Hot and Cold Climate Zones

Think of the Earth as a giant ball. Right around the middle, there is an imaginary line called the Equator. The area near this line is the Tropical Zone. It is like the Earth's 'belt.' Because this part of the Earth is tilted toward the sun, it stays warm all year long. At the very top and bottom of the Earth are the Polar Zones. These are the Earth's 'ice caps.' The North Pole is in the Arctic, and the South Pole is in Antarctica. These areas get very little direct sunlight, which is why they stay frozen even in the summer!

In the Tropical Zone, the weather doesn't have four seasons like spring or winter. Instead, it is mostly hot and humid (which means the air feels wet). Many tropical places have a 'wet season' and a 'dry season.' Because it is so warm and rainy, this is where you find lush rainforests. Plants grow very fast here because the temperature rarely drops below $64^\circ F$ ($18^\circ C$). People living here wear light clothing made of cotton to stay cool and often build houses with large windows to let the breeze in.

The Polar Zones are the coldest places on Earth. Temperatures can drop way below freezing, sometimes reaching $-128^\circ F$ ($-89^\circ C$) in Antarctica! To survive, animals have special adaptations. Polar bears have thick white fur and a layer of fat called blubber to keep heat inside. People who live in the Arctic, like the Inuit, traditionally used animal skins to make warm, waterproof clothes. Today, they use modern technology and insulated houses to stay safe from the extreme frost.