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Difficulty: EasyClimate and Climatic Regions of Nigeria

Match each Nigerian climatic zone listed on the left with its corresponding climatic characteristic on the right.

  • Sub-equatorial Zone (Coastal Belt)Heavy annual rainfall featuring a distinct double-peak (double maxima)
  • Tropical Continental Zone (Far North)Very short rainy season (3–4 months) and high annual temperature range
  • Highland Zone (Jos Plateau)Lower mean annual temperatures resulting from high elevation
  • Tropical Hinterland Zone (Middle Belt)Moderate annual rainfall with a single rainfall maximum and distinct wet and dry seasons

Answer

Sub-equatorial Zone matches with heavy rainfall with a distinct double-peak; Tropical Continental Zone matches with very short rainy season (3–4 months) and high temperature range; Highland Zone matches with lower temperatures resulting from high elevation; Tropical Hinterland Zone matches with moderate rainfall with a single maximum.
Each zone is correctly paired according to geographical controls: coastal sub-equatorial zones feature double-peak rainfall; far northern sub-Sahelian areas have brief wet seasons; highland regions have elevation-induced temperature drops; and middle belt hinterlands experience single-peak seasonal rainfall.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify coastal climate characteristics
Southern coastal regions have sub-equatorial climate with double rainfall maxima due to long exposure to the Maritime Tropical (mT) air mass.
Coastal proximity ensures prolonged moisture supply.
2
Identify northern continental climate characteristics
Far northern regions experience short rain periods (3-4 months) and a high annual temperature range due to dominant Continental Tropical (cT) air mass.
Distance from the ocean limits moisture availability.
3
Identify highland relief climate characteristics
Elevated areas like the Jos Plateau have cooler conditions due to lapse rate reduction of temperature with altitude.
Altitude modifies temperature independently of latitude.
4
Identify middle belt hinterland climate characteristics
Middle belt receives moderate rainfall with a single peak around July/August as the ITCZ advances and retreats.
Transition zone between wet south and dry north.

Key Concept

Climatic Zones of Nigeria and their distinguishing characteristics
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Topics

Climate and Climatic Regions of Nigeria

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