ABSTRACT
Land integrates the biophysical environment at the earth’s surface and comprises climate, vegetation, geomorphology, soils, and hydrology. It is thus a broader concept than either soil or terrain; but purely economic and social characteristics are not included as these form part of the socioeconomic context. For the purpose of this discussion, tropical land is considered as the land that lies in the tropics, i.e., in a belt between latitudes 23° 27′ N and S.
