 71.4200 |
Ecuador | 21.8500 | 71.3300 |
Libya | 21.8000 | 71.2400 |
Australia | 21.6500 | 70.9700 |
Bolivia | 21.5500 | 70.7900 |
Angola | 21.5500 | 70.7900 |
Botswana | 21.5000 | 70.7000 |
Eswatini | 21.4000 | 70.5200 |
Zambia | 21.4000 | 70.5200 |
Iraq | 21.4000 | 70.5200 |
Zimbabwe | 21 | 69.8000 |
Mexico | 21 | 69.8000 |
Pakistan | 20.2000 | 68.3600 |
Namibia | 19.9500 | 67.9100 |
Burundi | 19.8000 | 67.6400 |
Peru | 19.6000 | 67.2800 |
Malta | 19.2000 | 66.5600 |
Israel | 19.2000 | 66.5600 |
Tunisia | 19.2000 | 66.5600 |
Cyprus | 18.4500 | 65.2100 |
Jordan | 18.3000 | 64.9400 |
Rwanda | 17.8500 | 64.1300 |
Syria | 17.7500 | 63.9500 |
South Africa | 17.7500 | 63.9500 |
Uruguay | 17.5500 | 63.5900 |
Iran | 17.2500 | 63.0500 |
Morocco | 17.1000 | 62.7800 |
Lebanon | 16.4000 | 61.5200 |
Greece | 15.4000 | 59.7200 |
Portugal | 15.1500 | 59.2700 |
Turkmenistan | 15.1000 | 59.1800 |
Argentina | 14.8000 | 58.6400 |
Monaco | 13.5500 | 56.3900 |
Italy | 13.4500 | 56.2100 |
Spain | 13.3000 | 55.9400 |
Myanmar | 13.0500 | 55.4900 |
Afghanistan | 12.6000 | 54.6800 |
Uzbekistan | 12.0500 | 53.6900 |
Azerbaijan | 11.9500 | 53.5100 |
San Marino | 11.8500 | 53.3300 |
Lesotho | 11.8500 | 53.3300 |
South Korea | 11.5000 | 52.7000 |
Albania | 11.4000 | 52.5200 |
Japan | 11.1500 | 52.0700 |
Turkey | 11.1000 | 51.9800 |
Croatia | 10.9000 | 51.6200 |
France | 10.7000 | 51.2600 |
Montenegro | 10.5500 | 50.9900 |
New Zealand | 10.5500 | 50.9900 |
Bulgaria | 10.5500 | 50.9900 |
Serbia | 10.5500 | 50.9900 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9.8500 | 49.7300 |
Hungary | 9.7500 | 49.5500 |
Belgium | 9.5500 | 49.1900 |
Moldova | 9.4500 | 49.0100 |
Ireland | 9.3000 | 48.7400 |
Netherlands | 9.2500 | 48.6500 |
Slovenia | 8.9000 | 48.0200 |
Romania | 8.8000 | 47.8400 |
Luxembourg | 8.6500 | 47.5700 |
United States | 8.5500 | 47.3900 |
Germany | 8.5000 | 47.3000 |
Chile | 8.4500 | 47.2100 |
United Kingdom | 8.4500 | 47.2100 |
Ukraine | 8.3000 | 46.9400 |
Nepal | 8.1000 | 46.5800 |
Poland | 7.8500 | 46.1300 |
Andorra | 7.6000 | 45.6800 |
Czech Republic | 7.5500 | 45.5900 |
Denmark | 7.5000 | 45.5000 |
Bhutan | 7.4000 | 45.3200 |
Armenia | 7.1500 | 44.8700 |
China | 6.9500 | 44.5100 |
Slovakia | 6.8000 | 44.2400 |
Kazakhstan | 6.4000 | 43.5200 |
Austria | 6.3500 | 43.4300 |
Lithuania | 6.2000 | 43.1600 |
Belarus | 6.1500 | 43.0700 |
Georgia | 5.8000 | 42.4400 |
North Korea | 5.7000 | 42.2600 |
Liechtenstein | 5.6500 | 42.1700 |
Latvia | 5.6000 | 42.0800 |
Switzerland | 5.5000 | 41.9000 |
Estonia | 5.1000 | 41.1800 |
Sweden | 2.1000 | 35.7800 |
Tajikistan | 2 | 35.6000 |
Iceland | 1.7500 | 35.1500 |
Finland | 1.7000 | 35.0600 |
Kyrgyzstan | 1.5500 | 34.7900 |
Norway | 1.5000 | 34.7000 |
Mongolia | -0.7000 | 30.7400 |
Russia | -5.1000 | 22.8200 |
Canada | -5.3500 | 22.3700 |