tropik

Tropik, or tropik in some languages, is a term used to refer to the tropical region or tropical climate. In Indonesian and Malay, tropik is a noun meaning the tropics or a tropical climate; in English the related form is tropic. The word derives from the Greek tropikos, meaning "turned," via Latin tropicus, and is linked to the concept of latitude lines that mark the sun’s reach.

Geography and climate: The tropics are the region between the Tropic of Cancer at about 23.5 degrees north and the Tropic of Capricorn at about 23.5 degrees south. In local usage, tropik denotes this zone and, in climatology, tropical climates that experience warm to hot temperatures year round. The Köppen climate classifications of tropical climates include Af (tropical rainforest), Am (tropical monsoon), and Aw (tropical savanna).

Ecology and environment: The tropik zones support high biodiversity and ecosystems shaped by abundant solar input and rainfall patterns, including lush forests in many areas and a variety of adaptive life forms.

Cultural and linguistic notes: The spelling tropik appears in some languages to match local orthography, and the term occurs in education, geography texts, and place or brand names.

See also: Tropics; Tropic climate; Tropic of Cancer; Tropic of Capricorn.