Tropics

The tropics are the region of the Earth that lie between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north latitude) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south latitude). This region receives the most intense vertical rays of the sun and is characterized by the presence of a persistent low pressure trough, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Climate in the region is characterized by high monthly average temperatures (in excess of 18 degrees C throughout the year) and high amounts of rainfall. On the northern and southern edges of the region, the subtropical high pressure brings dry conditions during the winter, and these marginal regions experience [Page 1777]a dry season of up to six months. Due to the high levels of precipitation, soils are highly leached ...