Brazil is a large and diverse country, with a wide range of climates and terrains. Understanding the thermal zones in which its land is located can be a helpful way to understand the climate and geography of the country. This article will explain the different thermal zones found in Brazil, as well as the parallels that define them.
Brazil’s Thermal Zones
Brazil is divided into four thermal zones, based on the average temperatures of the area. These four thermal zones are the tropical, subtropical, temperate, and cold zones. The tropical zone covers the northernmost parts of the country, as well as the coastal regions of the east and northeast. This zone has an average temperature of around 26 degrees Celsius. The subtropical zone covers the central parts of the country, as well as the south and southeast. This zone has an average temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius. The temperate zone covers the south of the country, and has an average temperature of around 12 degrees Celsius. Finally, the cold zone covers the highest parts of the country, and has an average temperature of around 5 degrees Celsius.
Defining Parallels
The thermal zones of Brazil are defined by two parallels, the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. The Equator defines the northern boundary of the tropical zone, and the Tropic of Capricorn defines the southern boundary of the subtropical zone. The temperate and cold zones are located between these two parallels. The Tropic of Capricorn also defines the northern boundary of the temperate zone, and the Equator defines the southern boundary of the cold zone.
Understanding the thermal zones in Brazil can be a helpful way to understand the climate and geography of the country. The four thermal zones are defined by the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, with the tropical and subtropical zones located to the north and the temperate and cold zones located to the south. Knowing the different thermal zones can help you plan your travels and understand the climate of the different regions of Brazil.
With an area of 8,515,767 km², Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world, both by land mass and by population. It is divided into four different temperature zones due to its geographical characteristics. Located in the temperate zone of South America – a strip of land between the equator and the Polar region of the continent – Brazil stands out for its tropical and subtropical climates.
The first zone corresponds to the near equatorial region. It runs from 5° lat. south and can be defined by its hot climate throughout the year with occasional rains in the summer season. This zone comprises part of the north, the state of Amapá and the north of Pará.
The second temperature zone is in the Northeast region, stretching from the states of Maranhão and Piauí to the northern part of Rio Grande do Norte. This is a hot and humid climate with mainly rainy summers and dry winters.
In the third zone, the climate changes to subtropical and is characterized by mild winter temperatures, high temperatures in summer and recurrent rains all year round. This zone includes part of the midwest, most of the state of São Paulo, part of the Southeast and South regions.
Finally, the fourth zone features a cold and dry climate, presented mostly in the mountain regions of the south of the country and in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The parallels that delimit these temperature zones in Brazil are 5° south, 13° south and 30° south.
Although Brazil has a diverse climate and is divided into these four distinct temperature zones, it is important to remember that some parts of the country can suffer from an excessive heating or cold, ranging from -15 ° C to 35 ° C, due to the combination of several climatic factors.
