How the Tropics Got Their Names

Tropic is a word that we have read so many times in our geography textbooks. You might have heard the word ‘tropical’ on the news channel as well when they are describing the weather of different countries. But, what does tropic mean? How does the word get its name? 

Tropic Meaning:

The tropic is the regions that are present roughly in the middle of the earth. In more technical terms these regions surround the equator. Now, what is the equator? It is basically an imaginary line that divides the globe into two parts: the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

Tropics can also be defined in terms of latitude by:

• Tropic of Cancer (Northern Hemisphere)
• Tropic of Capricorn (Southern Hemisphere)

The tropics are also commonly known as the ‘torrid zone’ and ‘tropical zone’. The tropics include the following regions: Africa, Asia, South America, Australia and parts of North America. They account for 40% of Earth’s surface area. At the same time, they constitute 36% of Earth’s landmass. As per the reports of 2014, 40% of the world’s population lives in these regions. This figure is expected to increase by more than 10 percent i.e 50% by 2050.

Climate of Tropics:

The word ‘tropical’ is also used in a general sense when describing the climate of a particular region. When used in a general sense it basically means hot and moist year climate.

Tropic regions tend to receive more direct sunlight compared to other regions on the Earth. Due to which tropics are generally hotter and wetter (25 to 28 degrees Celsius). They are not affected by the solar seasons. 

The tropics are popularly known for their lush green vegetation. Many tropical regions experience heavy rainfall that lasts for several months. Although the amount of rainfall will greatly vary from one region to another. For example, in the Amazon Basin the rainfall is very heavy every year (3 metres). On the other hand, in the Sahara Desert the rainfall is not heavy (2-10 centimetres).

The tropical seasons are divided into two seasons: the wet season and the dry season. During the wet season, the freshwater and air quality improve significantly. There is also a good growth of flora during this season. Due to heavy rain floods occur a lot of times. There is a surge in malaria cases and erosion also increases.

How the Tropics Got Their Names:

The naming of the tropics took place 2000 years ago. The Tropic of Cancer was named because during the June solstice the powerhouse of the solar system i.e sun was present in the Cancer constellation.

On the other hand, the Tropic of Capricorn was named because the sun was positioned in the constellation Capricorn. This happened during the December solstice. 

Importance of Tropics:

The tropical regions help in balancing the ecosystem. Since they are usually moist and humid and are present close to the seas, a large number of animals and plants of different species are present in these regions. Tropic regions are blessed with some unique species. But, unfortunately, due to varied infections, heavy rainfall and unavailability of nutrition-rich food there are always high chances of endangerment of these plants and animals.

Nowadays, we have GPS and smartphones that help us to move anywhere we want. But, back in the days, these facilities were not available to the people. At that time, tropical regions helped them to navigate.

Since the tropical region has a sun directly overhead it helped the ancient travellers to move around the Earth. Our ancient travellers used to use the position of the sun and moon to help themselves go to their desired location.

Tropicality:

Tropicality basically means what other people think of the tropics. Tropicality can be categorised into two types: one which says that the tropics can be referred to as heaven since it consists of rich biodiversity. While the second one suggests that the tropics are of wild, unconquerable nature. The second one is used more in the old western literature compared to the other one.

Western scholars tried to find a theory that will help them understand why the tropics are not suitable for human civilization compared to the colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This study or theory focused on studying the differences in the climate of both regions. The scholars suggested that since the tropics have a more humid and hotter climate they tend to have a more diverse biosphere.

Conclusion:

This article has some interesting facts about the tropics. They form an important part of our ecosystem and have some distinct characteristics that you won’t find in any other region. The story behind their name is also very interesting. Remember that the word tropical is also used generally to describe the climate.