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Is Your Future Home on This Heat Danger List?
New global data reveals the countries most at risk from extreme heat.
Philip Saparov
December 09, 2025
In partnership with
Greetings, seeker of truth in a warming world!
The planet is heating up fast. But not everywhere equally. Some regions will sizzle past the point of safety — reshaping where it’s smart to live, invest, or retire.
In this edition, we reveal the countries most at risk from extreme heat by 2050, backed by powerful data on temperature spikes, population density, and climate resilience.
Curious where the danger zones lie — and where to avoid? Let’s find out.
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🌡️ Extreme wet-bulb temperatures | 👥 Dense population | 🚧 High vulnerability
🇮🇳 India, 🇵🇰 Pakistan, and 🇧🇩 Bangladesh are at the epicenter of the world’s future heat crisis. These nations already endure some of the most intense pre-monsoon heatwaves, but by 2050, much of the region could face 250+ days annually above 35°C (95°F).
India’s northern plains are projected to experience months of dangerous heat, jeopardizing agriculture and labor productivity.
In Pakistan, recent temperatures near 54°C (129°F) may become regular events.
Bangladesh faces a double threat: heat and extreme humidity, putting millions at risk.
🧠 One striking insight: By 2050, up to 75% of South Asia’s workforce may be exposed to heat levels that make outdoor work life-threatening.
💰 Wealthy but vulnerable | 🏙️ Rapid urban development | ☀️ Record-breaking heat
🇰🇼 Kuwait, 🇶🇦 Qatar, and 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates are investing heavily in cooling tech, but even deep pockets can’t escape the realities of climate physics.
These countries may face 180+ days per year of temperatures near or above 50°C (122°F) — beyond the level humans can tolerate without artificial cooling.
Cities like Dubai and Doha may see “no-go hours” during daylight where being outside is a medical emergency.
Cooling infrastructure will need to grow massively — but that adds pressure to energy grids and water resources.
⚠️ Hard truth: The Gulf may become functionally uninhabitable outdoors for part of the year, even for the wealthy.
🌍 Rapid warming | 🚱 Weak infrastructure | 📈 Population growth
🌍 Spanning countries like 🇳🇪 Niger, 🇹🇩 Chad, 🇲🇱 Mali, 🇪🇹 Ethiopia, and 🇸🇴 Somalia, this vast region is projected to warm at 2–3 times the global average.
Why it matters:
The Sahel’s population will double by 2050, increasing exposure.
Infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle heat-related medical crises.
Drought and famine risks rise exponentially.
🧠 Alarming projection: Large swaths of land may become agriculturally nonviable, accelerating rural-urban migration — and in some cases, international displacement.
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🇺🇸 Domestic implications | 🌇 Urban heat islands | 🔥 Extended heatwaves
The U.S. South, especially Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi, is on the frontline of extreme heat.
By 2050, parts of Houston and New Orleans could face 30+ consecutive days with “dangerous heat” (>103°F heat index).
Phoenix has already become the poster child for urban heat fatalities — but the Gulf Coast is catching up fast.
🧠 Revealing stat: 100+ U.S. counties are projected to exceed 30 “danger days” per year — a tenfold increase from today.
🌡️ Historical cool zones heating fast | 🧱 Architectural vulnerability | 💼 Tourism disruption
🇪🇸 Spain, 🇫🇷 France, and 🇬🇷 Greece are facing summer transformations. Once admired for mild, Mediterranean weather, these nations now battle weeks of searing heat.
Southern Spain may exceed 40°C (104°F) for weeks.
France already saw 15,000+ deaths from one heatwave in 2003.
Greece closed the Acropolis during peak tourism this year due to heatstroke risks.
🧠 Fascinating shift: Cities like Paris and Athens are exploring “cool zones” — air-conditioned public spaces for summer survival, similar to those in Dubai or Phoenix.
🌏 Exploding cities | 💧 Crushing humidity | 🔌 Inadequate cooling infrastructure
🏙️ With mega-cities like 🇮🇩 Jakarta, 🇵🇭 Manila, 🇹🇭 Bangkok, and 🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City, Southeast Asia faces a perfect storm of rising heat and poor urban planning.
Key concerns:
Poor neighborhoods have little access to AC or shaded areas.
Coastal regions also face rising sea levels and flooding.
Humid heat makes cooling the body far harder.
🧠 Surprising risk: Parts of Indonesia may hit wet-bulb temperatures of 35°C by 2045 — the limit beyond which humans cannot survive outdoors for even a few hours.
Wet-bulb temperature combines heat and humidity to reflect how hot it feels—above 31°C, the human body struggles to cool itself, and prolonged exposure becomes dangerous.
🧑🌾 Heat-stressed agriculture | 🌆 Densely packed cities | 🌎 Underestimated risk
🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇲🇽 Mexico, and 🇸🇻 El Salvador face compounding challenges as climate change converges with urbanization.
São Paulo and Mexico City are already sweltering; heatwaves will become longer, more intense, and more dangerous.
Rural areas may see agricultural productivity drop by 20–30%, prompting internal migration to ill-equipped cities.
🧠 Trend to watch: By 2050, 80% of Latin Americans will live in cities — many without the cooling infrastructure to handle what's coming.
The heat is coming — and some places simply won’t be ready.
Knowing where the danger zones are isn’t just smart… it’s survival strategy. It shapes where you’ll thrive, where you’ll invest, and how you protect your future.
As the map of livability shifts, we’ll keep bringing you the facts that help you move wisely — not react blindly.
Stay sharp. Stay mobile. And wherever you land — stay cool.
Warm regards,
Shane Fulmer
Founder, WorldPopulationReview.com
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