Soil heating and illumination of any territory are directly dependent on the thermal zone in which it is located. This, in turn, is affected by geographical latitude.
What are thermal belts?
Solar heat unevenly enters high and low latitudes. This is due to the fact that the angles of inclination of the rays of our luminary to the surface of the Earth are different. Hence the concept of climate. The north the territory is located, the less heat it receives per unit of surface. This is due to the lower rise of the sun at noon.
The very word "climate" in Greek means "slope." It depends on the geographical location of a particular area and is determined by atmospheric pressure, humidity and average air temperature throughout the year.
There are three thermal zones on Earth. It is mild, hot and cold. Each of them has its own distinctive features.
Cold climate belt
It is located in the Arctic Circle, located in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres of the Earth. The poles of our planet are maximally distant from the equator, and in this regard, the sun sends only oblique rays to them. That is why in these areas the earth heats up very poorly.
Winters in these territories are long and severe, and summers are short and cool. There are several months of the year when the sun’s rays do not reach the Arctic Circle at all. Such a period is a polar night. The temperature at this time can drop to eighty-nine degrees.
Temperate zone
These thermal zones are also located in two hemispheres. In their territories, oblique sun rays slightly warm the earth in the winter. In summer, the sun illuminates them more intensely. There are moderate thermal zones between the polar circle and two parallels. In the north, this is the Tropics of Cancer, and in the south - the Tropics of Capricorn.
The sun in these zones is never at its zenith. Therefore, it does not very much heat the soil and air. Moderate thermal zones are characterized by a clear delineation of the seasons. Here winter, summer, autumn and spring are observed. Moreover, the temperature character of these seasons is not the same. The closer the region is to the Arctic Circle, the colder the winter in its territory. Conversely, summers are warmer and longer when the territory approaches the tropics.
Hot belt
Above this zone, the sun always rises high and sends direct rays to it. That is why there is always a high temperature. The dominance of this belt is observed in the tropics. The winter period in this area is the rainy season, and summer is characterized by drought.
The hot thermal belt of the Earth is located between the South and North tropics along the equator. Twice during the year, namely at noon on June 22 and December 22, the sun's rays fall in this zone almost vertically, that is, at an angle of ninety degrees. Air is very hot from the surface of the soil. That is why there is heat throughout the year. Only within this belt are palm trees growing.
Thus, the thermal zones of the world are represented by five zones. They include two cold, two moderate and one hot. Sometimes in cold thermal zones an area of eternal frost is distinguished. It is located directly near the poles, and the average annual temperature here does not rise above zero.
The thermal zones of Russia are cold and temperate. The north of the country has a harsh climate. In this case, there is a change in polar winter and polar summer. More southern areas have a mild climate and pronounced seasonality.
The nature of the cold heat zone
The polar zones of our planet are constantly covered with snow and ice. These are the coldest territories of the Earth. The Arctic, which belongs to the polar zone of the Northern Hemisphere, passes through Alaska. It includes the island of Greenland. Located in the polar zone the north of Canada and Russia.
Antarctica, located in the southern hemisphere, is the southern polar zone. There is the continent of Antarctica.
The cold thermal zone, which is characterized by a lack of heat, has no forests. The soil in these territories is boggy. In some places you can find areas of permafrost. The most severe climate is observed at the poles. Sea or mainland ice arises there. Vegetation is usually absent or represented by lichens and moss.
Mostly migratory birds live in the cold belt. Especially a lot of them on the islands of the Arctic Ocean. Animals are also found in this zone. They migrate from more southern areas during the summer season. The animal world is represented by owls and arctic foxes, polar mice and reindeer, polar bears, walruses, seals and penguins.
The nature of the temperate thermal zone
The territories of these climatic zones receive more light and heat. This is not such a harsh winter. Summer in the temperate thermal zone is not very hot. The sun is never above these territories at its zenith. Therefore, the climate of the temperate zones is mild, and its changes from warm to cold occur gradually. In these zones four seasons are distinguished: summer, spring, winter and autumn.
The moderate thermal zone passes through the territory of Great Britain and Europe. It has North Asia and North America. In the southern hemisphere, the temperate zone is located in the waters of three oceans. Thus, 98% of its area is occupied by water. The temperate zone in the Southern Hemisphere runs through Australia and New Zealand. It covers the south of South Africa and South America.
The nature of this thermal zone is very diverse. These are mixed forests, taiga, semi-deserts and deserts, as well as steppes.
The animal kingdom is fairly homogeneous. It is mainly represented by forest animals that lead a sedentary lifestyle. Representatives of the fauna of an open area — steppes and deserts — are less common.
The nature of the hot heat zone
In this area, most of Africa is located. In the hot zone lies the south of India and Asia. Central America, New Guinea, northern Australia and the north of South America enter this zone.
Near the equator there is no seasonality. Throughout the year, these areas are very warm and humid.
The hot thermal zone is characterized by savannas, evergreen tropical forests and light forests. In some areas there are semi-deserts and deserts.
The fauna is extraordinarily diverse. These are birds of prey and running, hippos and antelopes, elephants and zebras, buffaloes, etc.