The 10 hottest countries in the world - with 7 in the same continent (2024)

Seven countries in the top 10 are all in the same continent (Image: Getty)

The current rise in global average temperatures is far more rapid than previous changes.

Unlike in history, when global temperatures have risen because of natural events, the recent spikes have been primarily caused by humans burning fossil fuels.

Things like fuel use, deforestation, and agricultural and industrial practices have sped the process up, something that is now being felt more acutely in some parts of the world. The most obvious consequence of this is more hot days and more heatwaves.

Earth's northernmost regions, places like Europe, have yet to feel the full force of this. But other countries, particularly those close to and south of the equator, are each day bearing the brunt of what climate experts predict will be an unprecedented social and ecological disaster.

Here, Express.co.uk collects some of the hottest countries in the world — with 7 on the same continent — whose mercury keeps on rising.

The 70 Islands Rock, a protected area and UNESCO World Heritage site in Palau (Image: GETTY)

Palau is one of the Pacific Ocean's many archipelagos made up of more than 500 islands, whose climate is marked by high temperatures and humidity all year round.

Typhoons are common in the monsoon season, with the instance of such weather fronts having increased in recent months.

Average daily temperatures for the whole year sit around the 29C mark, something that is sustainable for the archipelago's flora and fauna, but which could quickly spiral out of control.

Vast swathes of Benin, like the traditional village of Taneka beri, lie in tropical regions (Image: GETTY)

Situated in West Africa, Benin's climate varies from the north to the south of the country.

Though the average yearly temperature sits at 28C, its tropical climate fluctuates between 28C and 32.2C, with temperatures in the north often reaching as high as 40C.

Parts of The Maldives are at great risk from rising sea levels (Image: GETTY)

A popular tourist destination, The Maldives see average temperatures of 28.11C, though this has increased year-on-year with climate change.

The country has sought to counter the threat of rising temperatures and environmental degradation — things like increased coastal erosion and more frequent and intense storms — by advocating the reduction in global carbon emissions on the world stage.

Beautiful natural forests in The Gambia are similarly at risk from unpredictable rainfall (Image: GETTY)

Also in West Africa, The Gambia has a tropical climate with a distinctly hot dry season and a rainy season influenced by the African monsoon.

Average annual temperatures sit around 28.38C, though during the dry season inland regions can face 35C.

Humidity levels here aren't as bad as elsewhere, and the rainy season offers a reprieve for agricultural, flora and fauna.

Temperatures in some parts of Djibouti have rendered the country inhabitable (Image: GETTY)

Djibouti sees an average yearly temperature of 28.49C, though given its position on the Horn of Africa, it often experiences extremely high temperatures.

In the summer months, some of the highest recorded temperatures have exceeded 50C, particularly in places like the Danakil Depression, one of the lowest and hottest areas on Earth.

A scarcity of rainfall in Djibouti poses a significant challenge to water resources, agriculture, and the general population's general sustainability.

Some Tuvaluans have moved to places like Australia and New Zealand because of rising sea levels (Image: GETTY)

One of the smallest island nations in the world, Tuvalu faces a huge problem with the onset of climate change.

Its year-round tropical climate sees an average temperature of 28.6C.

Rising temperatures have contributed to rising sea levels, of which Tuvalu is feeling the pinch.

Mauritania's ship cemetery is indicative of the country's struggle with a dry and arid climate (Image: GETTY)

Much of Mauritania encompasses the Sahara Desert, which has a disproportionate influence on its climate.

Average annual temperatures linger around the 28.82C mark, though a higher incidence of hotter months has marked the country's recent history.

Temperatures in the summer months can regularly exceed 33C.

Temperatures hover close to 30C all year round in the Senegalese capital of Dakar (Image: Getty)

Senegal experiences a tropical Sahelian climate which is marked by distinct dry and wet seasons.

The mercury almost touches 29C all year round, though summer temperatures often hit 35C.

Climate change has hit Senegal hard, with higher temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and higher sea levels making their mark especially along coastal regions.

A country of dramatic landscapes, water is increasingly becoming scarce in Burkina Faso (Image: GETTY)

Another Western African region, Burkina Faso is landlocked despite being relatively close to the Atlantic Ocean.

It experiences average temperatures of 29.26 year round, but some parts of the country can climb to a staggering 40C from March to May.

Here, climate change has contributed to irregular rainfall patterns and more frequent extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods. Each poses a great risk to food security and the sourcing of water.

The mercury is getting steadily closer to 50C in Mali during the summer — an unsustainable figure (Image: GETTY)

Officially the hottest country in the world, this country, again located in Western Africa, has an annual average temperature of almost 30C.

A predominantly hot desert climate, some parts do have a semi-arid climate that receive very little rainfall. But the overall picture is one of extreme heat and parched landscapes.

During the hot season — which lasts from April to June — temperatures can hit 45C on the mercury. Such heat renders daily-to-day life almost impossible, with agriculture often starved of what it needs to flourish.

Just this week, Mali saw temperatures of 48.5C, with more than 100 people having died due to the extreme heat.