tropics

Area between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, defined by the parallels of latitude approximately 23°30′ north and south of the Equator. They are the limits of the area of Earth's surface in which the Sun can be directly overhead. The mean monthly temperature is over 20°C/68°F.

Climates within the tropics lie in parallel bands. Along the Equator is the intertropical convergence zone, characterized by high temperatures and year-round heavy rainfall. Tropical rainforests are found here. Along the tropics themselves lie the tropical high-pressure zones, characterized by descending dry air and desert conditions. Between these, the conditions vary seasonally between wet and dry, producing the tropical grasslands.