The Mediterranean climate is usually characterized by rainy winters and dry, warm to hot summers. While the climate receives its name from the Mediterranean Sea, an area where this climate is commonplace, it is also present in other areas of the planet, although with variations in the distribution of temperatures. In addition to the Mediterranean Basin, the climate is also found in most of California, in parts of Western and South Australia, in southwestern South Africa, sections of Western and Central Asia, and in Central Chile.
