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 | Nickel | Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northwest Territories | 3.06% | |||||
Nunavut | 0.587% | |||||
Nova Scotia | 18.4% | |||||
Prince Edward Island | 96.6% | |||||
Saskatchewan | 11.6% | 38.7% | 49.7% | |||
New Brunswick | 35.3% | 63.9% | ||||
Newfoundland and Labrador | 24.7% | |||||
Yukon | 100% | 3 | ||||
British Columbia | 3.99% | 0.242% | 1 | |||
Alberta | 3.89% | 14.0% | 65.8% | 1 | ||
Québec | 0.218% | 94.2% | 4 | |||
Manitoba | 5.67% | 12.3% | 81.9% | 28 | ||
Ontario | 8.22% | 91.7% | 118 | |||
Alabama | 73.2% | 26.7% | Bush (R) | |||
Alaska | 0.154% | Bush (R) | ||||
Arizona | 30.7% | 40.9% | 28.4% | Bush (R) | ||
Arkansas | 31.1% | 68.9% | Bush (R) | |||
California | 10.6% | 60.7% | 22.9% | 5.57% | 1 | Gore (D) |
Colorado | 35.4% | 64.6% | 2 | Bush (R) | ||
Connecticut | 1.86% | 98.1% | Gore (D) | |||
Delaware | 99.3% | Gore (D) | ||||
District of Columbia | 100% | Gore (D) | ||||
Florida | 99.0% | Bush (R) | ||||
Georgia | 64.0% | 35.9% | 1 | Bush (R) | ||
Hawaii | 1.16% | Gore (D) | ||||
Idaho | 12.7% | 87.3% | Bush (R) | |||
Illinois | 96.6% | 3.35% | Gore (D) | |||
Indiana | 2.05% | 97.9% | Bush (R) | |||
Iowa | 99.1% | 0.440% | Gore (D) | |||
Kansas | 64.1% | 35.9% | Bush (R) | |||
Kentucky | 1.37% | 98.6% | Bush (R) | |||
Louisiana | 0.161% | 18.9% | 29.5% | Bush (R) | ||
Maine | 0.171% | 80.4% | Gore (D) | |||
Maryland | 23.5% | 74.6% | Gore (D) | |||
Massachusetts | 0.575% | Gore (D) | ||||
Michigan | 70.3% | 29.6% | Gore (D) | |||
Minnesota | 26.5% | 61.6% | 11.9% | 1 | Gore (D) | |
Mississippi | 18.4% | 64.8% | 16.8% | Bush (R) | ||
Missouri | 53.7% | 46.3% | 1 | Bush (R) | ||
Montana | 5.14% | 83.8% | 1 | Bush (R) | ||
Nebraska | 94.5% | 5.51% | Bush (R) | |||
Nevada | 54.5% | 39.8% | 0.655% | Bush (R) | ||
New Hampshire | 100% | Bush (R) | ||||
New Jersey | 99.1% | Gore (D) | ||||
New Mexico | 5.86% | 92.2% | 1.91% | Gore (D) | ||
New York | 2.49% | 25.0% | Gore (D) | |||
North Carolina | 99.4% | Bush (R) | ||||
North Dakota | 92.0% | 8.03% | Bush (R) | |||
Ohio | 100% | Bush (R) | ||||
Oklahoma | 31.0% | 69.0% | Bush (R) | |||
Oregon | 0.146% | 13.9% | 59.9% | 4 | Gore (D) | |
Pennsylvania | 12.1% | 87.9% | Gore (D) | |||
Rhode Island | 95.0% | Gore (D) | ||||
South Carolina | 90.8% | 9.02% | Bush (R) | |||
South Dakota | 56.9% | 43.1% | Bush (R) | |||
Tennessee | 4.84% | 95.2% | Bush (R) | |||
Texas | 13.8% | 77.2% | 8.74% | Bush (R) | ||
Utah | 13.6% | 86.4% | Bush (R) | |||
Vermont | 2.39% | 97.6% | Gore (D) | |||
Virginia | 25.7% | 74.1% | Bush (R) | |||
Washington | 12.5% | 11.9% | 5.51% | Gore (D) | ||
West Virginia | 26.7% | 73.3% | 1 | Bush (R) | ||
Wisconsin | 41.4% | 38.2% | 20.4% | Gore (D) | ||
Wyoming | 3.04% | 97.0% | Bush (R) | |||