Natural areas of the tropical zone. Which countries are located in the tropical zone? What is the geographical location of the tropical zone
The air temperature here is constant (+24° -26°C); at sea, temperature fluctuations can be less than 1°. The annual amount of precipitation is up to 3000 mm, and in the mountains of the equatorial belt, precipitation can fall up to 6000 mm. More water falls from the sky than evaporates, so there are many wetlands and dense rain forests - jungles. Remember the adventure films about Indiana Jones - how difficult it is for the main characters to make their way through the dense vegetation of the jungle and escape from crocodiles who adore the muddy waters of small forest rivers. All this is the equatorial belt. Its climate is greatly influenced by the trade winds, which bring heavy rainfall from the ocean.
Northern: Africa (Sahara), Asia (Arabia, southern Iranian Plateau), North America (Mexico, Western Cuba).
Southern: South America (Peru, Bolivia, Northern Chile, Paraguay), Africa (Angola, Kalahari Desert), Australia (central part of the continent).
In the tropics, the state of the atmosphere over the continent (earth) and the ocean is different, therefore a continental tropical climate and an oceanic tropical climate are distinguished.
The oceanic climate is similar to the equatorial climate, but differs from it in less cloudiness and stable winds. Summer over the oceans is warm (+20-27°C), and winter is cool (+10-15°C).
Over the tropical land (mainland tropical climate), a high pressure area prevails, so rain is a rare guest here (from 100 to 250 mm). This type of climate is characterized by very hot summers (up to +40°C) and cool winters (+15°C). The air temperature can change dramatically during the day - up to 40°C! That is, a person can languish from the heat during the day and shiver from the cold at night. Such changes lead to the destruction of rocks, creating a mass of sand and dust, which is why dust storms are frequent here.
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This type of climate, like the tropical one, forms two zones in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, which form over areas of temperate latitudes (from 40-45° North and South latitudes to the Arctic Circles).
There are many cyclones in the temperate zone, causing the weather to become capricious and produce either snow or rain. In addition, westerly winds blow here, which bring precipitation all year round. Summers in this climate zone are warm (up to +25°-28°C), winters are cold (from +4°C to -50°C). Annual precipitation ranges from 1000 mm to 3000 mm, and in the center of the continents it is only up to 100 mm.
In the temperate climate zone, unlike the equatorial and tropical ones, the seasons are clearly defined (that is, you can build snowmen in winter and swim in a river in summer).
Temperate climate is also divided into two subtypes - marine and continental.
Marine dominates the western parts of North America, South America and Eurasia. It is formed by westerly winds blowing from the ocean to the mainland, so it has fairly cool summers (+15 -20°C) and warm winters (from +5°C). Precipitation brought by westerly winds falls all year round (from 500 to 1000 mm, in the mountains up to 6000 mm).
Continental predominates in the central regions of the continents. Cyclones penetrate here less frequently, so there are warmer and drier summers (up to +26°C) and colder winters (up to -24°C), and the snow lasts a very long time and melts reluctantly.
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Polar belt
It dominates the territory above 65°-70° latitude in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, therefore it forms two zones: Arctic and Antarctic. The Polar Belt has a unique feature - the Sun does not appear here at all for several months (polar night) and does not go below the horizon for several months (polar day). Snow and ice reflect more heat than they receive, so the air is very cool and snow does not melt for most of the year. Since a high pressure area is forming here, there are almost no clouds, the winds are weak, and the air is saturated with small ice needles. The average summer temperature does not exceed 0°C, and in winter it ranges from -20° to -40°C. Rain falls only in the summer in the form of tiny droplets - drizzle.
Between the main climatic zones there are transitional zones, which have the prefix “sub” in their names (translated from Latin as “under”). Here, air masses change seasonally, coming from neighboring belts under the influence of the Earth's rotation.
a) Subequatorial climate. In summer, all climatic zones shift to the north, so equatorial air masses begin to dominate here. They shape the weather: a lot of precipitation (1000-3000 mm), average air temperature +30°C. Even in the spring the sun reaches its zenith and burns mercilessly. In winter, all climatic zones shift to the south, and tropical air masses begin to dominate in the subequatorial zone; winter is cooler than summer (+14°C). There is little precipitation. The soils dry out after summer rains, so in the subequatorial zone, unlike the equatorial zone, there are few swamps. The territory of this climatic zone is favorable for human life, which is why many centers of civilization are located here.
The subequatorial climate forms two zones. The northern ones include: the Isthmus of Panama (Latin America), Venezuela, Guinea, the Sahel desert belt in Africa, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, all of Indochina, Southern China, part of Asia. The southern zone includes: the Amazonian lowland, Brazil (South America), central and eastern Africa and the northern coast of Australia.
b) Subtropical climate. Here tropical air masses predominate in summer, and in winter - air masses of temperate latitudes, which determines the weather: hot, dry summers (from +30°C to +50°C) and relatively cold winters with precipitation, and no stable snow cover is formed.
c) Subpolar climate. This climate zone is located only on the northern edges of Eurasia and North America. In summer, humid air masses come here from temperate latitudes, so summers here are cool (from +5°C to +10°C). Despite the small amount of precipitation, evaporation is low, since the angle of incidence of the sun's rays is small and the earth does not warm up well. Therefore, in the subpolar climate in northern Eurasia and North America there are many lakes and swamps. In winter, cold arctic air masses come here, so winters are long and cold, temperatures can drop to -50°C.
There are 13 such countries. These are Australia, Algeria, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Egypt, the not universally 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 blow through the tropics all year round. In the Northern Hemisphere they blow from the northeast, and in the Southern Hemisphere they blow from the southeast.
Residents of the countries described above feel the impact of pronounced seasonal changes in ambient temperature like no other. 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, where the long-awaited moisture comes from the oceans. For example, in the tropical zone of the continent of Africa there is precipitation in winter, but in summer it is 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, the Philippines, Uganda, Chad, Thailand, Tanzania, Sudan, USA, Somalia with its 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 with various types of soil formation and a variety of flora and fauna.
Geographers attribute part of the tropical to the ancient continent of Gondwana, and, according to the current location of the land on, it is in this zone that most of the earth's coral reefs are located, including the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches along the northeastern coast of Australia, is considered the world's largest coral formation. Length – 2.5 thousand kilometers, area – 344 square kilometers.
There are also mountainous states in the tropical zone, in both hemispheres. They have a more variable climate than countries without noticeable elevations. Nevertheless, there are relatively few such territories, since semi-desert and desert landscapes still predominate.
It is the hot climate in the tropical zone that makes many states located in it a “tidbit” for tourists who love to bask in the sun and swim in salty sea water.
The tropical zone covers the main parallels within the northern and southern hemispheres. The air in the summer can heat up to +30 or +50; in winter the temperature drops.
In summer, intense heat during the day can be combined with cooling in the evening. More than half of the annual precipitation falls during winter.
Types of climate
The proximity of the territory to the ocean allows us to distinguish several varieties in tropical climates:
- continental. It is characterized by the presence of hot and dry weather in the central regions of the continents. Clear weather most often prevails, but dust storms with strong winds are also possible. A number of countries are well suited to this: South America, Australia, Africa;
- The oceanic climate is mild with high rainfall. The weather is warm and clear in summer, and winter is as mild as possible.
In the summer, the air can warm up to +25, and in the winter it can cool down to +15, which creates optimal conditions for human life.
Tropical countries
- Australia is the central region.
- North America: Mexico, western regions of Cuba
- South America: Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, northern Chile, Brazil.
- 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.
Tropical Zone Map
Click to enlarge
Natural areas
The main natural zones of this climate are:
- forests;
- semi-deserts;
Wet forests are located on the eastern coasts from Madagascar to Oceania. and is rich in its diversity. It is in such forests that more than 2/3 of all species of flora and fauna of the Earth live.
The forest smoothly turns into savannas, which have a large extent, where small vegetation in the form of grasses and cereals predominates. Trees in this area are not common and are drought-resistant species.
Seasonal forests have spread to the north and south of the humid areas. They are characterized by a small number of vines and ferns. In winter, such trees completely lose their foliage.
Areas of land with semi-deserts can be found in countries such as Africa, Asia and Australia. These natural areas experience hot summers and warm winters.
In tropical deserts, the air can heat up above +50 degrees, and along with its increased dryness, rain turns into steam and is unproductive. These types of deserts have increased levels of solar exposure. Vegetation is sparse.
The largest deserts are located in Africa, these include: and.
Flora and fauna
The tropical zone is known for its rich vegetation; more than 70% of the representatives of the entire Earth’s flora are present on its territory:
- Swamp-type forests have little vegetation due to the fact that the soil contains a small amount of oxygen. Most often, such a forest is located in lowlands with wetlands;
- are located near the flow of warm air masses, plants form a multi-level system. Such a forest is characterized by a high density of crowns with the presence of roots in the form of litter;
- Mountain forests grow at an altitude of more than a kilometer and have several tiers. The upper tier includes trees: ferns, evergreen oaks, and the lower tier is occupied by grass: lichens, mosses. Heavy precipitation contributes to the appearance of fog;
- seasonal forests are divided into evergreen forests (eucalyptus), semi-evergreen forests have trees that shed leaves only on the upper tier without affecting the lower one.
In the tropical zone the following can grow: palm trees, cacti, acacia, various shrubs, milkweed and reed plants.
Most representatives of the animal world prefer to settle in the crowns of trees: rodents of the family,. In this zone there are: hedgehogs, tigers, leopards, lemurs, rhinoceroses, elephants.
Small predators, rodents of various species, ungulate mammals, and insects prefer to live in savannas.
Tropical climate zones - video
The tropical climate zone covers the globe from the 20th to the 30th parallel in the northern and southern hemispheres. These areas usually experience clear weather 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°C. Although sometimes it can rise to +45-50°C. In winter, the air cools greatly, often to negative readings on the thermometer.
The air temperature can vary greatly during the day, when the sultry heat during the day gives way to evening coolness and severe cold at night. In the tropics there is little precipitation - no more than 50-150 mm per year. Most of them occur in the winter months. These latitudes are very susceptible to the influence of trade winds.
Types of climate in tropical latitudes
Tropical climates are usually divided into two categories, depending on the proximity of the area to the ocean.
Continental: Inland, the climate in tropical latitudes is hot and arid, with large temperature differences. There is an area of high atmospheric pressure 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 predominantly by cold currents, so in tropical latitudes the climate in these areas is cooler, the air rarely warms up by more than 20-25°C.
The eastern coasts of the continents are dominated by warm currents, so temperatures here are higher and there is more precipitation.
Oceanic: In coastal areas and over the oceans, a milder climate develops, with abundant rainfall, warm summers and mild winters. This type of climate is very similar to the equatorial climate, but is characterized by less cloudiness and strong winds. Precipitation occurs mainly in the summer months.
Temperature values
(averaged, approximate for the tropical climate zone)
~ July +25 °C,
~ January +15 °C +20 °C.
Natural zones of the tropical climate zone
The tropics are dominated by three natural zones: forests, semi-deserts and deserts.
Tropical rain forests- this natural zone 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.
These forests are rich in flora and fauna, with a large number of endemic species.
Variable-humid or seasonal tropical forests distributed to the north and south of the humid tropics. They differ from the latter in that they have fewer vines and ferns, and the trees shed their leaves in the winter.
Tropical semi-deserts occupy vast territories, especially in Africa, south of the Sahara. In South America they are found in the north of Atacama and Brazil; this natural zone also exists in Asia and Australia. Summer here is long and hot, the temperature often rises to +30°C; winter is not cold, since the temperature does not drop below +10°C. Due to high evaporation, more precipitation falls, but in the winter months. Groundwater lies very deep and is often salty.
Tropical deserts cover most of the continents and western coasts of tropical territories. They are at the mercy of high atmospheric pressure, little precipitation falls, and the air here is so hot that the rain often evaporates before reaching the ground. Tropical deserts have a very high level of solar radiation and strong winds prevail. Only those plants grow 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 the Sahara and Namib.
Countries of the tropical climate zone
(Map of the Earth's climate zones, click on the image to enlarge)
In Europe and Antarctica, the tropical zone 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.
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