BeAuTy Of NaTuRe In MaLaYsIA

Nature Of Malaysia

Southeast Asia

                         

Malaysia is located in the center of Southeast Asia, a rainforest zone below the equatorial belt that teems with the wonders of nature. The amazing wildlife species found in this region have long been the fascination of researchers and explorers around the world. Divided between Peninsular Malaysia in the west and North Borneo in the east, its natural heritage has been the subject of documentaries and continues to yield astounding discoveries today. Composed primarily of rainforest across lowland and mountain regions, Malaysia also has a wealth of limestone formations, mangrove swamps, coral reefs and spectacular caves to discover.

• Main View On Natural Science

• National Parks And Forest Reserves
• Waterfalls
• Hills And Mountains

Waterfalls

Berembun  Raub, Waterfalls 

Lata Berembun is located after Raub town in Pahang near a Chinese village called Kampung Sungai Chalit. This picturesque waterfall is hidden on the slopes of Benom mountain, and in order to reach it, visitors must traverse 10 km of mud, dirt and gravel, either with a 4WD vehicle or via a gruelling trek on foot. Determined travellers will be rewarded with the experience of one of the state's most pristine waterfalls. Taking the old trunk road to Bentong from Kuala Lumpur, you need to head towards Raub. After Raub, there will be signboards along the road you can follow towards Berembun. Eventually, you arrive in a small town called Kampung Klau.

Here, you make a turn on the left towards Kampung Sungai Chalit. After passing by cocoa, durian and guava plantations, the entrance of Berembun will greet you among a nest of oil plantations. From here on, a 4WD drive vehicle is needed to make the journey. Do note that only modified 4WD vehicles and dirt bikes will be able to complete the full 10 km journey, as the terrain becomes extremely rough towards the last quarter. Even then, there is no guarantee of completing even half the trail if it becomes muddy and slippery due to rain. Alternatively, you can charter special jeeps from Kampung Klau to take you there instead. The trail first leads through clearings and orchards, finally cutting through primary rainforest, where sounds of a rushing river become clearer as you travel deeper.

Finally, you reach a bridge across a mighty stream where the road becomes steep abruptly. This will take you on the worst stretch of the journey; a muddy, hole-ridden ascending path that is inaccessible to all but modified 4WD vehicles. After traversing this bit and another bridge, you scales some steps to reach Berembun, mightily cascading down a tall rocky outcrop. The water collects into a large and deep pool that is perfect for large groups to swim in. The experience is, however, icy cold at best as the waterfall is located high up on the mountain slopes. At the side of the waterfall, you can follow a trail that leads to the smaller upper falls, or climb Gunung Benom.

Jerangkang Waterfall Maran, Kuantan

Jerangkang Waterfall is a series of cascades along a massive gully hidden in a (previously logged) rainforest region of Pahang. The river drops multiple times over a long stretch of rocky chasms, creating intermittent sections of large pools fed by a continous torrent of cold water from mountain slopes. A spectacular cousin of Berkelah Falls, also located within the same area by a few miles apart, Jerangkang can be reached by following the old Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan trunk route, then turning off at the entry point 30km after Maran town. From this point on, the road transcends to rough gravel and passes under the East Coast Expressway, requiring 4WD transport

Templer's Park Kuala Lumpur

The Templer's Park Forest Reserve is located north of Kuala Lumpur, about 20 minutes away from the city. This beautiful park is a precious repository for flora and fauna, one of the last green lungs within reach from the city outskirts with a magnificent multi-tiered waterfall inside. The park's entrance (indicated by a large archway) is located along the main road to Rawang, at right side if coming from Kuala Lumpur (make a u-turn). From the gateway, vehicles enter a small recreational park with parking lots. Access further in at this point is barred by a gate prohibiting vehicles, so visitors make a short five minute walk to reach the forest. Open daily, entry to the park is free

Lata Kijang Kenaboi, Jelebu

Lata Kijang is a waterfall at Kenaboi Forest Reserve in Jelebu, about 60km south of Kuala Lumpur in Negeri Sembilan. Not to be confused with the similarly named 'Lata Kinjang' in Perak, this waterfall is reputed to be the highest single drop fall in Malaysia, cascading into a rocky ravine from a height of 30 meters. The state's highest mountain, Gunung Besar Hantu (1,462 meters) overlooks the rainforest landscape, adjoining the Titiwangsa mountain range in Pahang at north. To get here, follow the signboards to Kuala Klawang from Hulu Langat, then turn left to Kampung Chennah. From here, another junction leads to a gravel road (requires 4WD) all the way to the waterfall, about 18km later

Hills And Mountains

                                                          
                           Bukit Broga Hill  Semenyih

Bukit Broga, also known as 'Bukit Lalang' - after the local species of grass that grows abundantly here, is a hill in Semenyih, at 400 meters high and 40 minutes away from Kuala Lumpur on the trunk road to Broga. It can be reached a short distance later after University of Nottingham, where the entrance starts at left from an oil palm estate opposite a rabbit park. Famed for its incredibly panoramic views (especially at dawn) along with easy accessibility on foot, the hill is a popular tourist attraction among locals; the estate owner cashes on the glut of visitors during weekends and public holidays by charging MYR2 per vehicle that parks on his grounds.

From the peak, visitors get a spacious view of the plains, coated by a mixture of rainforest, oil palm plantations, villages and towns, along with distant mountains. At dawn, mist rising from the ground from the warmth of the sun envelops the landscape in a carpet of white, evoking a surreal atmosphere. The hike while steep is relatively easy, taking anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes to reach the highest peak depending on one's fitness level, or photo stops. There are three peaks in total, each one ascends above the other through a clear path fringed by tall grass at each side. From the summit, a proper jungle trail leads through primary rainforest to Gunung Tok Wan (675 meters), a roughly one and a half hour hike on meandering slopes.

                                                      

                                                                 

                           Bukit Tabur  Crystal Hill

Bukit Tabur is a magnificent limestone ridge at Taman Melawati in Kuala Lumpur. It may possibly be longest crystal quartz outcrop in the world, a priceless geological wonder that is yet unrecognised. The ridge supports a type of heath forest, characterised by dry vegetation and plants that have adapted to growing on steep and harsh terrain. Climbing up the hill, visitors can see 250 species of small coniferous-like trees, shrubs, creepers, orchids and moss, including five endemic species of plants. Contained within much of the limestone are beautiful (but commercially worthless) quartz crystals, many which have been chipped off by visitors at exposed areas.

Running in a semi-circle at more than 14 km long and 200 meters wide, the most prominent section is the middle 5 km span that lies behind Taman Melawati all the way to the National Zoo. The sheer size of the ridge provides a dramatic backdrop to Kuala Lumpur, while home to many different types of mammals (including the rare mountain serow), birds, insects and other wildlife. While trekking here, dusky langurs can often be spotted making a ruckus among the trees while wild boars frequently dart away at the sound of footsteps. This section consists of several peaks that can be traversed via a few trails; the most popular route, Tabur West, begins at left from the Klang Gates entrance. This is followed by Tabur East, which can be accessed by climbing down the hill next to the Klang Gates entrance (at right), crossing a small stream and looking for a small but clear trail past the massive drain pipes.

The highest peak, Tabur 'Extreme' as called by the Internet hiking community, lies at the end of the Eastern ridge. It can be reached by three trails; the most common and longest route lies behind Zoo Negara, at a clearing along Jalan Taman Zooview. A lesser known trail begins from a farmland at the foothill; this can only be accessed by following a gravel road uphill from the bus depot, located near Taman Melawati mosque. The third method, cleared by hiking regulars, is a trail split from along the Bukit Tabur East route, just before the ascend up the final peak. The trail for the last two are not very well-marked, and heavy undergrowth (machete and long pants recommended) along with leeches (on rainy days, at the bottom sections) are expected due to the rarity of visitors.

 Bukit Putih  Cheras

Bukit Putih is a hill that sits on a forest reserve in Cheras, near Kuala Lumpur. Residents around here frequent this hill throughout whole week, more on weekends. Another peak sits a short distance away from the summit of Bukit Putih; called Bukit Saga, this other hill is more popularly accessed from Taman Saga in Ampang. As most of the hikers are middle-aged to senior citizens, Bukit Putih has earned a popular nickname in Chinese - 'Ah Pak San', which is Chinese slang for old folks, refering to white hair. The trails have moderately challenging ascents and descents; if you were to traverse all the trails, it could easily take up most of the day.

The outer fringes of the hill are made up of mostly of rubber trees but further in, it transcends to old secondary or primary forest. Despite its proximity to urban areas, Bukit Putih has a surprising number of wildlife living here, including birds, squirrels and monkeys. Forest in Bukit Putih Bukit Putih Waterfall Banded leaf langurs (Presbytis femoralis), a less common species of primate than the long tailed macaque, can easily be spotted perched among the tree tops while hiking here. Locals that live around the hill and use it for recreation have even formed an organisation dedicated to preserving and maintaining the trails and environment. As such, the trails are well-marked with labels and bands to point you in the correct direction while hiking.

The peak of Bukit Putih itself is a clearing with various crude exercise instruments. Over here, many of the senior hikers will congregate to discuss politics, family matters and all things under the sun. The trails lead to different 'stations' or check points around the hill. One of them even takes you to a small but scenic waterfall located down below following a steep descent. To get to Bukit Putih, visitors need to follow the roads leading into Taman Cuepacs in Cheras. Ask around for directions and it will eventually lead you to the trail entrance. In previous years, hikers have collided their heads with local residents due to littering and parking problems. So, if you come by car, park your vehicle along the main roads outside the housing area, and then trek in.

 Gunung Nuang  Hulu Langat

Gunung Nuang is the highest mountain of Selangor, at 1,493m with trails that start from either Hulu Langat, Janda Baik (Bukit Tinggi) or Kemensah (Gombak, near Kuala Lumpur). The most popular route is through Hulu Langat, and it is not uncommon to see the trail overrun by people on weekends. For the moderately fit, the duration to reach the peak is a deceptive four to five hours, but only when dry. Significant rainfall will turn major portions of the trail into a mudbath - a demoralising scramble up steep gradients with little traction. Hiking turns to a crawl, and if on the way back, expect heavy segments of sliding.

Many non-seasoned visitors will turn back at this point, if not already at the peak. To climb Nuang using the main route, follow directions towards Hulu Langat on the Cheras highway from Kuala Lumpur. Once you hit the trunk road, follow signboards towards Pangsoon until the entrance of a dam; the trail starts from a park at left. A small fee of MYR1 is levied by the Orang Asli gatekeeper here on weekends. The first part of the climb is an undulating gravel and dirt road walk to reach the foothill. Fringed by secondary growth and bamboo, it's a boring experience with little sights along the way. After an hour, the trail leads into proper jungle, passing through campsites with stream crossings until a steep run all the way up to Puncak Pengasih. From this check-point, the trail is more level until the summit, where a pretty view of mountains, and even Kuala Lumpur and Genting Highlands, await on a clear day.

National Parks and Forest Reserves

                                        Taman Negara National Park
                                                Pahang, Malaysia

                                                    Taman Negara is Malaysia's largest national park, located on 4,343km² of primary rainforest with its own mountain range that features the Peninsular's highest summit, Gunung Tahan (2,187m). Sharing its borders with three different states (Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu), the most popular entryway is through Kuala Tahan in Pahang, a small village across the Tembeling River from the park headquarters, closest to Jerantut town (67km away). An immensely popular nature destination, Taman Negara attracts visitors from all over the world, served by a good range of accommodation including budget hotels at Kuala Tahan and a boutique jungle lodge (Mutiara Resort) within the park.

                                                                                              Tourist Guide

 

While Taman Negara may conjure up images of a remote, ancient rainforest virtually untouched by civilisation, the park is actually well equipped with modern facilities that cater for tourists, including marked jungle trails (some with boardwalks), wildlife observation hides (some with bunk beds), a water taxi service (travel along the river), visitor office with interpretive center, and wide range of budget accommodation at Kuala Tahan (which also has restaurants, sundry shops and a clinic). Most of the trails can be done on your own (if reasonably fit), though it's better to hire a guide if you're unaccustomed to jungle conditions and safety precautions. Malaria is of very little concern, unless you plan to spend months deep inside the rainforest. Dengue fever is also not a worry, as the Aedes mosquito prefers disturbed habitats near lots of people (eg big villages and urban areas). But watch out for bees and wasps for their obviously painful sting. The rainforest is a hot and incredibly humid environment (wear thick clothing to your own peril) in day, but freezing cold after midnight. Heavy rainfall is very common at the last quarter of the year, stretching for a few months into the next. Rain can last for a few hours or more, but it is more common to encounter short thunderstorms - still enough to turn most trails into a mud bath. Leeches are abundant further inside the rainforest; prepare salt or suitable insect repellant if you don't want to get your socks caked in blood. While encounters with large wild animals such as elephants, gaur and tigers are rare (if it does happen, ensure a very safe distance), it's much easier to meet semi-tame tapirs, deer and wild boar that frequent the park HQ grounds for easy food from visitors. Squirrels and jungle rodents are also untimid and will approach visitors or raid bags with food, especially those around wildlife hides. Getting There Kuala Lumpur - Take a bus (Pekeliling terminal, near Titiwangsa Monorail/Star LRT Station) or train (KL Sentral) to Jerantut, then hop on a taxi to Kuala Tembeling for the 2-3 hour boat ride (MYR35) to the park entrance at Kuala Tahan - boats depart twice daily (9am & 2pm, but timing may not always be consistent). Alternatively, you can take a bus or minivan (MYR7-20 per person, but vans need to fill up first) from Jerantut straight to Kuala Tahan. A complete transport (bus & boat) package is available from NKS Office at Hotel Mandarin Pacific, Chinatown (Petaling Street) at MYR75 person, departing 8.30am daily. If you have your own vehicle, take the East Coast Expressway via Karak Highway from MRR2, exit at Temerloh and follow the signboards to Jerantut (120km), and then more signboards from town to Taman Negara/Kuala Tahan (67km). Return to KL in the same manner. Cameron Highlands - A popular transit point for foreign (budget) visitors to Taman Negara, minivan transfer to Kuala Tembeling (boat ride) or direct to Kuala Tahan is available from popular backpacker lodges at Tanah Rata, including Father's Guesthouse and Kang's Traveller's Lodge, and also some tour counters at Tanah Rata's town center, such as Cameron Secrets. These vans usually depart in the morning daily, with tickets costing between MYR60 and 95 per person. Conversely, the boat counter (Han Travel) at Kuala Tembeling arranges minivan/coach transfers to Cameron Highlands. Kuala Tahan - Once at Kuala Tahan, either by car or boat, you need to take a water taxi across the river to reach the park. It costs only MYR1 per person for a one-way trip, and these water taxis are always available (just shout or wave to any pontoon-like boat scurrying around the jetty) from morning till 11pm daily. If you've arrived at Kuala Tahan by car, and wish to spend the night at the park directly, then a large parking lot is available at cheap rates near Woodland Resort. Off the boat, register for a entry permit (MYR1) and camera license (MYR5) at the park office - good for the entire trip duration                                                                                                    Taman Negara                                              Endau Rompin Taman Negara Endau Rompin is the second largest national park in Peninsular Malaysia, after the original Taman Negara n Pahang. Covering 870 km² of lowland and hilly rainforest, the park is located south in Johor, and still has some magnificent scenery despite being selectively logged in the past. However, it is far less accessible as conventional vehicles will find it tough to traverse the dirt tracks needed to reach the entrance. To get there, take the trunk road or North-South Highway to reach the Ayer Hitam exit once in Johor. From there, it is an hour's drive to reach Kahang and then, the Taman Negara Endau Rompin turn-off is at the left by an oil palm plantation. You will follow a rough, laterite road that meanders for about an hour through more oil palm estates. Keep your windows up because it gets very dusty as lorries often zoom by, stirring up clouds of smoke and dirt.Finally, a vista of mountains and forest will greet you once you have covered sufficent distance, the laterite track transcending to a hole-ridden tarred road that leads into the jungle. From here, it is another hour through the harsh road, crossing rickety wooden bridges and negotiating muddy bends. A 4WD vehicle or similar transport is almost compulsory. If you have none, the National Park Office runs daily trips with their own jeeps for visitors. Once in, get your permits done at the park office before exploring further. Visitors usually head first to Kuala Jasin, a beautiful and picturesque confluence of two large rivers. Around the park are trails that lead you to discover the jungle or waterfalls, such as Anak Jasin and Buaya Sangkut. The Upeh Guling waterfalls are especially interesting as its landscape is littered with deep crevices and concaves resulting from years of erosion. There are also several peaks you can climb including Gunung Pertawai (840 m), Gunung Janing (655 m) and Bukit Segonggong (703 m). Tigers are common in the area and it is not unusual to find their tracks criss-crossing your path, even upon returning to the same area you've just trodden a while ago! The park offers accommodation in chalets and dormitories in Kampung Peta (camp site at Kuala Jasin).                                                  Ayer Hitam                                             Forest , Puchong Ayer Hitam is a 1,200 hectare forest reserve that straddles the urban townships of Puchong and Serdang, and is one of the last true green lungs in the Klang Valley. Selectively logged in the past, the forest consists of mostly old secondary growth, but still continues to support an impressive range of wildlife species, including wild boars, slow lorises and even black leopards. Originally ten times its current size, the reserve shrunk drastically into an isolated forest pocket over the last few decades, due to booming residential development. Tigers were even known from this reserve, but the last specimen was caught in the nineties and shipped to a zoo. Today, the forest is managed by a local university for research, but also provides a much-needed recreation ground for locals while injecting fresh air into the heavily urbanised surroundings. Composed of hilly terrain, the highest peak stands at 233m, with hiking trails that lead from Kinrara, Taman Wawasan and Saujana Puchong. Meanwhile, crystal clear streams still meander through the forest, at certain junctures flowing into brilliant emerald pools and cascading majestically over sloping granite beds. A single natural lake remains (an angling spot which can be seen at the forest section edge at Kinrara), the rest having been swallowed up by residential homes and urban development.                                                                                                                                                Ulu Muda                                                     Kedah Ulu Muda is the last great piece of rainforest in the northern state of Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia, located in the north   eastern side and straddling the Thai border. This important forest reserve which spans 120,000 hectares, serves as a water catchment area for a major part of Kedah. Three great lakes are located in Ulu Muda - Tasik Pedu, Tasik Muda and Tasik Beris. Despite its immense natural beauty, it is still relatively unknown - many wildlife species are believed to lie undiscovered. Also, being so close to Souther Thailand translates to an environment with slight features of dry monsoon forests found up north of Southeast Asia. The mix of lowland and hill dipterocarp forest in the reserve protect a large array of flora and fauna. Bird watchers will appreciate this area as hornbills and raptors are a common sight along the fringes of the lakes. Ulu Muda also teems with mammals, especially elephants which flock to the many salt licks in the area. Approaching the inner reaches of Ulu Muda Ulu Muda Forest Most visitors will spend their time at Pedu Lake (Tasik Pedu), which is the most developed part of Ulu Muda with with a recreational forest, proper tourist facilities and accommodation. This picturesque lake is the largest in the forest reserve and most accessible. To access the inner reaches of Ulu Muda, visitors need to take a boat from the Gubir jetty at Tasik Muda or follow the old logging trail with 4WD vehicles from Gulau. The boat ride takes an hour or more, depending on how far you any of the many river tributaries in Ulu Muda.

Main View On Natural Science

                                      NATURAL SCIENCE 

Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. It ranges in scale from the subatomic to the cosmic.

The word nature is derived from the Latin word natura, or "essential qualities, innate disposition", and in ancient times, literally meant "birth". Natura was a Latin translation of the Greek word physis (φύσις), which originally related to the intrinsic characteristics that plants, animals, and other features of the world develop of their own accord. The concept of nature as a whole, the physical universe, is one of several expansions of the original notion; it began with certain core applications of the word φύσις by pre-Socratic philosophers, and has steadily gained currency ever since. This usage was confirmed during the advent of modern scientific method in the last several centuries.




                    


Within the various uses of the word today, "nature" often refers to geology and wildlife. Nature may refer to the general realm of various types of living plants and animals, and in some cases to the processes associated with inanimate objects – the way that particular types of things exist and change of their own accord, such as the weather and geology of the Earth, and the matter and energy of which all these things are composed. It is often taken to mean the "natural environment" or wilderness–wild animals, rocks, forest, beaches, and in general those things that have not been substantially altered by human intervention, or which persist despite human intervention. For example, manufactured objects and human interaction generally are not considered part of nature, unless qualified as, for example, "human nature" or "the whole of nature". This more traditional concept of natural things which can still be found today implies a distinction between the natural and the artificial, with the artificial being understood as that which has been brought into being by a human consciousness or a human mind. Depending on the particular context, the term "natural" might also be distinguished from the unnatural, the supernatural, or synthetic.

It is capitalized when used as a proper noun, as in 'the nature of Nature'.

                                            

            

                                                      RIVER

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake, a sea or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including stream, creek, brook, rivulet, and rill; there is no general rule that defines what can be called a river. Many names for small rivers are specific to geographic location; one example is Burnin Scotland and North-east England. Sometimes a river is said to be larger than a creek, but this is not always the case, due to vagueness in the language. A river is part of the hydrological cycle. Water within a river is generally collected from precipitation through surface runoff, groundwaterrecharge, springs, and the release of stored water in natural ice and snowpacks (i.e., from glaciers).

                                                       

                                            

                                                NATURAL EARTH

Natural Earth (or, "the earth") is the only planet presently known to support life, and its natural features are the subject of many fields of scientific research. Within the solar system, it is third closest to the sun; it is the largest terrestrial planet and the fifth largest overall. Its most prominent climatic features are its two large polar regions, two relatively narrow temperate zones, and a wide equatorial tropical to subtropical region. Precipitation varies widely with location, from several metres of water per year to less than a millimetre. 71 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by salt-water oceans. The remainder consists of continents and islands, with most of the inhabited land in the Northern Hemisphere.




Earth has evolved through geological and biological processes that have left traces of the original conditions. The outer surface is divided into several gradually migrating tectonic plates. The interior remains active, with a thick layer of plastic mantle and an iron-filled core that generates a magnetic field.




The atmospheric conditions have been significantly altered from the original conditions by the presence of life-forms, which create an ecological balance that stabilizes the surface conditions. Despite the wide regional variations in climate by latitude and other geographic factors, the long-term average global climate is quite stable during interglacial periods, and variations of a degree or two of average global temperature have historically had major effects on the ecological balance, and on the actual geography of the Earth.









                                     

                                                 

                             ATMOSPHERE, CLIMATE AND WEATHER

The atmosphere of the Earth serves as a key factor in sustaining the planetary ecosystem. The thin layer of gases that envelops the Earth is held in place by the planet's gravity. Dry air consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon and other inert gases, carbon dioxide, etc.; but air also contains a variable amount of water vapor. The atmospheric pressure declines steadily with altitude, and has a scale height of about 8 kilometres at the Earth's surface: the height at which the atmospheric pressure has declined by a factor of e (a mathematical constant equal to 2.71...)The ozone layer of the Earth's atmosphere plays an important role in depleting the amount ofultraviolet (UV) radiation that reaches the surface. As DNA is readily damaged by UV light, this serves to protect life at the surface. The atmosphere also retains heat during the night, thereby reducing the daily temperature extremes.


Terrestrial weather occurs almost exclusively in the lower part of the atmosphere, and serves as a convective system for redistributing heat. Ocean currents are another important factor in determining climate, particularly the major underwater thermohaline circulation which distributes heat energy from the equatorial oceans to the polar regions. These currents help to moderate the differences in temperature between winter and summer in the temperate zones. Also, without the redistributions of heat energy by the ocean currents and atmosphere, the tropics would be much hotter, and the polar regions much colder.


Weather can have both beneficial and harmful effects. Extremes in weather, such as tornadoes or hurricanes and cyclones, can expend large amounts of energy along their paths, and produce devastation. Surface vegetation has evolved a dependence on the seasonal variation of the weather, and sudden changes lasting only a few years can have a dramatic effect, both on the vegetation and on the animals which depend on its growth for their food.

The planetary climate is a measure of the long-term trends in the weather. Various factors are known to influence the climate, including ocean currents, surface albedo, greenhouse gases, variations in the solar luminosity, and changes to the planet's orbit. Based on historical records, the Earth is known to have undergone drastic climate changes in the past, including ice ages.

The climate of a region depends on a number of factors, especially latitude. A latitudinal band of the surface with similar climatic attributes forms a climate region. There are a number of such regions, ranging from the tropical climate at the equator to the polar climate in the northern and southern extremes. Weather is also influenced by theseasons, which result from the Earth's axis being tilted relative to its orbital plane. Thus, at any given time during the summer or winter, one part of the planet is more directly exposed to the rays of the sun. This exposure alternates as the Earth revolves in its orbit. At any given time, regardless of season, the northern and southern hemispheres experience opposite seasons.

Weather is a chaotic system that is readily modified by small changes to the environment, so accurate weather forecasting is currently limited to only a few days.[citation needed] Overall, two things are currently happening worldwide: temperature is increasing on the average; and regional climates have been undergoing noticeable changes.

                                              

                                               WATER ON EARTH

Water is a chemical substance that is composed of hydrogen and oxygen and is vital for all known forms of life. In typical usage, waterrefers only to its liquid form or state, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor or steam. Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface. On Earth, it is found mostly in oceans and other large water bodies, with 1.6% of water below ground in aquifers and 0.001% in the air as vapor, clouds (formed of solid and liquid water particles suspended in air), and precipitation.Oceans hold 97% of surface water, glaciers and polar ice caps 2.4%, and other land surface water such as rivers, lakes and ponds 0.6%. Additionally, a minute amount of the Earth's water is contained within biological bodies and manufactured products.