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NATURAL REGIONS OF THE WORLD
CLIMATE AND NATURAL REGIONS
World Climatic Types and Their Characteristics.
The world climatic types on the basis of temperature are classified into four basic types;
i. HOT CLIMATES
Is the climatic type of the world characterized by mean annual temperature which is over 21ºC and have the following natural vegetation; Equatorial Forests, Monsoon Forest and Tropical Grassland scrub e.g Equatorial, Tropical Desert, Monsoon and Marine areas.
ii.WARM CLIMATES
Is the world’s climatic type whereby no month has the temperature of less than 7ºC and have the following natural vegetation, Evergreen Woodland and Grassland Temperate Forest e.g West Margine and China Type.
iii. COOL CLIMATES
iii. COOL CLIMATES
Is the world’s climatic type whereby one to five month have temperature below 7ºC and have the following natural vegetation; Temperate Forest, Grassland and Scrub e.g British Type, Cool Temperate Interior and Laurentian Type.
iv. COLD CLIMATES
iv. COLD CLIMATES
Is the world’s climatic type whereby six months or more have temperature below 7ºC and the natural vegetation are Nil, Mosses, Linchen and Coniferous Forest e.g Polar, Tundra, West Margine,etc.
FACTORS INFLUENCING CLIMATE
The characteristics of various type of climate are a result of the following factors;
a) Latitude
-Influences temperatures on the surface of the earth whereby the areas nearer to the Equator experience higher temperature than those far away.
-Shifting of the overhead position of the sun is determined by latitudes and has an influence on climate.
b) Altitude
-Influences temperature and pressure of a region.
-Low altitude regions are warmer and experience high atmospheric pressure while high altitude areas are cooler and have low pressure.
c) Distance from the sea
-Has an influence in both temperature and rainfall of a region. During summer onshore winds have cooling effect on the land which is warm.
-During winter the sea is warmer than the land.
d) Aspect
Aspect refers to the direction in which a slope faces e.g in The Northern Hemisphere, the Southern ward slopes are warmer than the North ward facing slopes. This is because the North slopes never receive direct sunshine as the sun in this region never gets over head.
-Windward slopes of highlands receive much higher rainfall than the Leeward slopes.
e) Ocean Currents
Current flowing along the Coasts tend to modify the climate of the Coastal regions. Where onshore wind blow over a cold ocean current are cooled from the below and the moisture they are carrying is condensed and dropped over the sea as rain.
f) Prevailing Winds
Wind is a medium of transfer of heat and moisture over the land. If wind is blowing from a warm region, it has the warming effects over the region it is blowing across and if wind will blow from cold region it will be cold and will cool the land over which it is blowing.
g) Human Activities
Like development of settlements, agriculture and construction of dams and creation of man made lakes have influence on climate. In recent times we are realizing the effects of human activities in causing climate change, caused by clearing of forests , draining and cultivating swamp areas, emission of Chlorofluorocarbons and other gases from factories and motor vehicles.
NATURAL REGIONS OF THE WORLD
NATURAL REGIONS OF THE WORLD
Natural Regions are geographical areas with uniform physical characteristics that distinguish it from other natural regions.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE REGIONS
– They experience similar problems.
– They have same geographical back ground.
– Are unified by the same certain latitudes which help in locating them over.
– Tend to have almost the same type of soil and vegetation cover.
– They have the same occupation such as a mining, agriculture and animal husbandry.
TYPES/ CLASSIFICATIONS OF NATURAL REGIONS
1. Equatorial Regions.
2. Tropical/savannah Region.
3. Mediterranean.
4. Hot Desert.
5. Warm Temperate Interior Region.
6. Cold Temperate Continental Region (SIBERIAN TYPE).
7. Cool Temperate West margin Region (BRITISH TYPE).
8. Cool Temperate Eastern margin Region (LAURENTIAN TYPE).
9. Warm Temperate Eastern coast margin Region (CHINA TYPE).
10. Monsoon Region.
11.Mountain Region.
12. Tundra and Polar Region.
1. EQUATORIAL REGIONS
Location: The religion is found between 0° – 5° North and South of the equator.
Area found: west coastal Nigeria S.W and S. Central Ghana, Congo, and Amazon basin / East Indies.
Characteristics of Equatorial
– High temperature about 27°c throughout the year.
– Annual temperature range is 2°c.
– Rainfall is heavy throughout the year.
– The Annual rainfall is about 2000mm.
– There are no seasons of the year.
– Type of rainfall is convectional.
Crops grown are cassava, groundnuts, maize, millet, beans, bananas.
Human activities: Plantation agriculture, fishing, cultivation, peasantry sedentary agriculture.
Common animals found: Monkey, gorillas, crocodiles, and hippopotamus.
2. TROPICAL REGION /GRASSLAND/SAVANNAH/SUDAN TYPE
Location: the region is found between 5° – 20°North and South of the equator Between equatorial and tropical desert.
Area found: East and Central Africa, Brazilian plateau, Venezuela, Africa and N. Australia.
Climate: hot wet summer season, warm dry winter, rainfall is moderate. Torrential rainfall associated with thunderstorms in annual range of temperature increases with the distance from equator.
CHARACTERISTICS OF TROPICAL REGION
-High temperature range from 20°c – 32°c.
-Temperature range is 8°c.
Total rain varies from 500mm to 1500mm.
Vegetation: tall grasses which lie dormant in dry season e.g Miombo, palm, acacia,gum tree.
Human activities: Livestock keeping and cultivation.
Animals found: Lion, leopard, zebra, giraffe.
crops grown: cotton .
3. MEDITERRANEAN REGION
It is found between 30° – 45° North and south of the equator around Mediterranean ocean only.
Areas found
– South Eastern Australia, central Chile, central California, north and South America.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MEDITERRANEAN REGION
– Mean temperature is about 20°c – 25°c.
– Annual temperature rainfall is about 500mm to 760mm.
– Has two (2) types of climatic conditions (season) per annual.
– They face problems like TSUNAMI.
– Type of rainfall is cyclonic rainfall.
– The climatic condition is dry in summer and cool wet in winter.
– It is a coastal belt region.
– Rain has 2 seasons, not throughout the year.
Animal found
– Elephant, rhino, zebra, lion, buffalo.
Human activities
– Tourism, agriculture, fishing and navigation.
– Crops are wheat potatoes, vegetable, maize and fruit cultivation, as orange, lemon and grape fruits.
4. HOT DESERT
It is located between 15° – 30° latitudes North and south of the equator. Hot Desert of the world are Sahara, Kalahari, Attacama and Namib desert.
CHARACTERISTICS OF HOT DESERT
– Very high temperature of about 40°c during day time.
– There is very little rainfall usually less than 250 mm a year.
Vegetation
– There is no complete cover of vegetation on the land because is too scanty.
– It consist mostly of thorny club bushes and cacti tropics.
Crops grown are dates, palm, cotton, rice, tobacco,fruit tree and tomato.
Economic activities
– Trading, mining, low agriculture over irrigation around coastal areas.
5. WARM TEMPERATE INTERIOR REGION (STEPPE TYPE)
Location : it is located 20° – 35° North and South of the equator.
Areas found
Australia, Argentina, Mexico, USA (Oklahoma, Texas, place of Manchuria).
CHARACTERISTICS OF STEPPE TYPE REGION
– Short warm summer and long cold winter.
– Two seasonal in the year.
– Rainfall is very little because of the dry winds (winds without moisture).
– Type of rainfall is conventional rainfall caused by low pressure system.
– Total annual rain 380mm -700mm, depending on distance of the sea.
– Temperature range from 15ºc- 25ºc depending on place location.
– Maximum temperature during daytime exceed 30ºc.
– When temperature falls less than Oºc the land is covered with ice (snow).
– The area experience low rainfall in general which form in spring and early summer.
Human activities
– Animal rearing ( cattle and sheep ranching ) to large grassland.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE REGIONS
– They experience similar problems.
– They have same geographical back ground.
– Are unified by the same certain latitudes which help in locating them over.
– Tend to have almost the same type of soil and vegetation cover.
– They have the same occupation such as a mining, agriculture and animal husbandry.
TYPES/ CLASSIFICATIONS OF NATURAL REGIONS
1. Equatorial Regions.
2. Tropical/savannah Region.
3. Mediterranean.
4. Hot Desert.
5. Warm Temperate Interior Region.
6. Cold Temperate Continental Region (SIBERIAN TYPE).
7. Cool Temperate West margin Region (BRITISH TYPE).
8. Cool Temperate Eastern margin Region (LAURENTIAN TYPE).
9. Warm Temperate Eastern coast margin Region (CHINA TYPE).
10. Monsoon Region.
11.Mountain Region.
12. Tundra and Polar Region.
1. EQUATORIAL REGIONS
Location: The religion is found between 0° – 5° North and South of the equator.
Area found: west coastal Nigeria S.W and S. Central Ghana, Congo, and Amazon basin / East Indies.
Characteristics of Equatorial
– High temperature about 27°c throughout the year.
– Annual temperature range is 2°c.
– Rainfall is heavy throughout the year.
– The Annual rainfall is about 2000mm.
– There are no seasons of the year.
– Type of rainfall is convectional.
Crops grown are cassava, groundnuts, maize, millet, beans, bananas.
Human activities: Plantation agriculture, fishing, cultivation, peasantry sedentary agriculture.
Common animals found: Monkey, gorillas, crocodiles, and hippopotamus.
2. TROPICAL REGION /GRASSLAND/SAVANNAH/SUDAN TYPE
Location: the region is found between 5° – 20°North and South of the equator Between equatorial and tropical desert.
Area found: East and Central Africa, Brazilian plateau, Venezuela, Africa and N. Australia.
Climate: hot wet summer season, warm dry winter, rainfall is moderate. Torrential rainfall associated with thunderstorms in annual range of temperature increases with the distance from equator.
CHARACTERISTICS OF TROPICAL REGION
-High temperature range from 20°c – 32°c.
-Temperature range is 8°c.
Total rain varies from 500mm to 1500mm.
Vegetation: tall grasses which lie dormant in dry season e.g Miombo, palm, acacia,gum tree.
Human activities: Livestock keeping and cultivation.
Animals found: Lion, leopard, zebra, giraffe.
crops grown: cotton .
3. MEDITERRANEAN REGION
It is found between 30° – 45° North and south of the equator around Mediterranean ocean only.
Areas found
– South Eastern Australia, central Chile, central California, north and South America.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MEDITERRANEAN REGION
– Mean temperature is about 20°c – 25°c.
– Annual temperature rainfall is about 500mm to 760mm.
– Has two (2) types of climatic conditions (season) per annual.
– They face problems like TSUNAMI.
– Type of rainfall is cyclonic rainfall.
– The climatic condition is dry in summer and cool wet in winter.
– It is a coastal belt region.
– Rain has 2 seasons, not throughout the year.
Animal found
– Elephant, rhino, zebra, lion, buffalo.
Human activities
– Tourism, agriculture, fishing and navigation.
– Crops are wheat potatoes, vegetable, maize and fruit cultivation, as orange, lemon and grape fruits.
4. HOT DESERT
It is located between 15° – 30° latitudes North and south of the equator. Hot Desert of the world are Sahara, Kalahari, Attacama and Namib desert.
CHARACTERISTICS OF HOT DESERT
– Very high temperature of about 40°c during day time.
– There is very little rainfall usually less than 250 mm a year.
Vegetation
– There is no complete cover of vegetation on the land because is too scanty.
– It consist mostly of thorny club bushes and cacti tropics.
Crops grown are dates, palm, cotton, rice, tobacco,fruit tree and tomato.
Economic activities
– Trading, mining, low agriculture over irrigation around coastal areas.
5. WARM TEMPERATE INTERIOR REGION (STEPPE TYPE)
Location : it is located 20° – 35° North and South of the equator.
Areas found
Australia, Argentina, Mexico, USA (Oklahoma, Texas, place of Manchuria).
CHARACTERISTICS OF STEPPE TYPE REGION
– Short warm summer and long cold winter.
– Two seasonal in the year.
– Rainfall is very little because of the dry winds (winds without moisture).
– Type of rainfall is conventional rainfall caused by low pressure system.
– Total annual rain 380mm -700mm, depending on distance of the sea.
– Temperature range from 15ºc- 25ºc depending on place location.
– Maximum temperature during daytime exceed 30ºc.
– When temperature falls less than Oºc the land is covered with ice (snow).
– The area experience low rainfall in general which form in spring and early summer.
Human activities
– Animal rearing ( cattle and sheep ranching ) to large grassland.