tropics

The tropics are the region of Earth bounded by the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south, roughly 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south of the equator. This belt spans parts of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania and includes a wide range of landscapes, from dense rainforests to savannas and arid zones.

Climate in the tropics is generally warm or hot year-round. Rainfall varies widely: equatorial areas experience frequent heavy rain and continuous greenery, while other tropical zones have distinct wet and dry seasons, shaping tropical forests, grasslands, and monsoon systems. The region also contains coastal and marine environments such as coral reefs.

Biodiversity is high, with tropical rainforests among the most species-rich ecosystems on Earth. Other tropical ecosystems include tropical dry forests, mangroves, and large river basins. The tropical zone supports a large portion of the world’s agricultural crops and is home to many indigenous and rural communities with diverse cultures and languages.

Environmental pressures in the tropics include deforestation, habitat fragmentation, land-use change, overexploitation, and the effects of climate change. These pressures threaten biodiversity and ecosystem services such as rainfall regulation, carbon storage, and soil fertility.

Conservation and sustainable development efforts in the tropics focus on protected areas, reforestation, sustainable agriculture, coastal management, and regional cooperation to balance ecological health with human needs.