The average temperature in 2005 was 15.6 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit), 0.6 degrees Celsius more than the average yearly temperature recorded between 1961 and 1990, it added in a report.

Temperatures were higher than average across the entire country while precipitation levels were significantly above average only during the month of October, it added.

The dry, hot weather caused over one billion euros (1.2 billion dollars) in agricultural losses and fueled a wave of wildfires, mostly in the summer, which killed 18 people and destroyed over 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres) of forest and agricultural land.

The report was based on data collected over 2005 at 40 weather stations spread out across the country of around 10.5 million people.

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