MAJOR CLIMATIC ZONES ON EARTH

We could distinguish 3 major climatic areas on our planet.

TORRID ZONE is located between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. The main characteristic of this area are high temperatures always over 18ºC. There are three main climates in the torrid area: Equatorial, Tropical and Desert. All these climates have different amount of rainfall. However, the torrid desert can be found in different areas in our planet.

TEMPERATE ZONE is located between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and the polar circles. These areas are characterized by the differences of temperature and 4 seasons could be distinguished. There are three different temperate climates: Mediterranean, Atlantic or oceanic and Continental.

FRIGID ZONE is located between the Arctic and the Antarctic circles and the North and South Poles. These areas have very cold temperatures, limited light and lack of precipitation. Frigid zone covers 28% of Earth surface. Two different regions could be found in the frigid zone:

– Glacial environment is found in polar ice caps between parallel 75th to the North and South Poles. In the Northern Hemisphere we include in this area Greenland while in the Southern Hemisphere includes a great part of Antarctica.

– Periglacial environment extends to the parallel 75^th Northern and Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere we include the northern regions of North America, Europe and Asia. In the Southern Hemisphere it extends from the southern parts of Chile and Argentina as well as different islands.