Where to go in December

Many countries have a pleasant climate (mild temperatures, low rainfall or dry weather) in December. Some countries are to be avoided due to unfavorable weather conditions (high or low temperatures, heavy rainfall or cyclones which often cause heavy damage).

	Africa

The rains fall abundantly in December on the countries located south of the Equator while the countries located in the north of the continent have a dry climate (except on the coasts along the Mediterranean Sea). The climate is hot in the West African countries with high temperatures (30°). They are a bit lower in the Sahara desert (Mauritania, Niger, Algeria, Libya) and on the plateaus of the East African countries. Temperatures slightly exceed 20° on the Atlantic Ocean islands (Canaries, Madeira). Cyclones sometimes reach the coasts of the Indian Ocean islands (Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion) in December.

Central Africa
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad

Eastern Africa
Djibouti
Ethiopia

Northern Africa
None

Southern Africa
South Africa

Western Africa
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
Côte d'Ivoire
Ghana
Guinea

Democratic Republic of the Congo (north)

Somalia
Sudan

Guinea Bissau
Liberia
Mali
Mauritania
Niger

Equatorial Guinea (Bioko)
Sao Tome and Principe

Uganda

Nigeria
Senegal
Sierra Leone
The Gambia
Togo

	America

The southeast of the United States and Mexico have a pleasant climate with mild temperatures (they are lower elsewhere in North America) in December. Rainfall is low and temperatures are high on the coasts (they are lower in the mountains) of the Central American countries (Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala). The climate is also hot in South America with high rainfall except in Colombia and Venezuela (dry season). The rainy season ends with on some Caribbean islands (Trinidad and Tobago, Saint. Martin, Saint Barthelemy) while others islands (Puerto Rico, Martinique, Jamaica) have a dry climate with mild temperatures (26 to 28°).

Central America
Costa Rica
El Salvador

North America
None

South America
Chile

Caribbean
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Cuba

Guatemala

Uruguay

Dominican Republic
Haiti
Martinique
Puerto Rico

Honduras

Venezuela

The Bahamas
Turks and Caicos
United States Virgin Islands

	Asia

Temperatures are low in December in the Central Asian countries (they are sometimes very low when cold winds pass through them). The climate is also cold in the northeast of Asia (Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, northern China). Temperatures are high and rainfall is low in the countries located in the southeast of Asia except in Malaysia and Indonesia, where rainfall is abundant. The countries of the Arabian Peninsula (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates) have a temperate climate in December. Temperatures are cooler in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Syria and Lebanon.

Central Asia
None

South-Eastern Asia
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Burma
Cambodia

Middle East
Bahrain
Iraq
Kuwait

China (southeast)
India
Laos
Nepal

Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia

Pakistan
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam

United Arab Emirates
Yemen

	Europe

Northern (Finland, Sweden, Norway) and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine) have a cold climate in December (temperatures are very low when cold winds blow). The climate is cold in Western Europe (France, The Netherlands, Germany). Temperatures are slightly higher in the South European countries. Sunshine is low in December in most European countries. Snowfalls are frequent in the mountains and rainfall is high in the United Kingdom of Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey, Man) and Ireland.

Eastern Europe
None

Northern Europe
None

Southern Europe
None

Western Europe
None

	Oceania

Australia has a warm climate in December (temperatures are higher in the north and in the centre than in the south of Australia). The climate is milder in New Zealand (temperatures slightly exceed 20°). The rainy season ends on some islands located north of the Equator (Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands) while others islands (Guam, Marshall Islands) have a relatively dry climate. Temperatures reach 30° and rainfall is abundant on the islands located south of the equator (Fiji, New Caledonia, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau).

Australia (south)
Marshall

New Zealand
Norfolk

Pitcairn

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