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 | Earthquakes | Earthquakes | Earthquakes | Earthquakes | Earthquakes | Earthquakes | Earthquakes | Earthquakes | Earthquakes | Less than 20°F | 20–29°F | 30–39°F | 40–49°F | 50–54°F | 55–59°F | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yukon | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||
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% | ||||||||||||||||||
Alberta | 3.89% | 14.0% | 65.8% | ||||||||||||||||
Québec | 0.218% | 94.2% | |||||||||||||||||
Manitoba | 5.67% | 12.3% | 81.9% | ||||||||||||||||
Ontario | 8.22% | 91.7% | |||||||||||||||||
Alaska | 0.154% | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
Hawaii | 1.16% | ||||||||||||||||||
British Columbia | 3.99% | 0.242% | |||||||||||||||||
Arizona | 30.7% | 40.9% | 28.4% | 32.8% | 60.8% | 2.30% | |||||||||||||
Utah | 13.6% | 86.4% | 93.9% | 5.41% | |||||||||||||||
District of Columbia | 100% | 100% | |||||||||||||||||
Florida | 99.0% | 14.7% | 56.6% | 21.0% | 7.07% | ||||||||||||||
Idaho | 12.7% | 87.3% | 84.3% | 6.93% | |||||||||||||||
New Hampshire | 100% | 100% | |||||||||||||||||
Rhode Island | 95.0% | 3.92% | |||||||||||||||||
Vermont | 2.39% | 97.6% | 99.7% | ||||||||||||||||
Washington | 12.5% | 11.9% | 5.51% | 29.2% | 45.9% | 22.8% | |||||||||||||
Wyoming | 3.04% | 97.0% | 100% | ||||||||||||||||
Montana | 5.14% | 83.8% | 99.9% | ||||||||||||||||
Maine | 0.171% | 80.4% | 99.5% | ||||||||||||||||
North Dakota | 92.0% | 8.03% | 100% | ||||||||||||||||
Kentucky | 1.37% | 98.6% | 3.74% | 91.2% | |||||||||||||||
Virginia | 25.7% | 74.1% | 20.5% | 1.66% | |||||||||||||||
Delaware | 99.3% | 99.1% | |||||||||||||||||
Mississippi | 18.4% | 64.8% | 16.8% | 21.7% | 78.0% | ||||||||||||||
West Virginia | 26.7% | 73.3% | 67.8% | 31.4% | |||||||||||||||
Nebraska | 94.5% | 5.51% | 100% | ||||||||||||||||
Texas | 13.8% | 77.2% | 8.74% | 10.9% | 44.9% | 29.3% | 14.1% | ||||||||||||
Missouri | 53.7% | 46.3% | 80.4% | 18.4% | |||||||||||||||
Louisiana | 0.161% | 18.9% | 29.5% | 61.7% | 37.9% | ||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 99.4% | 84.2% | 3.43% | ||||||||||||||||
Oregon | 0.146% | 13.9% | 59.9% | 27.3% | 19.8% | 23.7% | |||||||||||||
Alabama | 73.2% | 26.7% | 29.3% | 1.30% | |||||||||||||||
New Mexico | 5.86% | 92.2% | 1.91% | 81.8% | 1.03% | ||||||||||||||
Kansas | 64.1% | 35.9% | 96.6% | 3.36% | |||||||||||||||
Wisconsin | 41.4% | 38.2% | 20.4% | 99.5% | |||||||||||||||
New Jersey | 99.1% | 73.8% | 25.8% | ||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 90.8% | 9.02% | 41.6% | 58.3% | |||||||||||||||
Michigan | 70.3% | 29.6% | 98.1% | ||||||||||||||||
Connecticut | 1.86% | 98.1% | 99.9% | ||||||||||||||||
Pennsylvania | 12.1% | 87.9% | 99.4% | ||||||||||||||||
Colorado | 35.4% | 64.6% | 100% | ||||||||||||||||
Nevada | 54.5% | 39.8% | 0.655% | 1 | 73.6% | 6.36% | |||||||||||||
Massachusetts | 0.575% | 98.2% | |||||||||||||||||
Georgia | 64.0% | 35.9% | 26.7% | 54.5% | 18.7% | ||||||||||||||
New York | 2.49% | 25.0% | 96.9% | ||||||||||||||||
Maryland | 23.5% | 74.6% | 34.3% | 32.0% | |||||||||||||||
Oklahoma | 31.0% | 69.0% | 17.8% | 81.3% | |||||||||||||||
Tennessee | 4.84% | 95.2% | 100% | ||||||||||||||||
California | 10.6% | 60.7% | 22.9% | 5.57% | 1 | 10.8% | 23.3% | 1.46% | |||||||||||
Arkansas | 31.1% | 68.9% | 79.0% | 21.0% | |||||||||||||||
South Dakota | 56.9% | 43.1% | 100% | ||||||||||||||||
Ohio | 100% | 96.3% | 3.50% | ||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 2.05% | 97.9% | 92.1% | 7.40% | |||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 26.5% | 61.6% | 11.9% | 100% | |||||||||||||||
Iowa | 99.1% | 0.440% | 100% | ||||||||||||||||
Illinois | 96.6% | 3.35% | 94.0% | 5.95% |