In this article, we will be looking at the 20 most tropical countries in Asia.
What Are Tropical Countries?
According to the definition by the National Geographic Society, the tropics are the regions that lie either in the latitude lines 23.5 degrees North of the Equator or 23.5 degrees South of the Equator, in the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn respectively. Globally, the tropical regions account for a huge amount of the earth’s area and have been estimated to cover 36% of the total landmass. The tropics are also the home to a third of the total world population. The closeness of this region to the equator makes them a recipient of almost direct sunlight throughout the year. Therefore, tropical regions are generally warm all year round. The average temperature in the tropics has been noted to be around 25 to 28 degrees Celsius. The countries that lie in the tropics are generally identified as tropical countries.
Challenges Faced by Tropical Countries
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges being faced by the world today. Climate change is not an isolated event, but, is accompanied by issues. Climate change leads to the loss of farming land and labor, a decrease in productivity rates, and changes in infrastructure requirements. All of the resulting factors add up to have an economic and financial impact that has been estimated to snowball over time. On April 17, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) published a report noting that climate change will result in a loss of $38 trillion per year by 2050. Climate change has been estimated to decrease 17% of the global economy’s GDP. A massive reduction in income is expected due to climate change, 19% by 2050. The numbers can vary and be even greater if no immediate steps are taken to curb this growing monster.
Tropical countries are located closer to the equator and receive high amounts of sunlight consistently throughout the year. The worsening climate situation is expected to have serious consequences, especially for tropical countries. A rise in temperatures is going to be the most evident in the tropics, resulting in dire consequences for the countries located within them. The countries with the least responsibility for climate change and weaker economies have been estimated to experience 60% income loss in comparison to high-income stronger economies. These countries also have the least resources to adapt to the challenges of climate change. The income loss in the weaker economies is expected to be 40% greater than that of stronger economies with high emissions by 2050. Therefore, tropical countries are faced with climate change challenges along with lingering economic and financial challenges.
The Road Ahead
The mitigating cost is minimal compared to the estimated cost of climate change in the long run. The damages done by climate change in economic and financial terms have been estimated to be six times more than the cost needed for limiting climate change to below two degrees. If proper steps are not taken for climate change and emissions reductions, the economic losses will increase even further. About 60% of income loss on the global average is expected by 2100 throughout the world.
The use of the latest technologies including Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) can facilitate countries in building resilience. On May 23, Reuters reported that cities worldwide are adopting digital twin technology to tackle urban challenges. The digital twin technology allows the creation of a real-time digital replica of a physical object or environment based on the data collected from various sources including satellites and IoT devices. The use of digital twin technology is helping deal with climate-related challenges and building resilience including air pollution reduction, and urban heat island management. The technology is gaining massive popularity and 500 cities are expected to use digital twin technology by 2025. The use of digital twins in cities could potentially save $280 billion by 2030 especially when cities are facing climate-related challenges including rising temperatures and sea levels. Some of the cities already using this technology include Singapore and Tokyo.
Siemens AG (ETR:SIE) is a German industrial conglomerate that is working on developing digital twin technology to help plan and optimize the development of cities. Siemensstadt Square is a 180-acre mixed-use development project in Berlin by Siemens AG (ETR:SIE). The twin city technology by the company is serving as a test bed for digital transformation technology focusing on the implementation of the technology for urban planning and operations. The project by Siemens AG (ETR:SIE) aims to create a sustainable, inclusive, and livable district. By optimizing city planning and operations cities can be more efficient.
Now, that we have discussed what tropical countries are and the challenges faced by them, let’s have a look at the most tropical countries located in Asia. You can also check out the 18 Countries with the Largest Tropical Forest Areas in the World.
Our Methodology
To make our list of the most tropical countries in Asia, we initially sifted through various sources that defined what a tropical country is. Our sources included the National Geographic Society, Oxford Reference, Britannica, and World Atlas. We were able to identify location and temperature as the determining factors for a tropical country. We then sifted through almost ten sources that mentioned the names of the tropical countries in Asia. We extracted the names of the countries that appeared in at least 50% of our sources.
Based on our research, a tropical country’s main feature is located in the latitude lines of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, which makes up 23.5 degrees North and South of the Equator in latitude lines. We then individually looked up the latitude location of each of the countries extracted from our sources. The data was extracted from GeoNames. We have only mentioned the latitude location because the tropics are determined using latitudes and give holistic information about which tropic the country is present in and the distance from the equator. We have used the latitude of each country as our primary metric.
The second most pertinent feature of a tropical country is the average temperature which generally lies between 25 to 28 degrees Celsius. The tropics receive varying amounts of rain, however, the temperature generally remains high because of the geographical closeness to the equator. Annual Average Mean Surface Air Temperature was therefore taken as the secondary metric. We have used the data from the World Bank. The metric presented the annual average mean temperature for each country from 1991 till 2020.
The data has been arranged in descending order of the degree of latitude implying the further away a country is from the equator the less tropical it is. The secondary metric has been used as a tie-breaker for countries with similar locations. It is important to note that for our list we have also included some countries that are the closest to the tropics, lie in a subtropical region, or experience tropical climates to some extent.
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20 Most Tropical Countries in Asia
20. Pakistan
Latitude: 30° N
Average Temperature: 21.38°C
Pakistan lies in the temperate zone immediately above the Tropic of Cancer. The climate of the country ranges between tropical and temperate based on the location you are in. The country experiences arid conditions in the coastal south with a monsoon season and lesser rainfall during the dry season.
19. Qatar
Latitude: 25.5° N
Average Temperature: 28.02°C
Qatar has a subtropical dry, hot desert climate with low annual rainfall and very high temperatures in summer. The summer seasons ranging from June to September are extremely hot however, the winters are much more pleasant and bearable. The coastal areas are slightly influenced by the Persian Gulf with a higher moisture in the air.
18. Saudi Arabia
Latitude: 25° N
Average Temperature: 25.54°C
Saudi Arabia is located in the tropical and subtropical desert regions. The winds reaching the country are generally dry, and almost all of the area is arid. Saudi Arabia has some regions with higher rainfall. The western and eastern regions are hot and humid in the summer months, whereas, the central regions are extremely hot.
17. Bangladesh
Latitude: 24° N
Average Temperature: 25.71°C
Bangladesh is among the most tropical countries in Asia. It is located in South Asia and straddles the Tropic of Cancer. Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate characterized by high temperatures, heavy seasonal rainfall, and high humidity. The country is home to diverse tropical ecosystems including mangrove forests and swamps.
16. United Arab Emirates
Latitude: 23.75° N
Average Temperature: 28.17°C
The UAE is located in a tropical dry area and is influenced by the ocean due to its proximity to the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The country experiences high temperatures throughout the year. The majority of the country has a desert-like climate, however, its closeness to the Tropic of Cancer has earned its place among the tropical countries in Asia.
15. India
Latitude: 22° N
Average Temperature: 24.94°C
India is among the most tropical countries in Asia. The majority of the country has tropical wet and dry or tropical monsoon climates. The country’s climate is influenced by its geographical diversity. The country has rich geographical diversity with mountains in the Northern parts of the country and a coastal line in the South.
14. Burma (Myanmar)
Latitude: 21° N
Average Temperature: 23.82°C
Myanmar or Burma is generally considered a tropical country due to its climate characteristics. The country has a tropical monsoon climate with three distinct seasons. Myanmar’s climate is influenced by its geographic position. While temperatures are not uniformly high throughout the year, Myanmar generally experiences a tropical climate with a daily temperature range greater than that in many other parts of Southeast Asia.
13. Oman
Latitude: 21° N
Average Temperature: 27.64°C
Oman is among our list of the most tropical countries in Asia. The country lies within the Tropic of Cancer and it has tropical characteristics, especially in its southern Dhofar region. The country’s climate in the Southern part is generally classified as hot desert and subtropical. However, the majority of Oman experiences a hot desert climate with very little rainfall.
12. Laos
Latitude: 18° N
Average Temperature: 24.16°C
Laos is indeed a tropical country, characterized by a tropical monsoon climate. The country’s climate is influenced by the monsoon winds, which bring heavy rainfall during the rainy season. The country lies within the Tropic of Cancer and has an average observed surface temperature of 24.16°C based on data from 1991 to 2020.
11. Vietnam
Latitude: 16.17° N
Average Temperature: 24.79°C
Vietnam is among the most tropical countries in Asia. The country is considered a tropical country due to its location in the tropical zone and its climate. The country experiences a monsoon-influenced climate, however, the climatic conditions vary across various regions of the country. Vietnam’s climate is also influenced by its location in adjacent to the sea.
10. Yemen
Latitude: 15.5° N
Average Temperature: 25.54°C
Yemen is located in the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula. The country lies within the tropic of Cancer. The country has a diverse range of climates across various regions with the Southern parts of the country being hot and receiving very little rainfall in most areas. The southern fringe areas of the Gulf of Aden, therefore, experience a markedly tropical climate.
9. Thailand
Latitude: 15.5° N
Average Temperature: 26.85°C
Thailand is a tropical country located in Southeast Asia. It has a tropical climate influenced by monsoon winds, with a rainy season. Most of It has a tropical climate, with the south and eastern parts of the country having a tropical monsoon climate. Thailand’s climate is generally hot and humid.
8. Philippines
Latitude: 13.41° N
Average Temperature: 26.27°C
The Philippines is a tropical country located in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. The country consists of more than 7,000 islands. It has a tropical climate characterized by relatively high temperatures, humidity, and rainfall. May has the highest temperature and January has been noted to be the coolest month.
7. Cambodia
Latitude: 13° N
Average Temperature: 27.41°C
Cambodia has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons. It is among the most tropical countries in Asia. The rainy season is between May and November and the dry season runs from December to April. The majority of the country lies in the tropical climate zone and has a high observed mean temperature of almost 27.41°C.
6. Timor-Leste
Latitude: 8.83° S
Average Temperature: 24.57°C
Timor-Leste is a tropical country located in Southeast Asia. Timor-Leste has a hot and humid tropical climate, with a mean temperature of approximately 24.57°C. The country experiences a wet season from November to May and a dry season from June to October. The interior of Timor-Leste is mountainous, with ridges of inactive volcanic mountains extending along the island.
5. Srilanka
Latitude: 7.75° N
Average Temperature: 27.25°C
Sri Lanka is a tropical country located in South Asia. Sri Lanka has a tropical climate, with warm temperatures year-round and high humidity. Sri Lanka’s climate is influenced by its location which endows the country with year-round warm weather moderated by ocean winds and moisture. The terrain is mostly flat to rolling coastal plains.
