Tropics

The tropics are the region of Earth centered on the equator, bounded by the Tropic of Cancer at about 23.4 degrees north and the Tropic of Capricorn at about 23.4 degrees south, the latitudes at which the sun can appear directly overhead. The region receives the most solar energy of any part of the planet and has the lowest seasonal temperature variation, with seasons distinguished more by rainfall than by temperature. It covers about 39.8 percent of Earth surface and 36 percent of its landmass, and contains a wide range of climates and landscapes, including rainforests, monsoon climates, savannahs, deserts, and high altitude snow capped mountains. As of 2014 about 40 percent of the world population lived in the tropics, a share some projections put at 50 percent by 2050. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/