What are tropics and subtropics? What countries are located in the tropical zone? What are the tropics in geography

Among the parallels of the planet, there are three very important parallels, the existence of which is due to the laws of physics and geometry - these are the equator, the tropic and the polar circle. Like any other parallel, these are imaginary lines that do not exist on the surface of the Earth in reality, but knowing where these parallels come from is very important for understanding the entire course of geography. So, what is it, let's start with the simplest:

Equator

The equator is an imaginary line that divides the Earth into two equal hemispheres - North and South. The earth has a practically spherical shape, while it rotates stably around its axis. This allows us to find a plane that would divide the Earth into two equal halves. The earth's axis will be perpendicular to this plane, and the line that is formed when this plane intersects with the surface of the planet will be the equator. The equator is also the longest parallel on Earth, with an approximate length of 40,000 kilometers. What is the equator is mathematically clear - a line dividing the Earth into equal halves, but what is the significance of the equator for geography? The fact is that the equator is also a very important line for understanding climatic processes. The equatorial region of the Earth, namely, the part of the planet located between the tropics (see below), receives the most sunlight and heat. This is not surprising, because this part of the Earth is always turned towards the Sun so that the rays fall on it almost vertically. This leads to a very strong warming of the near-equatorial parts of the planet throughout the year, the hottest equatorial air mass saturated with moisture is formed here due to strong evaporation. At the equator itself, the Sun rises to the zenith twice a year, that is, it shines vertically down, rising to the highest point in the sky (in Russia, for example, we will never be able to observe such a phenomenon), it is noteworthy that at the equator this happens on days equinoxes, when day equals night on the entire planet. The equinoxes occur on the 20th of March and the 20th of September, although the days of the equinoxes are considered to be March 21 and September 23.

Tropics

A tropic is a parallel where the sun is at its zenith once a year - on the day of the solstice. There are two tropics on Earth - North and South. If you look at the picture, you will see that June 22 (on the day of the summer solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is maximally turned towards the Sun)

The sun is at its zenith over the Northern Tropic, on December 22 (when the Southern Hemisphere is maximally turned towards the sun) - over the Southern. The North and South Tropics are also sometimes named after the zodiac constellations in which the Sun finds itself these days - the North Tropic is called the Tropic of Cancer, and the South Tropic of Capricorn (June and December, respectively). Perhaps someone has already noticed that the latitude of the tropic coincides with the angle of inclination of the earth's axis and is equal to 23.5 °. This value is not accidental and is determined precisely by the tilt of the planet's axis. Indeed, at any point on the planet, the sun above the horizon changes its height during the year, this is due to the tilt of the earth's axis, since the planet maintains an inclination during the year, it turns to the Sun for half a year with one hemisphere, and half a year with another. On the days of the equinoxes, the axis is turned so that the Sun shines on it, as it were, from the side, illuminating the planet from pole to pole, at the poles, by the way, at this moment it occurs at one sunset, and at the other, the sunrise is a phenomenon that occurs there once a year (! ). At equinoxes, the hemispheres of the planet are equally illuminated, and in the sky at astronomical noon, the Sun occupies its average position in the year. Due to the tilt of the earth's axis of 23.5 ° from the average position in summer, the sun in the sky will be able to rise a maximum of another 23.5 ° above, and in winter it will fall below its position at the equinox by 23.5 °. What does this lead to? This leads, in particular, to the fact that a region appears on the planet where twice a year the Sun is at an altitude of 90 ° - at the zenith. This area is located just between the tropics - the tropics limit it. In the tropics themselves, the sun in the sky is at its zenith only once a year. That is why for everyone who lives north of the North and south of the South Tropic, it will not be possible to observe the sun at its zenith in their area.

arctic circles

The Arctic Circle is the parallel above which the phenomena of polar day and polar night are observed. The value of the latitude at which the polar circles of the planet are located is also mathematically determined. It is equal to 90° minus the tilt of the planet's axis. For the Earth, the latitude of the polar circles is 66.5°. To the north of the Northern and to the south of the Southern Arctic Circle, a very interesting phenomenon of the polar day and polar night is observed. Residents of temperate latitudes are also unable to observe these phenomena, although the change in the length of daylight hours during the year is felt much stronger here than in tropical and especially equatorial latitudes. At the latitude of St. Petersburg, "white nights" are observed in summer, however, this should not be confused with a polar day. A real polar day is observed at the latitude of Murmansk and Norilsk, when the sun does not set below the horizon at all during the longest days of the year (days around June 22). Unfortunately, in winter, you have to "pay" for such round-the-clock coverage during the polar night, when during the longest nights of the year (days around December 22) - the sun does not rise at all - it is night all day and night. In the Southern Hemisphere, everything happens the same way, but on opposite dates. The closer to the pole we move, the longer these phenomena will last. As mentioned above, at the poles of the Earth, the polar day and polar night last exactly half a year, and the sun rises and sets here only once a year. For the climate of the planet, such an arrangement of these zones leads to a very strong cooling during the long dark winter, even the sun shining all day is not able to warm the air here in summer, because it rises very low. This leads to the formation of the coldest polar air mass here and, as a result, the coldest regions of the Earth.

Here is a detailed map of Tropic with street names in Russian and house numbers. You can easily get directions by moving the map in all directions with the mouse or by clicking on the arrows in the upper left corner. You can change the scale using the scale with the "+" and "-" icons located on the right side of the map. The easiest way to adjust the image size is by rotating the mouse wheel.

What country is Tropic in?

Tropic is located in the United States. This is a wonderful, beautiful city, with its own history and traditions. Tropic coordinates: north latitude and east longitude (show on a large map).

virtual walk

An interactive map of the Tropic with sights and other tourist sites is an indispensable tool for independent travel. For example, in the "Map" mode, the icon of which is located in the upper left corner, you can see the city plan, as well as a detailed road map with route numbers. You can also see the railway stations and airports of the city marked on the map. Nearby you see the "Satellite" button. By turning on the satellite mode, you will see the terrain, and by zooming in, you can explore the city in great detail (thanks to satellite maps from Google Maps).

Move the "man" from the lower right corner of the map to any street in the city, and you can take a virtual walk along the Tropic. Adjust the direction of movement using the arrows that appear in the center of the screen. By turning the mouse wheel, you can zoom in or out on the image.

The Tropic of Cancer, also known as the Northern Tropic, is a line of latitude (parallel) surrounding the Earth as of 2017 at around 23°26′13″ (or 23.43695°) north of . This is the northernmost latitude on Earth where the sun's rays can strike at right angles at noon local time around the summer solstice. The Tropic of Cancer is one of the five major parallels or lines of latitude that divide the Earth (the others being the Tropic of Capricorn, the Equator, the Arctic Circle, and the Antarctic Circle).

The position of the Tropic of the North is not fixed, and changes in complex ways over time. At present, it is gradually drifting southward by almost half an arc second (0.468") of latitude, or 15 meters per year. It was at 23 ° 27" N. sh. in 1917 and will be located at 23°26"N in 2045. The length of the Tropic of Cancer on December 11, 2015, at 23°26"14"N was 36,788 km (22,859 miles).

Naming the Tropic of Cancer

At the time of the summer solstice, when the Tropic of Cancer was named, the Sun was in the constellation Cancer. However, since this name was assigned over 2000 years ago, the Sun is no longer in the constellation Cancer. It is currently in the constellation Taurus. In most cases, the Tropic of Cancer is identified by its latitudinal location at approximately 23.5°N. sh.

Climate

With the exception of the colder highland regions in China, the climate within the Tropic of Cancer is generally hot and dry for the eastern coastal regions. Most regions located on the Tropic of Cancer experience two distinct seasons: extremely hot summers with temperatures often reaching 45°C and warm winters with highs around 22°C. hot monsoonal with a short rainy season from June to September and very little rain during the rest of the year.

Meaning of the Tropic of Cancer

In addition to being used to divide the Earth into different parts, which improve navigation and marking the northern limit of the tropics, the Northern Tropic is also of great importance for the planet's solar insolation and the formation of seasons. Solar insolation is the amount of incoming solar radiation on the earth's surface.

The level of solar radiation varies by geographic location and season. Solar insolation is greatest at the subsolar point (the point on Earth where rays fall at an angle of 90° to the planet's surface), which migrates annually between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn due to the Earth's axial tilt. If the subsolar point is in the Tropic of Cancer during the June solstice, then the Northern Hemisphere receives the greatest solar insolation.

During the June solstice, since the amount of solar radiation is greatest in the Tropic of Cancer, areas north of it in the Northern Hemisphere also receive a significant amount of solar energy, which maintains heat and creates summer. In addition, areas at latitudes above the Arctic Circle receive 24 hours of daylight for 6 months. On the contrary, the Antarctic Circle is plunged into darkness for half a year, and lower latitudes experience a winter season due to weak solar insolation, insufficient levels of solar energy and lower temperatures.

There are 13 such countries. These are Australia, Algeria, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Egypt, not all recognized Western Sahara, China, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Chile.

In these states, the so-called trade winds arise - winds that walk through the tropics all year round. In the Northern Hemisphere they blow from the northeast, and in the Southern Hemisphere from the southeast.

Residents of the countries described above, like no other, feel the influence of pronounced seasonal changes in ambient temperature. And they are especially strong not on the islands, but in the zone: the deeper, the stronger.

As for precipitation, they are not too plentiful - only 50-150 millimeters per year. Exceptions to this rule are only the coasts of the continents, to which the long-awaited moisture comes from the oceans. For example, in the tropical zone of the African continent, precipitation falls in winter, and in summer they are almost completely absent.

Countries with more than half of their area in the belt

This one is more extensive. The largest of them are Ethiopia, banana Ecuador, Philippines, Uganda, Chad, Thailand, Tanzania, Sudan, USA, Somalia with its pirates, Rwanda, Peru, Panama, Oman, Nicaragua, Mali, Malaysia, Congo, Kenya, Cameroon, Zambia , Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Yemen, Brunei and others. There are more than 40 such countries in total.

Tropical territories provide about a quarter of the world's land with various types of soil formation, diverse flora and fauna.

Geographers attribute part of the tropical to the ancient continent Gondwana, and, according to the present location of land on, it is in this zone that most of the earth's coral reefs, including the Great Barrier Reef, are located.

The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches along the northeast coast of Australia, is considered the largest coral formation in the world. The length is 2.5 thousand kilometers, the area is 344 square kilometers.

There are also mountainous states in the tropical zone, and in both hemispheres. They have a more variable climate than countries without noticeable elevations. Nevertheless, there are relatively few such territories, since semi-desert and desert landscapes still prevail.

It is the hot climate in the tropical zone that makes many states located in it a “tidbit” for tourists who love to bask in the sun and swim in salty sea water.

- (Greek tropikos, from trope appeal). Imaginary circles parallel to the equator, between which the annual, apparent movement of the sun around the earth takes place, and constituting, as it were, the boundaries of the hot zone; that's why hot countries are called ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (Tropics) parallels 23°.5 north and south of the equator. The northern tropic is called the tropic of Cancer, the southern tropic of Capricorn. Countries located between the tropics are called tropical. Between these parallels there is an annual ... ... Marine Dictionary

TROPICS- (from the Greek. tropikos rotary), the climatic zone at the equator, characterized by a warm and humid climate, very lush vegetation and rich wildlife. There are central tropics with an ever-humid climate, and outer tropics with more ... ... Ecological dictionary

TROPICS, see TROPIC SOUTHERN, TROPIC NORTHERN ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

TROPICS, s, unit ik, ah, husband. 1. Imaginary parallels (in 3 digits), 23°07 north and south of the equator. Tropic of Cancer (north of the equator). Tropic of Capricorn (south of the equator). 2. pl. The area north and south of the equator between these ... ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

tropics- — EN tropics The region of the earth s surface lying between two parallels of latitude on the earth, one 23Đ°27 north of the equator and the other 23Đ°27 south of the equator,… … Technical Translator's Handbook

tropics- A belt on the earth's surface lying between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (i.e. between 23°30′N and 23°30′S) where the sun's rays fall vertically for at least two days a year... Geography Dictionary

- [from Greek. tropikós (kýklos) turning (circle)], parallels with latitudes 23°07 North, or the Tropic of Cancer, and South, or the Tropic of Capricorn. On the day of the summer solstice (June 21-22), the Sun at noon is at its zenith over the Tropic of the North, similarly ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Latitudes 23°28 from the equator to the north (northern T.) and to the south (southern T.). The tropics are as far from the equator in latitude as the polar circles are from the poles. On T., the sun is at its zenith at solar noon for the summer solstice of this ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Books

• Tropics, Tupikova A. (thin.). In the "New Universe" series you will find many wonderful relaxing coloring pages. Feel like a real artist and fill the pictures with harmony…
• Tropics, . In the "New Universe" series you will find many wonderful relaxing coloring pages. Feel like a real artist and fill the pictures with the harmony of colors! For elementary school kids…