Soil degradation

Degraded soils.
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 hightens the risk for erosion.
This map presents the state of global soil degradation, from the GLASOD study in 1997.