A Semi-arid climate or steppe climate generally describes climatic regions that receive low annual rainfall (250-500 mm or 10-20 in). A more precise definition is given by the Köppen climate classification that treats steppe climates (BS) as intermediates between the desert climates (BW) and humid climates in ecological characteristics and agricultural potential. The Köppen climate classification allows adjustments for temperature and for excluding forested regions (such as those in most of Canada and Siberia).

Examples of types of semi-arid biomes are:

• Australia: a large portion of the Outback, surrounding the central desert regions, including the following areas:¹
  • MacDonnell Ranges, including Alice Springs. (The ranges are surrounded by arid desert regions.)
  • Southern Kimberley, including Broome
  • Central part of the WA Goldfields, including Kalgoorlie
  • Western Pilbara, including Karratha
  • Eastern Riverland, northern Victorian Mallee and Sunraysia, including Mildura
  • Central North West Queensland, including Mount Isa
  • Coastal part of the Far North region of South Australia, including Port Augusta
• Brazil: the North-eastern Sertão or Caatinga
• Caribbean: the Leeward Antilles.
• Canada:
  • The southern Prairie Provinces, including southern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan and extreme southwestern Manitoba;
  • Parts of the British Columbia interior including the Cariboo plateau and the Okanagan Valley
• Italy: the southern zone: Sicily, Sardinia and Apulia.
• Kazakhstan: the Steppe
• North Africa: The region between the Tell Atlas and the Saharan Atlas; and the Sahel on the southern edge of the Sahara
• Most of Pakistan
• Southern Africa: the Karoo and Kalahari regions in the western interior of South Africa and Botswana, also borders the Namib Desert to the north and west.
• Spain: most of Canary Islands and the south-east peninsular zone: province of Alicante, province of Almeria and Region of Murcia. This climate is called arid mediterranean.
• United States: the western interior, including the following states (except above the tree line in the mountain states and in some localized areas):
  • Western parts of the Dakotas
  • Western Nebraska
  • Western Kansas
  • Far Western Oklahoma
  • Central and West Texas
  • Most of New Mexico
  • Colorado
  • Montana
  • Wyoming
  • Most of Utah
  • Northeastern Arizona
  • Northern Nevada
  • Most of Idaho
  • Northeastern California
  • Eastern Oregon
  • Eastern Washington
• Venezuela: the upper north-west zone Zulia and Falcón.

Examples

Southern hemisphere

References

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