Have you tried staying outdoor under the scorching heat of the sun for a few minutes? For sure, you didn’t like it as it hurts your skin and might even cause you a headache after your extended exposure to sunlight. During summer, as the cirrus clouds beautifully showcase in the bluest and clearest sky, you enjoy your time on the beach, carefree and very relaxed.
But no matter how much sunblock you apply on your body, if you live in the hottest countries in the world, perhaps lotions with the highest sun protection content won’t work. Moreover, staying under the sweltering heat can burn and severely damage your skin and may even cause severe health conditions.
Let’s find out what are the hottest countries and their record-breaking temperatures in history.
To determine which countries are the hottest, you either rank them using the warmest temperature ever recorded in each country or rank the warmest countries by their average yearly temperature.
Why Do Countries Become Too Hot?
If the countries are situated nearest the equator, they will experience warmer temperatures year-round than those farther north or south of the equator. Four seasons are likely experienced by countries that are further north in the Northern Hemisphere or south in the Southern Hemisphere, including significantly colder temperatures in the winter.
Several factors influence the Earth’s tilt on its axis and absorption and scattering of sunlight.
As the Earth tilts on its axis, the poles receive the sun’s rays at a diagonal angle. The beams spread over a much larger area. However, the equator and the places or countries in this region receive the rays more directly over a smaller area, making the rays more concentrated.
The absorption and scattering of sunshine are other factors, less significant but still contribute to the equator’s hotter temperatures as the sunlight passes through the atmosphere and reflects by the Earth’s surface.
There are more air molecules and particles at higher latitudes, which means more excellent absorption and less solar energy reach the surface. The sun’s reflected energy bounces back and does not warm the Earth. The amount of reflected rays varies on the Earth’s surface, and snow reflects much of the sun’s energy, making the world’s cold regions remain cold.
On the contrary, the areas around the equator absorb a lot of the sun’s rays leading to warmer conditions.
These make climates and temperatures vary greatly between countries and even within countries. This is seen in large countries, such as the United States. The U.S. states have a variety of climates, depending on their location.
The hottest countries in the world tend to be in regions close to the equator. The hottest countries are both land-locked, desert-covered nations and islands.
Hottest Countries in the World
United States
The USA is home to the hottest places on Earth. Death Valley, specifically in Furnace Creek Ranch, had reached the record-breaking temperature at 56.7 °C (134 °F) on July 10, 1913. Over a century has passed, but it still holds the record as the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth, making the United States the hottest country in the world.
Surprisingly, the Death Valley National Park also becomes chilling during wintertime, making it a land of extreme weather conditions.
Tunisia
Tunisia is next on the list of the hottest countries in the world. Its town, Kebil, had reached 55 °C (131 °F) on July 7, 1931. During summer, the country generally is sweltering as its average temperature is around 32/33 °C (89/91 °F) and even higher in the desert areas.
However, wintertime has more pleasant temperatures at around 16/18 °C (61/64 °F).
Iran
Iran also typically gets hot in the summer and more a mild climate in wintertime, with colder temperatures in mountain areas. In June 2017, the hottest temperature that the country had reached was at 54 °C (129 °F) in Ahwaz.
Kuwait
Kuwait is among the hottest countries in the world. In Mitribah, recent warmth records were observed at 54.0 °C (129.2 °F) on July 21, 2016, globally, one of the hottest countries.
Israel
Reaching 54.0 °C (129.2 °F)on June 21, 1942, TiratZvi, in Israel, is another place in the Middle East that recorded the hottest temperature. Israel then ranked as one of the world’s warmest countries. The average summer temperature in the country is usually between the high 80’s (27C) and ’90s (32C), where some areas in the country, such as Massada and Eilat, typically reach higher temperatures that reach 110F (43C) or above.
Iraq
On July 22, 2016, in Basra’s town, the hottest temperature in Iraq was recorded at 53.9 °C (129.0 °F), making the country one of the hottest countries on Earth. Depending on which region you visit, but the mountains are colder in the wintertime with more rain. The hottest temperatures occur in the northern part during summer, which has a more desert-like climate, although the whole country sees high temperatures in the summer months.
Pakistan
Like its neighboring country India, Pakistan is a country that experiences exceptionally high temperatures throughout the summer months. In Turbat, Pakistan, on May 28, 2017, a temperature of 53.7 °C (128.7 °F) was recorded, the highest temperature ever recorded in the country.
It can be pretty hot in the cities in the summer, to the point that the asphalt is beginning to melt.
On the other hand, Pakistan is also the location of one of the world’s most challenging mountain climbs, K2, the highest point on the planet. K2 has documented some of the coldest temperatures ever recorded on Earth, with temperatures as low as -62 °C (-80 °F).
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, the country that’s one of the hottest in the world, is also the warmest nation based on average temperature year-round, and it is the only country that does so. The highest temperature ever documented in the UAE is 52.1 ° C (125.8 °F).
As a result, more tourists have chosen Dubai as their winter vacation destination in recent years. The well-developed society, which includes skyscrapers and air conditioning systems in every building, makes it relatively easy to survive the hottest months.