Top 10 Hottest Countries In The World Where Temperature Hits Extreme Levels

Top 10 Hottest Countries In The World: For many of us, a warm sunny day is a joy. Now imagine a place where the heat is not just warm, but extreme and penetrating the 90s all year long. These are not simply places where hot summers happen, these are locations where the temperature does not subside, making the mundane a toilsome job against the heat. From bustling cities to isolated landscapes, these nations have little choice but to contend with the harsh reality of their surging heat, affecting everything from daily habits to farms and roads. If you see yourself as a lover of heat, or even simply as an admirer of the Earth's balancing climates, you will enjoy these distinct places.

The hottest countries in the world are usually near the equator and are characterised by the hot deserts, tropical weather and the harsh sun. In terms of extreme temperatures, hottest countries are often above 50°C (122°F) and it is hard to live in these climates. Mali, Burkina Faso and Saudi Arabia are often featured among the hottest in the world and are all located in the Sahara Desert and Arabian Desert, respectively.

List Of Top 10 Hottest Countries In The World

Here is the list of the top 10 hottest countries in the world, revealing where temperatures reach extraordinary levels and what makes these places endure such intense, year-round warmth.

Source: World Atlas (the highest recorded temperature data is taken from Google Web)

1. Mali

Mali pic (Image: Canva)

Mali is the hottest country in the world, as most of its land lies in the Sahara Desert. With intense sunlight and inadequate rainfall for most of the year, Mali's climate is dry, causing the temperature to rise drastically in direct sunlight, particularly during the day. As a result, the country has historically faced major heatwaves, recently resulting in Kayes experiencing its hottest day on record at 48.5°C on April 26, 2024, due to human-induced climate change.

2. Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso village pic (Image: Canva)

Burkina Faso experiences extreme heat due to its location in West Africa near the Sahel region. It has a tropical climate characterised by long dry seasons, little cloud cover and little wind to cool the land. This climate makes Burkina Faso one of the hottest countries. They have seen some of the hottest temperature extremes on record, above 40°C, leading to health crises and showing just how extreme climate change is affecting this region of the world.

3. Senegal

Senegal (Image: Canva)

West African country, Senegal's consistently high temperatures are due to its proximity to the equator and the warm Atlantic Ocean. Although coastal breezes help slightly, the inland areas become extremely hot due to direct sun and dry air.

4. Tuvalu

Tuvalu image from the aeroplane (Image: Canva)

Tuvalu is a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean that is located near the equator. Due to its tropical marine climate, it is hot and humid year-round. The warm ocean currents and powerful rays of the sun keep the temperature high day and night. The warm ocean waters surrounding it keep the temperatures high.

5. Djibouti

Hottest countries in the world (Image: Canva)

Djibouti is located in East Africa in a desert region with almost no rainfall and unending bright sun. It is surrounded by rocky land and salt lakes that reflect heat and increase the overall temperature. Djibouti City, the capital city of Djibouti, is one of the hottest places on Earth inhabited with an average temperature of 28.5°C and maximum temperatures at 46.1° during the seasonal extremes.

6. Mauritania

Hottest countries in the world (Image: Canva)

Most of Mauritania is located in the Sahara Desert and is, therefore, hot by nature. Dry winds, low humidity, the blazing sun and large areas of sand create sweltering temperatures, particularly in the northern and central portions of the country. Daily temperatures exceed 45 °C regularly, which is difficult for the population, which is mostly semi-nomadic.

7. Bahrain

Hottest countries in the world (Image: Canva)

Bahrain is a desert island paradisiacal located in the middle of the Persian Gulf. It has a hot desert climate, with low annual rainfall and high humidity in the summer months, making it one of the hottest desert islands in the world. Its urban development and lack of greenery can also contribute to heat island effects. Temperatures as high as 46 °C have been recorded in Bahrain. Summer is usually more brutal when considering the combination of heat and humidity.

8. Palau

Hottest countries in the world (Image: Canva)

Palau is located in the Western Pacific Ocean, close to the equator, which contributes to its very tropical climate with very consistent warm temperatures. The surrounding warm waters and an average of 12 hours of sun daily mean Palau is hot most of the year. The highest temperature recorded in the country is 50.4ºC, which makes Palau one of the hottest places on earth.

9. Qatar

Hottest countries in the world (Image: Canva)

Qatar's desert landscape and position near the tropic of Cancer also contribute to extreme summer temperatures. The high summer temperatures are exacerbated by the dry wind, with little to no natural shade, further overheating temperatures which can exceed 45ºC in summer.

10. The Gambia

Gambia city (image: Canva)

The Gambia, a small West African country, experiences high temperatures due to its tropical climate. It gets intense sun exposure, especially during the dry season, with little wind or rain to offer relief from the heat. The country has recorded temperatures up to 45°C, with the eastern regions experiencing the most extreme heat.

ALSO READ: Top 10 Coldest Countries To Visit When It's Summer In India: New Zealand, Australia, Greenland And More