A tropical country is one whose territory is inside the band of land that encircles the equator and is bounded by the Tropics of Cancer (North) and Capricorn (south). There are roughly 40 percent of the world’s people and 40 percent of the planet’s surface area in the tropics.
A projected 50% of the global population will reside in tropical regions by the end of the 2030s or early 1940s, mostly because of population growth in sub-Saharan Africa, which is expected to be greater than usual.
Temperatures in tropical nations tend to be higher, wetter, and more humid than in the middle latitudes and the polar regions.
In most tropical nations, the mean monthly temperature is at least 18°C (64.4°F), and the year is divided into two distinct seasons: the wet/rainy season, which is when the majority of the rain falls, and the dry season, which is when there is no rain at all.
While tropical climates occur, arid locations like Sahara Deserts and Australian Outbacks, alpine tundra on mountains like Chile and Peru’s, and snowcaps on Hawaiian islands like Mauna Kea and New Guinea’s Puncak Jays are examples of non-tropical climates.
These ecosystems may be found in tropical countries: tropical rain forests, arid “dry” deciduous woods, and deserts.
Top 5 Most Unexpected Tropical Countries
More than 125 nations and territories in the globe are situated partly or entirely in the tropics (a full list appears below). This includes several nations that aren’t generally considered tropical, such as Australia and New Zealand.
Most of South America’s second-largest nation is situated south of the Tropic of Capricorn, which places it firmly in the temperate region. As a result of its northernmost point, it is included on the list of nations located in tropical regions.
This South American country, together with Argentina, extends farther south than any other country, almost reaching the Antarctic Circle. Its northern tip, like Argentina’s, stretches into the tropics.
While most of this vast Asian nation is above the Tropic of Cancer, its southernmost point is located in the temperate zone north of the two tropics.
Just thinking of Egypt conjures up images of pyramids, the Sphinx, and sand that stretch for miles in every direction. Nevertheless, the southernmost 15% of its land area is in the tropics.
A large portion of the United States is situated in the temperate zone. Because Alaska is on the Arctic Circle and Hawaii is an island in the tropics, the United States is the only nation with the territory in both the Arctic and the Tropic.
Also See: Western Hemisphere Countries 2022
It’s even more surprising when you consider the countries that you’d expect to be tropical but are actually in temperate zones. North and South Korea, for example, are not tropical nations. Morocco, Bhutan, and Tunisia aren’t exotic, but they aren’t swelteringly hot either.
Here is a list of all nations in the tropics and their continent of residence.
Country | Area Located In Tropics |
---|---|
Algeria | Partial |
Angola | Full |
Antigua and Barbuda | Full |
Argentina | Partial |
Aruba | Full |
Australia | Partial |
Bahamas | Partial |
Bangladesh | Partial |
Barbados | Full |
Belize | Full |
Benin | Full |
Bolivia | Partial |
Botswana | Partial |
Brazil | Partial |
British Virgin Islands | Full |
Burkina Faso | Full |
Burundi | Full |
Cambodia | Full |
Cameroon | Full |
Cape Verde | Full |
Central African Republic | Full |
Chad | Full |
Chile | Partial |
China | Partial |
Colombia | Full |
Comoros | Full |
Costa Rica | Full |
Cuba | Full |
Djibouti | Full |
Dominica | Full |
Dominican Republic | Full |
DR Congo | Full |
Ecuador | Full |
Egypt | Partial |
El Salvador | Full |
Equatorial Guinea | Full |
Eritrea | Full |
Ethiopia | Full |
Fiji | Full |
French Guiana | Full |
Gabon | Full |
Gambia | Full |
Ghana | Full |
Grenada | Full |
Guadeloupe | Full |
Guatemala | Full |
Guinea | Full |
Guinea-Bissau | Full |
Guyana | Full |
Haiti | Full |
Honduras | Full |
India | Partial |
Indonesia | Full |
Ivory Coast | Full |
Jamaica | Full |
Kenya | Full |
Kiribati | Full |
Laos | Full |
Liberia | Full |
Libya | Partial |
Madagascar | Partial |
Malawi | Full |
Malaysia | Full |
Maldives | Full |
Mali | Full |
Marshall Islands | Full |
Martinique | Full |
Mauritania | Full |
Mauritius | Full |
Mexico | Partial |
Micronesia | Full |
Mozambique | Partial |
Myanmar | Partial |
Namibia | Partial |
Nauru | Full |
Nicaragua | Full |
Niger | Full |
Nigeria | Full |
Oman | Partial |
Palau | Full |
Panama | Full |
Papua New Guinea | Full |
Paraguay | Partial |
Peru | Full |
Philippines | Full |
Republic of the Congo | Full |
Rwanda | Full |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Full |
Saint Lucia | Full |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Full |
Samoa | Full |
Sao Tome and Principe | Full |
Saudi Arabia | Partial |
Senegal | Full |
Seychelles | Full |
Sierra Leone | Full |
Singapore | Full |
Solomon Islands | Full |
Somalia | Full |
South Africa | Partial |
South Sudan | Full |
Sri Lanka | Full |
Sudan | Full |
Suriname | Full |
Taiwan | Partial |
Tanzania | Full |
Thailand | Full |
Togo | Full |
Tonga | Full |
Trinidad and Tobago | Full |
Tuvalu | Full |
Uganda | Full |
United Arab Emirates | Partial |
United States | Partial |
United States Virgin Islands | Full |
Vanuatu | Full |
Venezuela | Full |
Vietnam | Full |
Western Sahara | Partial |
Yemen | Full |
Zambia | Full |
Zimbabwe | Partial |