Question: Why is it hotter in countries closer to the equator ?

Pete Etchells answered on 26 Apr 2012:

That’s a great question! It’s not because the equator is closer to the sun; instead, it’s to do with the angle that heat from the sun hits the Earth at. On the equator, heat hits the ground more directly through the atmosphere than, say, England, where it hits the atmosphere and has to go through more air before it hits the ground. That means that it gets dissipated less at the equator, and makes the ground hotter!