• Tropical belts - the northern tropical belt and the southern tropical belt - the geographic zones of the Earth in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, mainly from 20 to 30 ° N. NS. and y. NS. respectively. Average temperatures in winter are not lower than 14 ° C, in summer an average of 30-35 ° C. In arid places there are deserts and semi-deserts, in more humid places there are savannas and deciduous forests.

    Trade winds prevail, seasonal changes in air temperature are well pronounced, especially on the continents.

    In the tropics, very little precipitation falls: 50-150 mm / year. The only exceptions are the coasts of the continents, to which moisture is brought from the ocean. In winter, cyclonic activity prevails in Africa and precipitation falls. There is almost no precipitation in summer.

Related concepts

Ishim steppe (Ishim plain, Ishim Upland) - the southern part of the West Siberian Plain, between the Irtysh and Tobol rivers. Administratively located on the territory of the Kurgan, Tyumen and Omsk regions of Russia, as well as in the North Kazakhstan region. On the territory of Kazakhstan it is also known as the North Kazakhstan Plain.

The Azores anticyclone, also known as the high pressure area in the North Atlantic and the Bermuda anticyclone (the latter name is more common in the United States) is the center of a colossal high pressure area in the subtropical ridge, located in the Atlantic Ocean, near the Azores at the so-called "equine latitudes". The anticyclone exists constantly, but its influence is stronger in the summer.

The Arctic Desert is part of the Arctic geographic zone, the Arctic Ocean basin. It is the northernmost of the natural areas and is characterized by an arctic climate. The spaces are covered with glaciers, rubble and rock debris.

The climate of the high subtropical mountains is a type of subtropical climate, common in the high highlands of Asia - the Tibetan, Pamir, Karakorum, Hindu Kush, at altitudes of 3500 - 4000 m.The climate here is sharply continental, while the summer is relatively cool, and the winters are very cold. Little precipitation falls - this is the climate of a high-mountainous desert.

The intertropical convergence zone is a strip along the equator between the trade winds of the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The width is several hundred kilometers. Most of the year it is located north of the equator, during the Northern Hemisphere summer it is farther from the equator than in winter, when it may even enter the Southern Hemisphere. Coincides with the equatorial depression - a zone of low atmospheric pressure along the equator.

The desert is a natural zone with a hot or cold (constantly or seasonally) and arid climate, where no more than 200-250 mm of precipitation falls per year, and the evaporation rate exceeds this indicator by 10-20 times. The desert type of landscape, as a rule, is characterized by a flat surface, sparse vegetation and specific fauna.

Westerly winds of the temperate zone - the prevailing winds blowing in the temperate zone between about 35 and 65 degrees north and south latitude, from the subtropical ridge to the polar front, part of the global atmospheric circulation processes and the near-surface part of the Ferrell cell. These winds blow mainly from west to east, more precisely from the southwest in the Northern Hemisphere and from the northwest in the Southern Hemisphere and can form extratropical cyclones at their borders, where the wind speed gradient is high. Tropical ...

Desert is a natural zone characterized by a predominantly or completely flat surface, sparseness or absence of flora and specific fauna.

There are 13 such countries. These are Australia, Algeria, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Egypt, not all recognized Western Sahara, China, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Chile.

In these states, the so-called trade winds arise - winds that walk the tropics all year round. In the Northern Hemisphere, they blow from the northeast, and in the Southern Hemisphere, from the southeast.

Residents of the above-described countries, like no others, feel the influence of pronounced seasonal changes in ambient temperature. Moreover, they are especially strong not on the islands, but in the zone: the deeper, the stronger.

As for precipitation, it is not too abundant - only 50-150 millimeters per year. The only exceptions to this rule are the coasts of the continents, to which the long-awaited moisture comes from the oceans. For example, in the tropical zone of the continent of Africa, precipitation falls in winter, and in summer they are almost completely absent.

Countries with more than half of their area in the belt

This one is more extensive. The largest of them are Ethiopia, banana Ecuador, Philippines, Uganda, Chad, Thailand, Tanzania, Sudan, USA, Somalia with their pirates, Rwanda, Peru, Panama, Oman, Nicaragua, Mali, Malaysia, Congo, Kenya, Cameroon, Zambia , Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Yemen, Brunei and others. There are more than 40 such countries in total.

Tropical territories provide about a quarter of the world's land area with various types of soil formation, diverse flora and fauna.

Geographers attribute part of the tropical to the ancient continent of Gondwana, and, according to the current location of the land, it is in this zone that most of the earth's coral reefs are located, including the Great Barrier Reef.

The world's largest coral formation is considered to be the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches along the northeastern coast of Australia. The length is 2.5 thousand kilometers, the area is 344 square kilometers.

There are mountainous states in the tropical belt, and in both hemispheres. They have more variable climates than countries without noticeable elevations. Nevertheless, there are relatively few such territories, since semi-desert and desert landscapes still prevail.

It is the hot climate in the tropical zone that makes many of the states located in it, a "tidbit" for tourists who love to bask in the sun and swim in salty sea water.

The tropical climate zone spans the globe ranging from the 20th to 30th parallels in the northern and southern hemispheres. In these areas, clear weather usually reigns throughout the year, and the air temperature depends on how high the Sun rises above the horizon. In summer, the air warms up to + 30 ° С. Although sometimes it can rise up to + 45-50 ° С. In winter, the air is greatly cooled, often to negative readings on the thermometer.

The air temperature can vary greatly during the day, when the sultry heat during the day is replaced by the evening coolness and a strong cold snap at night. In the tropics, there is little rainfall - no more than 50-150 mm per year. Most of them occur during the winter months. These latitudes are highly influenced by the trade winds.

Climate types in tropical latitudes

The tropical climate is usually divided into two categories, depending on the proximity of the territory to the ocean.

Continental: Inland, the climate in tropical latitudes is hot and dry, with a large temperature difference. The area of ​​increased atmospheric pressure is widespread here. The weather is mostly clear and cloudless. And sudden temperature changes give rise to strong winds and dust storms.

The areas of distribution of the continental tropical climate in the western and eastern regions differ significantly. The western coasts of South America, Australia and Africa are washed mainly by cold currents, therefore, in tropical latitudes, the climate in these areas is cooler, the air rarely warms up more than 20-25 ° С.

The eastern coasts of the continents are dominated by warm currents, so the temperatures are higher here and there is more rainfall.

Oceanic: In coastal areas and over the oceans, a milder climate is formed, with an abundance of precipitation, warm summers and mild winters. This type of climate is very similar to the equatorial one, but differs in less cloudiness and strong winds. Precipitation occurs mainly in the summer months.

Temperature values

(averaged, approximate for the tropical climate zone)

~ July +25 ° С,

~ January +15 ° С +20 ° С.

Natural zones of the tropical climate zone

Three natural zones dominate in the tropics: forests, semi-deserts and deserts.

Tropical rainforest- this natural area covers the eastern coasts of the continents. Such forests are common in Indochina, Madagascar, the West Indies, Florida, Australia, the islands of Oceania and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea.

In these forests, the world of flora and fauna is richly represented, a large number of endemics.

Variable wet or seasonal rainforests distributed to the north and south of humid tropical. They differ from the latter in that they have fewer vines and ferns, and trees shed their leaves for the winter.

Tropical semi-desert occupy vast territories, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In South America, they are found in the north of Atacama and Brazil, there is this natural zone also in Asia and Australia. Summer here is long and hot, the temperature often rises to + 30 ° С, in winter it is not cold, since the temperature does not drop below + 10 ° С. Due to the high evaporation rate, more precipitation falls, but in the winter months. Groundwater is very deep and often salty.

Tropical deserts cover most of the continents and western coasts of the tropics. They are at the mercy of high atmospheric pressure, little precipitation falls, and the air here is so hot that rain often evaporates before it reaches the ground. In tropical deserts, a very high level of solar radiation, strong winds prevail. Only those plants grow from plants that are able to survive in conditions of extremely high temperatures and drought.

Tropical deserts are more common in Africa. The largest of them are Sahara and Namib.

Countries of the tropical climatic zone

(Map of climatic zones of the Earth, click on the image to enlarge)

In Europe and Antarctica, the tropical belt is not represented. But in Africa, it is found twice: both northern and southern.

Africa: from the north - Algeria, Mauritania, Libya, Egypt, Chad, Mali, Sudan, Niger. The southern tropical belt in Africa covers Angola, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia.

Asia: Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Oman, India.

North America: Mexico, western regions of Cuba

South America: Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, northern Chile, Brazil.

Australia is the central region.

The concept of "tropics"

Definition 1

The tropics (from the Greek "turning circle") is the climatic zone of the planet. In a strictly geographical concept, the tropics are located between the South and North Tropics, that is, between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer - the main parallels located south and north of the equator and determining the maximum latitude at which the Sun can rise to the zenith at noon.

In the tropics of Capricorn and the tropics of Cancer at its zenith, the Sun is on the day of the winter and the day of the summer solstice. At all other latitudes, the Sun is at its zenith twice: when moving to the north and back - to the south.

The tropics are tropical zones with a characteristic hot climate.

The opposite of the tropic is the Arctic Circle.

There are more than 40 countries in the tropics: Ecuador, Ethiopia, Uganda, Philippines, Thailand, Chad, Sudan, Tanzania, USA, Rwanda, Somalia, Peru, Oman, Panama, Mali, Nicaragua, Malaysia, Kenya, Congo, Zambia, Cameroon , Dominican Republic, Yemen, Vietnam, Brunei, etc. Partially located in the tropics: Algeria, Australia, Bahamas, Egypt, Bangladesh, Western Sahara, Libya, China, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Paraguay, Chile, Taiwan.

The tropics occupy about 25 of the entire land mass of the planet. The soil cover, flora and fauna are diverse here.

Tropical zones and tropical climate

There are two tropical zones on Earth: northern and southern, located in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres in the range from 20º to 30º north latitude and south latitude, respectively. Part of the tropical belt belongs to the ancient mainland of Gondwana.

Remark 1

According to Alisov's classification, the tropical belt is located between the subequatorial and subtropical belts.

In humid areas there are savannas and deciduous forests, in arid - deserts and semi-deserts.

The tropics are characterized by a tropical climate.

On both sides of the low pressure zone in the tropics there are high pressure zones. A trade wind climate prevails over the ocean with regular east winds - trade winds.

In coastal land areas, the weather is relatively dry. Precipitation falls up to 500 mm per year. Moderate cloudiness is observed. The average temperature in winter is + 10-15 ºС, in summer - + 20-27 ºС.

On the windward slopes of islands with mountain ranges, precipitation increases sharply.

Tropical cyclones are rare.

In the middle of the continent, the average temperatures in winter fall no lower than +14 ºС, in summer - + 30-35 ºС (in the warmest month it can rise up to 40 ºС).

The highest temperatures are observed in the interior of California and in the north of Africa - + 57-58 ºС. In Australia, the temperature can rise up to +55 ºС.

On the continents, seasonal changes in air temperature are well pronounced. During the day, temperature fluctuations can reach 40 ºС. Trade winds prevail.

The average annual rainfall is extremely small - 50-150 mm. The exception is the coastal regions of the continents, where moisture is brought from the ocean.

In Africa, cyclonic activity dominates in winter, precipitation falls. In the summer, precipitation is very rare. The dominance of the trade winds is replaced by a monsoon tropical climate in many tropical areas:

  • north of Australia;
  • South Asia;
  • Southeast Asia;
  • Equatorial Africa.

The intertropical convergence zone in these regions moves further north from the equator in summer. The eastern trade winds are replaced by the western monsoons, which bring the bulk of the precipitation.

According to the Köppen climate classification, the tropical climate is a non-arid climate characterized by an average monthly air temperature of + 17 ° C and above.

In the tropical climate of Köppen, the following types of climate are distinguished:

  • tropical rainy - corresponds to the climate of Alisov;
  • tropical monsoon tropical - corresponds to the subequatorial climate of Alisov;
  • tropical climate with dry winters and rainy summers;
  • tropical climate with dry summers and rainy winters.

Soils, flora and fauna

In the tropical zone, the most common types of soil are:

  • red-yellow ferrallite soils - constantly moist rainforests;
  • red ferralite-lateritic soils - seasonally moist deciduous forests;
  • red-brown soils - savannas;
  • infertile soils of deserts and semi-deserts.

Red-yellow soils are common in Africa, South America, Ceylon, Madagascar and Australia.

Tropical rainforests have an enormous biomass. Most of the litter decomposes due to the vigorous activity of microorganisms. The parent rocks are sedimentary-metamorphic and volcanic rocks. The humus content is from 3 to 10%, the acidity of the soil is 5.5-6.5.

In humid tropical forests, large areas are occupied by soils of tropical swamps. The soils of tropical forests are insufficiently provided with potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and some other trace elements. The peculiarity of the biocenoses of humid forests is that all the chemical elements necessary for plant nutrition are in the plants themselves and are not washed out by precipitation.

The peculiarity of soils is the poverty of water-soluble substances. Nutrients are washed out deep into the soil by abundant rainfall or immediately absorbed by plants. For tropical areas that were under forests, a slash-and-burn farming system is characteristic - cutting down small areas of the forest, burning felled wood, processing the site for one or two years with its further abandonment.

The tropics are distinguished by a variety of plant and animal forms. Many species can be found exclusively here.

The peculiarity of tropical forests is that the trees are arranged in several (5) tiers. The trunks are entwined with various types of lianas, and there are many epiphytes on the branches. Lots of orchids, ferns, lichens and terrestrial algae.

The forests and savannas are home to many predators, mainly of the feline family. Scorpions, spiders, centipedes and ants are ubiquitous.

Jaguars, ocelots, oncilla live in the tropics of the Amazon. In South Asia and Africa, you can find leopards, mongooses, civets, genets.

In tropical forests, there are many amphibian inhabitants of the terrestrial (large snakes, small ungulates, reptiles and amphibians) or arboreal (chameleons, snakes, geckos) tier.

Geographic zones located in the Northern and Southern hemispheres between 20 ° and 30 ° latitude, where the trade wind circulation prevails and large areas are occupied by deserts and semi-deserts ... Geography Dictionary

northern tropical belt- in the Northern Hemisphere, between the northern subtropical and northern subequatorial belt, mostly between 30 and 10 ° N. NS. In the Old World, it is most clearly expressed in Africa, where it occupies vast areas in the northern continent (Sahara, Nubian, ... ... Geographical encyclopedia

southern tropical belt- in the Southern Hemisphere, between the southern subtropical and southern sub-equatorial belts. It is most widespread over the oceans, where it covers the space from the equator to 30 ° S. NS. On the continents, it is relatively narrowed, in the main. between 30 ° and 20 ° S NS … Geographical encyclopedia

TROPICAL Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

TROPICAL- 1. TROPICAL1, tropical, tropical. 1.add. to the tropic, located between the tropics. Tropical belt. Tropical countries. 2. Peculiar to the tropics. A tropical forest. Tropical fever (a form of malaria). Tropical climate. 3. ... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

BELT- belts, pl. belt, m. 1. Long narrow strip of fabric, cord or belt, serving for circular coverage, tying at the waist. Leather belt. 2. The place where the body is covered by this strip, the waist (colloquially). Tight in the belt. Waist-deep in water. 3. ... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

Tropical climate- Southern Florida has a tropical climate. Tropical climate is a type of climate typical of the tropics. According to the classification adopted for the climate by V.P. Köppen, it is defined as not ... Wikipedia

Tropical dry climate- Tropical dry climate continental type of trade wind climate, where there is no change of monsoons, that is, where tropical air prevails all year round. The wind regime in these continental regions is not as characteristic and stable as in ... ... Wikipedia

BELT- BELT, ah, pl. a, ov, husband. 1. Ribbon, cord, belt or sewn strip of fabric for tying, fastening at the waist. Leather p. P. skirts. For the belt and for the belt to shut up someone n. (undoubtedly surpass whom n. in what n .; colloquial.). Shut up the ax for step 2. transfer ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

geographic belt- (physical-geographic belt), the largest unit of the zonal subdivision of the geographic envelope, which has common features of the structure of latitudinal landscape zones, which is due to the magnitude of the radiation balance. Many geographers identify ... ... Geographical encyclopedia

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