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 | Lightning Frequency | <0.1 flashes/km²/year | 0.1 flashes/km²/year | 0.2 flashes/km²/year | 0.4 flashes/km²/year | 0.6 flashes/km²/year | 0.8 flashes/km²/year | 1 flash/km²/year | 2 flashes/km²/year | 4 flashes/km²/year | 6 flashes/km²/year | 8 flashes/km²/year | 10 flashes/km²/year | 20 flashes/km²/year | 30 flashes/km²/year | Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yukon | 100% | 2.57% | 1.17% | 39.3% | 42.1% | 0.676% | 0.532% | 2.01% | ||||||||||||
Northwest Territories | 3.06% | 10.4% | 11.3% | 1.93% | 1.61% | 13.9% | 14.4% | 4.36% | 8.69% | |||||||||||
Nunavut | 0.587% | 41.3% | 36.7% | 7.71% | 1.80% | 1.53% | 0.139% | |||||||||||||
Nova Scotia | 18.4% | 8.11% | 10.6% | 36.1% | 17.3% | 27.8% | ||||||||||||||
Prince Edward Island | 96.6% | 2.52% | 8.96% | 20.3% | 68.2% | |||||||||||||||
Saskatchewan | 11.6% | 38.7% | 49.7% | 0.267% | 0.717% | 31.5% | 16.7% | 3.54% | ||||||||||||
New Brunswick | 35.3% | 63.9% | 0.276% | 0.234% | 58.0% | |||||||||||||||
British Columbia | 3.99% | 0.242% | 1.64% | 6.95% | 12.6% | 20.1% | 4.57% | 5.28% | 0.164% | 6.19% | ||||||||||
Newfoundland and Labrador | 24.7% | 5.05% | 7.84% | 8.94% | 30.5% | 12.3% | 3.57% | 0.308% | ||||||||||||
Alberta | 3.89% | 14.0% | 65.8% | 22.8% | 73.1% | 3.13% | ||||||||||||||
Québec | 0.218% | 94.2% | 11.0% | 4.90% | 11.5% | 3.83% | 3.39% | 3.67% | 19.7% | 17.8% | 0.183% | |||||||||
Manitoba | 5.67% | 12.3% | 81.9% | 2.65% | 4.40% | 2.91% | 25.0% | 48.7% | 10.4% | |||||||||||
Ontario | 8.22% | 91.7% | 2.58% | 3.28% | 0.872% | 19.2% | 2.31% | 2.14% | 0.326% | 0.285% | ||||||||||
Alabama | 73.2% | 26.7% | 41.8% | 58.2% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
Alaska | 0.154% | 6.63% | 1.78% | 25.5% | 0.226% | 5.17% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||
Arizona | 30.7% | 40.9% | 28.4% | 1.13% | 23.6% | 20.0% | 37.0% | 18.2% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||
Arkansas | 31.1% | 68.9% | 15.7% | 84.3% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
California | 10.6% | 60.7% | 22.9% | 5.57% | 2.29% | 10.6% | 16.3% | 5.69% | 2.96% | 35.4% | 15.6% | 1.52% | Biden (D) | |||||||
Colorado | 35.4% | 64.6% | 3.18% | 32.7% | 15.2% | 10.5% | 30.1% | 8.34% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||
Connecticut | 1.86% | 98.1% | 77.5% | 20.8% | 1.09% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||
Delaware | 99.3% | 1.09% | 21.6% | 74.1% | 3.24% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||
District of Columbia | 100% | 100% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||
Florida | 99.0% | 0.168% | 52.7% | 47.1% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
Georgia | 64.0% | 35.9% | 48.4% | 51.6% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||
Hawaii | 1.16% | 0.113% | 0.444% | 32.9% | 60.0% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||
Idaho | 12.7% | 87.3% | 8.51% | 90.0% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
Illinois | 96.6% | 3.35% | 1.50% | 98.5% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||
Indiana | 2.05% | 97.9% | 100% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||
Iowa | 99.1% | 0.440% | 5.30% | 6.65% | 14.4% | 73.6% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||
Kansas | 64.1% | 35.9% | 96.1% | 3.88% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
Kentucky | 1.37% | 98.6% | 100% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||
Louisiana | 0.161% | 18.9% | 29.5% | 100% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
Maine | 0.171% | 80.4% | 5.45% | 71.9% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||
Maryland | 23.5% | 74.6% | 2.23% | 17.7% | 58.3% | 21.7% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||
Massachusetts | 0.575% | 2.27% | 79.0% | 18.5% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||
Michigan | 70.3% | 29.6% | 1.83% | 31.7% | 16.4% | 14.6% | 8.66% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||
Minnesota | 26.5% | 61.6% | 11.9% | 13.4% | 3.05% | 20.4% | 21.8% | 9.11% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||
Mississippi | 18.4% | 64.8% | 16.8% | 53.6% | 46.4% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||
Missouri | 53.7% | 46.3% | 97.2% | 2.76% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
Montana | 5.14% | 83.8% | 1.84% | 16.7% | 6.56% | 12.0% | 2.35% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||
Nebraska | 94.5% | 5.51% | 2.93% | 89.3% | 7.74% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||
Nevada | 54.5% | 39.8% | 0.655% | 1.83% | 39.4% | 47.0% | 11.8% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||
New Hampshire | 100% | 77.0% | 23.0% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||
New Jersey | 99.1% | 9.73% | 90.3% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||||
New Mexico | 5.86% | 92.2% | 1.91% | 7.94% | 33.3% | 53.7% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||
New York | 2.49% | 25.0% | 16.1% | 65.1% | 18.0% | 0.137% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||
North Carolina | 99.4% | 100% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||||
North Dakota | 92.0% | 8.03% | 5.40% | 24.2% | 48.6% | 17.6% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||
Ohio | 100% | 23.4% | 76.6% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||
Oklahoma | 31.0% | 69.0% | 64.4% | 35.6% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
Oregon | 0.146% | 13.9% | 59.9% | 0.565% | 3.81% | 5.52% | 5.86% | 3.52% | 49.6% | 23.8% | Biden (D) | |||||||||
Pennsylvania | 12.1% | 87.9% | 7.74% | 34.9% | 57.3% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||
Rhode Island | 95.0% | 100% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 90.8% | 9.02% | 85.1% | 14.9% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
South Dakota | 56.9% | 43.1% | 2.09% | 52.0% | 45.9% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||
Tennessee | 4.84% | 95.2% | 100% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||||
Texas | 13.8% | 77.2% | 8.74% | 1.17% | 8.70% | 65.9% | 24.2% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||
Utah | 13.6% | 86.4% | 22.2% | 65.3% | 0.130% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||||
Vermont | 2.39% | 97.6% | 4.97% | 95.0% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||||||
Virginia | 25.7% | 74.1% | 0.585% | 33.4% | 66.0% | Biden (D) | ||||||||||||||
Washington | 12.5% | 11.9% | 5.51% | 1.04% | 10.6% | 19.8% | 20.2% | 12.1% | 35.6% | 0.648% | Biden (D) | |||||||||
West Virginia | 26.7% | 73.3% | 90.8% | 9.25% | Trump (R) | |||||||||||||||
Wisconsin | 41.4% | 38.2% | 20.4% | 0.368% | 53.9% | 28.7% | 12.9% | 3.74% | Biden (D) | |||||||||||
Wyoming | 3.04% | 97.0% | 48.7% | 16.7% | 16.6% | 10.4% | 7.61% | Trump (R) | ||||||||||||