What's the Hottest Country in the World?

In the wake of news that the UK has suffered all of its top ten hottest years since the turn of the century, it’s becoming clearer than ever that manmade climate change is here to stay. Of course, while last year’s summer may have been the joint hottest that Britain has ever experienced, it is important to remember that there are far hotter countries on the planet which will feel the effects of a hike in global temperatures much more keenly.

When it comes to determining who tops the list for hottest country, it’s a difficult question to answer. Does the hottest ever temperature win the day? If some cities and regions are hotter than others, how that does affect the leader board? Trying to narrow down the list of potential candidates is a tricky business, given the variety and volume of criteria that could potentially go into the decision.

In order to eliminate confusion, the following list has been compiled based upon the average temperatures recorded across a country throughout the year. Taking that measure as our yardstick, here’s a quick rundown of the five hottest nations in the world, for anyone who has ever pondered the question but been unable to find a definitive answer.

5) Bahrain

The tiny kingdom of Bahrain in the Middle East occupies fifth spot on the list, with an average summer temperature of 33°C and an average winter one of 17°C. However, on hotter days, the mercury can rise above 40°C, making it an unpleasantly hot place to live in the summer months.

4) Vietnam

With an average summer temperature of 33°C, there’s little to separate Vietnam from Bahrain – until winter sets in. That’s when the thermometer drops to a positively balmy 25°C on average, putting the spells of dry heat which affected Europe last year to shame. Conversely, the summers in this southeast Asian country are notable for their tropical monsoons and heavy rainfall.

3) United Arab Emirates

Another Middle Eastern country sneaks ahead of Vietnam into a podium place finish with a higher average summer temperature (37°C) but a lower average winter one (20°C). Of course, the summer months generally far outnumber the winter ones, so the UAE is a clear winner for the bronze medal position.

2) Botswana

With the Kalahari Desert covering as much as 70% of Botswana’s territory, it’s not difficult to understand why this small African nation suffers from average summer temperatures of 40°C and winter ones of 25°C. Fun fact: the local slang word for the Botswanan pula (their currency) is “rain”.

1) Qatar

With average summer temperatures of an incredible 42°C, it’s easy to see why the diminutive Middle Eastern nation of Qatar is top of the list for hottest countries in the world. While things are surprisingly cool in the winter – an average of just over 20°C – those months are over barely after they’ve begun. No wonder FIFA are planning to move the World Cup to avoid that stifling heat.