9.4.2 Global rainfall The Earth’s water is constantly moving. The amount of rainfall, or precipitation, is related to the amount of water available for people. FIGURE3 compares global rainfall, including Australia.
FIGURE3 The distribution of global rainfall
Arctic Circle
St Petersburg
Dublin
EUROPE
ARCTIC OCEAN
NORTH AMERICA
ASIA
New York
ATLANTIC
Cairo
Tropic of Cancer
OCEAN
PACIFIC
AFRICA
Equator
Manaus
INDIAN
SOUTH AMERICA
OCEAN
OCEAN
Tropic of Capricorn
AUSTRALIA
Auckland
0
2000
4000 km
Average annual rainfall mm
Common tropical storm tracks (May to November) Common tropical storm tracks (November to May)
1000 to 1500
250 to 500
Over 2000
1500 to 2000
Under 250
500 to 1000
Source: WorldClim
SkillBuilder discussion Geographical inquiry, Concluding and decision-making, Communicating 1. Where are the regions with the highest annual rainfall located on the map? 2. What continents experience the least amount of rainfall, based on the map? 3. How does the distribution of rainfall vary between tropical and temperate regions on the map?
9.4.3 Green and blue water Water is sometimes called blue or green water. Green water is stored in soil or on plants and eventually evaporates (see FIGURE4 ) or is used by crops, forests and grasslands. Blue water refers to the water that flows over the Earth’s surface or from groundwater sources. The amount of blue and green water changes with the seasons and the environment.
260 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 7 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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