Differentiate between the Equatorial and the Tropical continental climates under the following (a) location (b) temperature characteristics (c) rainfall dis...

Assessment: WAEC SSCE - Geography - 1994 (Essay) Subject: Geography

Question 1 Report

Differentiate between the Equatorial and the Tropical continental climates under the following

(a) location

(b) temperature characteristics

(c) rainfall distribution

Answer

Element	Equatorial climate	Tropical continental (Savanna) climate
(a) Location	Lies roughly between \(5^{\circ}\text{N}\) and \(5^{\circ}\text{S}\) of the equator (Congo basin, Amazon basin, coastlands of West Africa and South-East Asia).	Lies between about \(5^{\circ}\) and \(15^{\circ}\) (up to \(20^{\circ}\)) north and south of the equator, in the interiors north and south of the equatorial belt (Nigerian middle belt, East Africa, Llanos, Campos).
(b) Temperature	Uniformly high all year, mean about \(27^{\circ}\text{C}\); very small annual range (about \(2^{\circ}\text{C}\)); no distinct hot or cold season.	High mean temperatures but a larger annual range (about \(8^{\circ}\text{C}\)); hottest just before the rains and cooler in the dry season; larger diurnal range.
(c) Rainfall distribution	Heavy rainfall all year (over \(2000\text{ mm}\)), no true dry season, with double maxima near the equinoxes; mainly convectional.	Distinct wet and dry seasons; total lower (about \(750\text{ to }1500\text{ mm}\)) falling mostly in the high-sun summer, with a marked dry season in the low-sun period; single maximum.

Element	Equatorial climate	Tropical continental (Savanna) climate
(a) Location	Lies roughly between \(5^{\circ}\text{N}\) and \(5^{\circ}\text{S}\) of the equator (Congo basin, Amazon basin, coastlands of West Africa and South-East Asia).	Lies between about \(5^{\circ}\) and \(15^{\circ}\) (up to \(20^{\circ}\)) north and south of the equator, in the interiors north and south of the equatorial belt (Nigerian middle belt, East Africa, Llanos, Campos).
(b) Temperature	Uniformly high all year, mean about \(27^{\circ}\text{C}\); very small annual range (about \(2^{\circ}\text{C}\)); no distinct hot or cold season.	High mean temperatures but a larger annual range (about \(8^{\circ}\text{C}\)); hottest just before the rains and cooler in the dry season; larger diurnal range.
(c) Rainfall distribution	Heavy rainfall all year (over \(2000\text{ mm}\)), no true dry season, with double maxima near the equinoxes; mainly convectional.	Distinct wet and dry seasons; total lower (about \(750\text{ to }1500\text{ mm}\)) falling mostly in the high-sun summer, with a marked dry season in the low-sun period; single maximum.

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