Areas at Risk of Soil Degradation
WorldPhysical EnvironmentLevels of concern for there to be a decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastoral, industrial, or urban purposes.
Geosystems: Intro to Physical Geography
A map illustrates areas at risk of soil degradation worldwide, categorized by serious concern, some concern, stable terrain, and non-vegetated land.
The map shows areas at risk of soil degradation using different colors. Areas of Serious Concern (light pink): North America: Great Plains, southwestern deserts, and Mississippi Valley. Central America: Most of the land. South America: Lands along the Andes mountains, parts of interior and coastal Brazil. Europe: Mostly in Eastern Europe. Africa: Near the Mediterranean in North Africa; lands of the Sahel along the southern border of the Sahara; in and around Nigeria in West Africa; the island of Madagascar; smaller patches in East Africa and southern Africa. Asia: Central and eastern China, much of mainland Southeast Asia, the islands of Borneo, and the Philippines. Australia: Southeast Australia has a small area of serious concern. Areas of Some Concern (light purple): Found in scattered regions across North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Stable Terrain (light blue): These areas include parts of North America mostly in Canada, South America in parts of Brazil, and in parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Nonvegetated Land (dark blue): Predominantly in desert regions such as the Sahara, Central Asia, and parts of Australia.
Areas of serious concern | Areas of some concern | Stable terrain | Nonvegetated land | Cleveland | Hood | Hualalai | Kilauea | Mauna Loa | Novarupta | Okmok | Redoubt | Shishaldin | Spurr | St. Helens | Vsevidof | Westdahl | Yellowstone | Manganese Mines | Salt Marshes | |
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Yukon | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||
Northwest Territories | 3.06% | |||||||||||||||||||
District of Columbia | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||
Idaho | 12.7% | 87.3% | ||||||||||||||||||
Vermont | 2.39% | 97.6% | ||||||||||||||||||
Nunavut | 0.587% | |||||||||||||||||||
North Dakota | 92.0% | 8.03% | ||||||||||||||||||
Kentucky | 1.37% | 98.6% | ||||||||||||||||||
Saskatchewan | 11.6% | 38.7% | 49.7% | |||||||||||||||||
Nebraska | 94.5% | 5.51% | ||||||||||||||||||
Missouri | 53.7% | 46.3% | ||||||||||||||||||
Kansas | 64.1% | 35.9% | ||||||||||||||||||
Wisconsin | 41.4% | 38.2% | 20.4% | |||||||||||||||||
Newfoundland and Labrador | 24.7% | |||||||||||||||||||
Michigan | 70.3% | 29.6% | ||||||||||||||||||
Alberta | 3.89% | 14.0% | 65.8% | |||||||||||||||||
Pennsylvania | 12.1% | 87.9% | ||||||||||||||||||
Québec | 0.218% | 94.2% | ||||||||||||||||||
Manitoba | 5.67% | 12.3% | 81.9% | |||||||||||||||||
Oklahoma | 31.0% | 69.0% | ||||||||||||||||||
South Dakota | 56.9% | 43.1% | ||||||||||||||||||
Ohio | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 2.05% | 97.9% | ||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 26.5% | 61.6% | 11.9% | |||||||||||||||||
Iowa | 99.1% | 0.440% | ||||||||||||||||||
Illinois | 96.6% | 3.35% | ||||||||||||||||||
Alaska | 0.154% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
Hawaii | 1.16% | 1 | 14 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
Arizona | 30.7% | 40.9% | 28.4% | 48 | ||||||||||||||||
Utah | 13.6% | 86.4% | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
Wyoming | 3.04% | 97.0% | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
Montana | 5.14% | 83.8% | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
West Virginia | 26.7% | 73.3% | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
Oregon | 0.146% | 13.9% | 59.9% | 2 | 7 | |||||||||||||||
New Mexico | 5.86% | 92.2% | 1.91% | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
Colorado | 35.4% | 64.6% | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
Nevada | 54.5% | 39.8% | 0.655% | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
Tennessee | 4.84% | 95.2% | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
Ontario | 8.22% | 91.7% | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
Arkansas | 31.1% | 68.9% | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
Florida | 99.0% | 1.33% | ||||||||||||||||||
New Hampshire | 100% | 1.37% | ||||||||||||||||||
Rhode Island | 95.0% | 2.01% | ||||||||||||||||||
Washington | 12.5% | 11.9% | 5.51% | 2 | 0.132% | |||||||||||||||
Maine | 0.171% | 80.4% | 0.322% | |||||||||||||||||
Nova Scotia | 18.4% | 0.591% | ||||||||||||||||||
Virginia | 25.7% | 74.1% | 0.493% | |||||||||||||||||
Delaware | 99.3% | 33.7% | ||||||||||||||||||
Prince Edward Island | 96.6% | 1.22% | ||||||||||||||||||
Mississippi | 18.4% | 64.8% | 16.8% | 0.461% | ||||||||||||||||
Texas | 13.8% | 77.2% | 8.74% | 0.123% | ||||||||||||||||
Louisiana | 0.161% | 18.9% | 29.5% | 1 | 0.106% | |||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 99.4% | 0.191% | ||||||||||||||||||
New Brunswick | 35.3% | 63.9% | 0.488% | |||||||||||||||||
Alabama | 73.2% | 26.7% | 0.174% | |||||||||||||||||
British Columbia | 3.99% | 0.242% | 0.160% | |||||||||||||||||
New Jersey | 99.1% | 15.3% | ||||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 90.8% | 9.02% | 1 | 6.81% | ||||||||||||||||
Connecticut | 1.86% | 98.1% | 0.797% | |||||||||||||||||
Massachusetts | 0.575% | 2 | 3.30% | |||||||||||||||||
Georgia | 64.0% | 35.9% | 3 | 2.72% | ||||||||||||||||
New York | 2.49% | 25.0% | 2 | 0.102% | ||||||||||||||||
Maryland | 23.5% | 74.6% | 0.178% | |||||||||||||||||
California | 10.6% | 60.7% | 22.9% | 5.57% | 202 | 0.156% |