What is a natural belt?

Natural belt refers to a zonal natural division unit with a certain width, which is mainly influenced by zonal differentiation factors and extends in a zonal direction on the surface.

Generalized natural belt is the general name of a series of zonal regionalization units, including natural belt, natural belt, natural sub-belt and even vertical belt. In a narrow sense, natural belt only refers to the highest-level zonal zoning unit.

The early division of natural zones was mainly based on the different solar radiation energy obtained at different latitudes, and the earth's surface was divided into five zones: tropical zone, north temperate zone, south temperate zone, north frigid zone and south frigid zone. Later, it was subdivided according to the differences between climate and biology.

In the ocean, according to the differences of natural geographical factors such as climate, hydrology and biology, the ocean surface is divided into seven regions: equatorial region, southern tropical region, northern tropical region, southern temperate region, northern temperate region, Antarctic region and Arctic region.

Extended data:

The formation of natural belts is mainly related to the uneven distribution of solar radiation energy at various latitudes on the earth's surface, and a series of natural belts have been formed on all continents and oceans.

Because the formation of continental natural belt is not only influenced by latitude thermal zoning, but also disturbed by land and sea distribution and topographic relief, the continental natural belt is much more complicated than the natural belt on the ocean surface.

The horizontal natural belt of the mainland is the result of the interaction between latitude zonality and longitude zonality. In the area where the former is dominant, the natural belt extends along the latitude; In areas with similar functions, the natural belt crosses the longitude and latitude lines. The distribution of vertical natural zones in mountainous areas varies with height.