Description

Soil degradation is a key global environmental indicator. Very degraded soils are found especially in semi-arid areas (Sub-Saharan Africa, Chile), areas with high population pressure (China, Mexico, India) and regions undergoing deforestation (Indonesia). Degraded soils reduce the possibilities for agriculture, increases the expansion of drylands/desert and heightens the risk for erosion. This map presents the state of global soil degradation, from the GLASOD study in 1997.