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Tropics
The region of the earth found between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This region is marked by the absence of cold weather. Also known as the torrid zone, the tropics cover an area spanning from about 23 degrees north to 23 degrees south of the equator. There is very little change in the weather patterns in the tropics due to the region's close proximity to the equator. The tropics receive direct sun for a significant portion of the year, so the weather is usually hot and humid; although there is some variation in climatic conditions, the climate is considerably stable year-round, allowing ecosystems to develop and to flourish under these stable conditions.