Hottest Cities in the World 2026

The hottest cities in the world are defined not by occasional heatwaves, but by consistently high temperatures throughout the year. These cities experience extreme heat as a daily reality, shaping how people live, work, and build infrastructure. Understanding which cities rank as the hottest helps explain global climate patterns, urban adaptation, and human resilience in harsh environments. With rising global temperatures and growing urban populations, average annual temperature has become an important metric for comparing cities worldwide. This article ranks the hottest cities in the world using verified average annual temperature data, highlighting where heat is a constant part of life rather than a seasonal challenge.

Average annual temperature is calculated by combining daily temperature readings over an entire year and finding the mean value. This method smooths out seasonal extremes and provides a reliable measure of long-term heat exposure. Cities near the equator, coastal deserts, and low-altitude regions tend to record higher averages due to intense solar radiation and limited cooling seasons. Urban heat islands, population density, and regional wind patterns can further raise temperatures. Globally, climate change has intensified heat in already warm regions, making long-term temperature comparisons increasingly relevant for urban planning, public health, and sustainability strategies.

Top 10 Hottest Cities in the World 2026

1. Jizan: 31 °C
2. Mecca: 30 °C
3. Khartoum: 29.9 °C
4. Niamey: 29.3 °C
5. Ouagadougou: 28.9 °C
6. Bangkok: 28.6 °C
7. Chennai: 28.6 °C
8. N’Djamena: 28.3 °C
9. Muscat: 28.1 °C
10. Doha: 28 °C

Jizan leads the ranking with an exceptionally high average annual temperature, making it one of the hottest continuously inhabited cities on Earth. Several cities from the Middle East and Africa dominate the top positions, reflecting the influence of desert climates and low seasonal variation. Mecca and Khartoum follow closely, both experiencing intense heat for most of the year. West African capitals like Niamey and Ouagadougou also rank high due to their inland locations and limited cooling effects from oceans. Asian cities such as Bangkok and Chennai demonstrate that tropical humidity can coexist with extreme average heat, placing them alongside arid desert cities in global rankings.

Full Data Table

Key Points

• The top-ranked cities experience extreme heat consistently rather than during short seasonal peaks.
• Middle Eastern and African cities dominate the list due to desert and semi-arid climates.
• Coastal location does not always guarantee cooler conditions, as seen in Jizan and Muscat.
• Tropical cities can match desert cities in annual heat when seasonal variation is minimal.
• Several cities differ by less than one degree, showing how closely clustered extreme heat rankings are.
• High average temperatures place continuous stress on infrastructure, water supply, and energy systems.
• Urban heat exposure is becoming more critical as populations in hot regions continue to grow.

The world’s hottest cities illustrate how geography, climate, and urban development combine to create environments of persistent heat. From coastal Saudi cities to inland African capitals and tropical Asian metros, these locations experience temperatures that rarely provide relief throughout the year. As global warming continues, understanding long-term average heat becomes increasingly important for planning livable cities and protecting public health. These rankings highlight not only where heat is most intense today, but also where adaptation strategies will be most essential in the future. Monitoring average annual temperatures will remain a key tool in understanding the changing climate of our cities.

Related Articles

• Hottest Countries in the World
• Hottest Capital Cities
• Hottest Inhabited Places
• Hottest Uninhabited Regions
• Hottest Desert Regions

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Sources

• Global Climate Report – National Centers for Environmental Information
• World Weather & Climate Extremes – World Meteorological Organization