Köppen, Wladimir (1846–1940)

Wladimir Peter Köppen was born on September 25, 1846, in St. Petersburg, Russia. Although best known for his climate classification system, he was originally trained as a botanist. His scientific work, which includes 526 published research articles and numerous books written between 1868 and 1940, is recognized in the fields of geography, meteorology, climatology, and botany. He died on June 22, 1940, in Graz, Austria.

Köppen lived in Russia until he was 20 years old. He had an early curiosity about the environment due to his mother's interest in botany and the family's travels. He started his studies at the University of St. Petersburg in 1864. He later went to the University of Heidelberg for graduate studies. In 1869, Köppen transferred to the University of Leipzig, ...