Natural Regions of the World

LOCATION AREA CLIMATE NATURAL VEGETATION HUMAN

ADAPTATION
1. EQUATORIAL REGION
Between 10 S. America: Amazon High Temperature and Heavy Rainfall Tropical/ Equatorial Rain Forests/Selvas in  Oppressive
‫ﹾ‬N and 10‫ﹾ‬S Basin- Coastal Temperature: hot throughout the year Amazon Basin climate and
of the lowlands between due to vertical rays of the Sun Forests thick and luxuriant- trees, creepers, impenetrable
Equator the Guiana and throughout the year and 12 hours of bushes, shrubs, ferns and orchids vegetation
Brazilian Highlands daily sunshine Trees broad leaved, evergreen.
and coastal Mean Annual: 27 degree Celsius  Mainly Asian
Columbia- Brazil , Annual Range: small, 3 degree Celsius Structure of the Equatorial Forests: part is under
Equador and the Diurnal Range: small, 7 degree Four distinct Layers agriculture;
coast of French Celsius The emergent layer: tallest trees (over 50m), main crops:
Guinea such as, mahogany and kapok, widely spaced, Wheat, rice,
Africa: The Congo Convectional Type- very heavy, every seeds dispersed by wind tapioca,
Basin (Zaire) and the afternoon throughout the year The canopy: lower than the emergent layer, mangoes
Guinea Coast of Annual : 250cm formed by crowns of trees, several tiers, blocks
West Africa Max rainfall twice: around equinoxes sunlight and wind. Growing quickly towards  Plantation
Southern Asia: Wettest months: March & September light, they have straight trunks with few farming
Malaysia, Indonesia High Humidity: About 80% branches. Seeds dispersed by animals common:
and Papua (New Sky Always Cloudy: prevents nights Sugarcane,
Guinea), southern from becoming cold The understory: under the canopy, with not rubber, coffee,
Philippines much light, air humid- trees large leaved to tea coconut,
maximise the light absorbed. tobacco
The forest floor: plants and leaves arranged in
rosettes to avoid upper leaves shading the lower  Cocoa, oil
ones. Ferns have divided fronds to get palms, bananas,
maximum light yams in Africa
Uneconomical for commercial exploitation-
dense and occur in non-social strands (No one
species in an area)
Imp. Trees- Hardwood – Mahogany, ebony,
rosewood- good for furniture
 2. TROPICAL DESERTS (HOT DRY DESERT)

LOCATION AREA CLIMATE NATURAL VEGETATION HUMAN

ADAPTATION
On the North Africa: Sahara  Daily range of temperature  Xerophytic vegetation With irrigation
western (largest) and greater than annual range  Thorny and leathery leaves- to protect agriculture is
margins of Kalahari deserts  Hot summers with very little from being eaten by animals and leaves possible
continenets Asia: The Thar and rain, cool winters reduced to thorns to reduce loss of
between 15‫ﹾ‬ the Arabian Deserts  Mean Temp: Hottest month- 30 water by transpiration
to N. America: Eg- to 35℃; Coldest month- 20℃  Long roots- go down deep in search of
30 ‫ﹾ‬North Californian, Mexican  Lies in offshore region of trade water
and South of deserts winds, hence so arid.  Main plants: cacti, scrubs, short grasses,
the Equator S. America: Atacama  Annual Rainfall: less than prickly pear; date palms in oasis
(driest) 25cm; usually convectional
Australia: The Great with violent thunderstorms
Australian Desert
3. TROPICAL MONSOON REGION
LOCATION AREA CLIMATE NATURAL VEGETATION HUMAN
ADAPTATION
Lies Asia: India, Pakistan,  Seasonal Climate due to Mostly deciduous, shed their leaves during  Most densely
between 10‫ﹾ‬ Bangladesh, Sri differential rate of heating of summers populated and
to Lanka, Myanmar, land and sea Forests less luxuriant than those of the rich agricultural
25 ‫ﹾ‬North Southern China,  Hot summers, cold winters wit Equatorial region regions
and South of Cambodia, Laos, a distinct rainy season Trees: hard wood and broad leaved  Coffee, oilseeds,
the Equator Vietnam, Taiwan  South- West Monsoon winds Main trees: teak, sal, bamboo, sandalwood, rubber, coconut
and Philippines bring rains after summer acacia plantations
Central America:  Rainfall – 25 to 250 cm  Rice, jute,
West Indies depending on location sugarcane main
North eastern  North-East Monsoon winds crops
Australia blow in winters which are  Wheat,millets,
S, America- Eastern offshore, hence, basically dry pulses, tobacco,
Brazil winds but bring some rainfall tea
Parts of east Africa to South- East Asia