Köppen published "The thermal zones of the Earth according to the duration of hot, moderate and cold periods and to the impact of heat on the organic world" [translated title] in the German journal Meteorologische Zeitschrift in 1884. It was the first scientific paper to classify and map the world's climate regions. His classification was adopted and fine-tuned by later geographers. This version is from Wikipedia. The most striking feature of this map is the lack of intelligibility. Almost the only thing one can make out with any confidence is the great desert and rainforest belts of the tropics.
Climate and World Order Revisited
Climate and World Order Revisited
Climate and World Order Revisited
Köppen published "The thermal zones of the Earth according to the duration of hot, moderate and cold periods and to the impact of heat on the organic world" [translated title] in the German journal Meteorologische Zeitschrift in 1884. It was the first scientific paper to classify and map the world's climate regions. His classification was adopted and fine-tuned by later geographers. This version is from Wikipedia. The most striking feature of this map is the lack of intelligibility. Almost the only thing one can make out with any confidence is the great desert and rainforest belts of the tropics.