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INTRODUCTION
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A. Physical environment
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2. Climate
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The physical features and terrain of the province are highly diversified and have a substantial effect on the climatic conditions, which range from mild winters and severe summers in the south to perpetually freezing temperatures on the snow-clad mountains of the north. The province is located on the borders of two climatic regions: the Mediterranean in the west and the monsoon rtegion in the east. Summer rainfall is brought by the south-west monsoon, covering the area of Hazara, Malakand Division, and the eastern part of the Peshawar valley; the remaining areas of the province receive very little rainfall in summer. Winter precipitation is brought by the winter cyclonic depression know as "western disturbances", originating over the Mediterranean Sea. That rain is widespread and ranges from 1,100 mm in the northern part of the province to 100 mm at the southern tip. Towards the extreme north and south the climate is semi-arid to arid. The province is the end receiver of rain from both sources, therefore the uncertainty level is very high with regard to both occurrence and amount of rainfall. The southern districts of NWFP are the hottest with maximum temperatures of between 46 and 50 C. In the mountainous areas the summers are temperate and cool, while the winters are extremely cold.
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