What is a climatic zone?

A climate zone is an area of the world, or of a country, that has the same kind of climate.

The UK Meteorological Office uses the following zones:

• Polar - very cold and dry all year
• Temperate - cold winters and mild summers
• Arid - dry, hot all year
• Tropical - hot and wet all year
• Mediterranean - mild winters, dry hot summers
• Mountains (tundra) very cold all year