We’ve already put together a guide about what the most fertile soils are, and the factors that impact soil fertility.
But, in the guide below, we outline where the most naturally fertile soil/s might be found worldwide, and also within specific countries.
We also look at where the soils that produce the most agricultural crop output are located.
Summary – Where Is The Most Fertile Soil In The World Found?
Why Soils Differ From Location To Location
Because these factors change/differ from location to location, the characteristics and traits of different soils found in these different locations differ too
It’s also worth noting that although the guide below outlines where different soils are located by country and by regions within a country, the type of soil can even differ/vary on a singular plot of private land.
Soil testing is one way to find out what types of soil might naturally be present on a piece of land or property (and where they might be present on the land/property).
What Factors Determine Soil Fertility
There’s various factors that can determine soil fertility – both natural, and man made.
Soils get their natural traits and characteristics for fertility from factors involved in their natural development/formation, such as the parent rock underneath them, and other factors like climate.
But, other soils aren’t naturally the most fertile soils for certain uses (like agriculture), and need to be modified, or added to, to increase their fertility and also productivity.
One example of this is adding fertilizer to soil to increase it’s level of nutrients (but there’s many other examples of ways to increase soil fertility from it’s natural level)
Beyond soil fertility, things like climate and growing conditions, and what is grown in the soil, also matter purely from a soil productivity perspective (along with many other factors)
Soil Fertility vs Soil Productivity
We discuss the differences between soil fertility and soil productivity in this guide.
Although some use the terms interchangeably, soil production might refer more to the end output that the soil produces, rather than the fertility traits of the soil itself.
The Different Uses For Soil When Assessing Fertility
Something else that is worth mentioning is that soils can be classified as fertile for different uses.
For example, some soils might be more fertile for the use of agricultural production, whilst others soils might be more fertile for the use of forestry.
So, the end use, or the end type of production from the soil, can be important to identify when assessing soil fertility.
The Different Ways To Categorize Soil Types
Some of these ways include by soil order, by soil traits (like particle size), by color, by biome, by region/zone, and by representative soil of the State in a specific country
What Are The Most Naturally Fertile Soils?
As a summary of some of those key soil categories:
– Soil Traits & Particle Size
‘Loamy soil’ is often described as one of the most fertile soil types when describing soil by it’s traits or particle size, as it combines the best characteristics/properties of sand, silt and clay type soils.
– Soil Orders
In terms of soil orders, Mollisols and Andisols can be some of the most naturally fertile.
Mollisols in particular are identified by some sources as perhaps the most fertile, most productive, and most economically valuable soil in the world.
Alfisols can be highly fertile naturally as well, along with Vertisols. Although, the high clay content in Vertisols can make them limited or more difficult to work with and use
Other soil orders can be made more fertile than they naturally are, and used for agriculture and production, with certain soil management practices
– State Representative Soils (Of Different States In Different Countries)
In the United States, the State soils or representative soils in Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota, are all examples of soils that have good to very high natural fertility.
A resource like the nrcs.usda.gov resource lists the soils found in the different US States, and gives an indication of their fertility and what they are used for
Where Are The Most Naturally Fertile Soils Found Worldwide?
– Soil Orders
Looking at soil orders might be on of the best ways to get a general idea of where the most fertile soils are found worldwide.
In the guide below, we outline what countries naturally fertile soils like Mollisols, Andisols, Alfisols and Vertisols might be found in.
There’s also links to resources that contain world maps that show what countries, and what regions/parts of each country each soil order is found in.
Where Are The Most Naturally Fertile Soils Found In The United States?
– By Soil Order
In the guide below, we list the regions & States of the United States that the most fertile soil orders are found in.
We also link to resources that show maps of the United States that show where the most fertile soils are found.
– State Based, Or State Representative Soils
In the guide below, we list a few examples of States that have naturally fertile State Representative Soils.
We also link to resources that provide soil profiles of each Representative Soil found in each State.
Using one specific example of a state based soil, Iowa has a dark, fertile, loamy soil used for significant corn, soybean and oat production
Where Are The Most Naturally Fertile Soils Found In India?
In the guide below, we outline where naturally fertile soils like Alluvial soil and Black soil are found, as well as soils that can support agriculture with more management, such as Peaty soils.
Where Are The Most Naturally Fertile Soils Found By Biome Or Climatic Conditions?
In the guide below, we identify what we mean by climatic conditions, and also biomes
We list what biomes or climatic conditions each of the most naturally fertile soil orders might be found in
Where Are The World’s Most Agriculturally Productive Soils & Cropland Found?
Beyond natural fertility of soil, we can look at the real life productivity of different soils for agriculture (due to the use of intensive agricultural practices, and chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides, some soils may produce a lot of the world’s agricultural production, without necessarily being the most naturally fertile soil in the world, but they still may be reasonably fertile naturally)
This might give us a perspective on what soils are actually most valuable in reality for their production
Breaking that down:
– Where Majority Of The World’s Arable Land, & Cropland Is Located
In the guide below, we mention the countries that have the most arable land
If you go to this resource yourself, you can find out the geographical distribution of these crops around the world in terms of what countries they are found in
– Soil Orders That Are Most Productive, Or Support The Highest % Of The Population
We already mentioned the guide that Mollisols might be some of the most productive soils in the world – so you can refer to the soil order maps and see where they are located in different countries
Additionally, in this guide we mention the soil orders that support the largest % of the world population.
– Soil Productivity For Forests
It’s also possible to measure soil productivity by it’s ability to grow forest area too (instead of being used for agricultural production).
This guide identifies the countries that currently have the most forest area in the world
Where Are The Most Naturally Fertile Soils Found Worldwide? (In Different Countries)
One way of assessing this is by looking at where the most naturally fertile soil orders are located worldwide.
From looking at various sources, Andisols and Mollisols are two of the most naturally fertile soil orders, and also have soil traits and characteristics that generally make them easier to work with, or usable in a broad number of ways.
Mollisols in particular are outlined by some sources as being the most fertile, most productive and most economically valuable soil in the world.
Alfisols also have high natural fertility, and can be productive for a range of uses.
Vertisols can be relatively fertile naturally, but because of their high clay content, can be more limited or more difficult to work with/produce with.
You can read more in this guide about the soil orders that support the largest % of the world population.
The places around the world in which the above soils are predominantly located are:
– Andisols
Andisols occupy about 1% of the global ice-free land area. Most occur around the Pacific Ring of Fire, with the largest areas found in central Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, the Pacific Northwest US, Japan, Java and New Zealand’s North Island. Other areas occur in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya, Italy, Iceland and Hawaiʻi (wikipedia.org)
Andisols [have] pockets in New Zealand, Northwest USA, Chile, Kenya, Indonesia and Japan (adama.com)
[Andisols] occupy approximately 1.7 percent of the U.S. land area, including some very productive forests in the Pacific Northwest region (uidaho.edu)
– Mollisols
Mollisols form in semi-arid to semi-humid areas typically under grassland vegetation. They are most commonly found in the mid-latitudes, namely in North America, mostly east of the Rocky Mountains, in South America in Argentina (Pampas) and Brazil, and in Asia in Mongolia and the Russian Steppes … Mollisols also occur in savannahs and mountain valleys (such as Central Asia, and the North American Great Plains) (wikipedia.org)
Mollisols primarily occur in the middle latitudes and are extensive in prairie regions such as the Great Plains of the U.S. Globally, they occupy approximately 7.0 percent of the ice-free land area. In the U.S., they are the most extensive soil order, accounting for approximately 21.5 percent of the land area (uidaho.edu)
Mollisols [are] Found in Ukraine, parts of Russia and the USA (adama.com)
… … about 95% of Prairie soils (which are generally rich and deep and good for agricultural production) in the US are found in the west of Mississippi, and most of the Prairie soils are Mollisols.
[Mollisols make up] 7% of global ice free land
– Alfisols
Alfisols occupy around one-tenth of the Earth’s ice-free land surface. They are dominant in many areas, such as the Ohio River basin in the United States, southern and unglaciated Western Europe, the Baltic region and central European Russia, the drier parts of Peninsular India, Sudan in Africa, and many parts of South America (wikipedia.org)
[Alfisols are] Found in Western Europe and parts of North and South America, Africa, India and Australia (adama.com)
Alfisols occupy approximately 10.1 percent of the global ice-free land area. In the U.S., they account for approximately 13.9 percent of the land area (uidaho.edu)
– *Vertisols
Major areas where Vertisols are dominant are eastern Australia (especially inland Queensland and New South Wales), the Deccan Plateau of India, and parts of southern Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Chad (the Gezira), South Africa, and the lower Paraná River in South America. Other areas where Vertisols are dominant include southern Texas and adjacent Mexico, central India, northeast Nigeria, Thrace, New Caledonia and parts of eastern China (wikipedia.org)
[Vertisols are] Found in India, Australia, sub Saharan Africa and South America (adama.com)
Vertisols are located in areas where the underlying parent materials allow for the formation of expansive clay minerals (soils.org)
Vertisols occupy about 2% of the glacier-free land surface (soilsmatter.wordpress.com)
– Soil Orders That Can Become More Fertile With Soil Modification, & Soils With No Fertility Value
It’s worth noting that other soil orders may not be the most naturally fertile compared to Mollisols, Andisols, Alfisols and Vertisols, but they can become more fertile with some type of modification – read more about them in this guide.
Additionally, we also list in that guide the soils with no agricultural value, that can’t be made more fertile.
Read more in these resources:
The Twelve Soil Orders (uidaho.edu) (this resource also has graphics that show where the soil orders are predominantly found geographically, including worldwide and in the US, as well as photos of what each soil order looks in terms of their cross section, appearance and different layers)
Global Soil Regions – The 12 Types Of Soil, Defined by the USDA (adama.com) (lists where each of the main soil orders are found worldwide)
USDA Soil Taxonomy, Soil Orders (wikipedia.org) (lists where each of the soil orders are found worldwide)
Soils (Orders) Around The World (soils4teachers.org) (has a map that shows where the different soil orders are found around the world)
What Country Has The Most Fertile Soil In The World?
You can see the answer to this question by reading the information in the section above, and also by clicking through to the linked resources above that show where the most fertile soil orders are located in the different countries on a world map.
Where Are The Most Naturally Fertile Soils Found In The United States?
By Soil Order
– Andisols
Andisols are found near active and recently active volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains and the Hawaiian Islands (gardenguides.com)
Occupy approximately 1.7 percent of the U.S. land area, including some very productive forests in the Pacific Northwest region (uidaho.edu)
In the Pacific Northwest USA, Andisols support very productive forests (wikipedia.org)
– Alfisols
A wide area from South Texas up through Michigan in the United States is composed of Alfisols (gardenguides.com)
In the U.S., they account for approximately 13.9 percent of the land area (uidaho.edu)
– Mollisols
Most Mollisols are located in the Great Plains region (gardenguides.com)
Are soils of grassland systems … [and] primarily occur in the middle latitudes and are extensive in prairie regions such as the Great Plains of the U.S (uidaho.edu)
– Vertisols
They are found in Texas and the Delta region of Mississippi (gardenguides.com)
In the U.S., they occupy approximately 2 percent of the land area and occur primarily in Texas (uidaho.edu)
Vertisols typically form from highly basic rocks, such as basalt, in climates that are seasonally humid or subject to erratic droughts and floods, or that impeded drainage … [and] The natural vegetation of Vertisols is grassland, savanna, or grassy woodland (wikipedia.org)
Read more in these resources:
As mentioned above, the uidaho.edu resource has a map that shows where the different soil orders are found in the US
gardenguides.com also identifies where each of the soil orders might be found in the US
The wikipedia.org resource indicates the % of land that each soil order takes up in the United States
By State Soil, Or State Representative Soil
Within the US, there are Representative & State Soils.
In the United States, between the bbc.com, nrcs.usda.gov and soils4teachers.org resources, it is outlined that the State soils in Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota, are all examples of soils with good to very high natural fertility.
The resource links below have full profiles of each States’ dominant soil, so you can check the soil fertility for a State and State Soil of your choosing.
You can also see what type of production, agriculture, or land use that the soil is used for.
The soil in Alabama is well suited to cultivated crops, pasture, hay, woodland, and most urban uses.
Cotton and corn are the main cultivated crops.
Some areas are used as woodland.
Iowa is another example of a State that has some fertile soil.
Iowa’s fertile soil is a result of the growth and decomposition of prairie grass over thousands of years. This has left a thick dark layer of organic matter on the soil
Additionally, the ‘weather and local geology had combined this organic mulch with sand and silt to form a nutrient-rich type of soil called loam’
– bbc.com
Read more in these resources:
United States State Soils (soils4teachers.org) (has a United States map and soil profile for each States’ dominant soil)
United States Representative & State Soils (nrcs.usda.gov) (has a full soil profile for each the State/Representative soils in the US)
The bbc.com resource listed discusses the Iowa soil in more depth
Where Are The Most Naturally Fertile Soils In India?
toppr.com has a brief guide that outlines the soils found in India, and where they are located.
There’s three naturally fertile soils of note:
– Alluvial Soil
A fertile soil very suitable for agriculture
… [it can be] deposited by rivers on and near their banks
… found in the northern plains of the country [and] can also be found in coastal areas
The most fertile alluvial soil is found in the Ganga valley, where it is deposited by river Ganges
– Black Soil
… ideal for crops that require water year round
… cotton is a cash crop in India and it exclusively grows in Black soil
… mainly found in the Deccan Plateau in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat etc
– Peaty Soils
Suitable for agriculture, but need proper care so the nutrients don’t leach away.
They are seen in regions with high rainfall and average temperatures.
There are usually found in parts of Bihar, Uttranchal, Bengal and Tamil Nadu
What About Soil In Other Countries?
You can read more about the soil types in some other countries like Australia and the UK in this guide.
Where Are The Most Naturally Fertile Soils Found By Biome, Or Climatic Conditions?
What Are Climatic Conditions & Biomes?
Climatic conditions are climates such as dry, wet, hot, cold, and so on.
Soils4teachers.org lists the 10 different biomes as tropical rainforests, temperate forests, boreal forests, tropical savanna, temperate grasslands, deserts, shrubland, tundra, alpines, wetlands, ice and water.
What Climatic Conditions & Biomes Are The Most Fertile Soils Are Found In?
When looking at the different soil orders and where they are found climatically and in terms of biomes …
– Andisols
… typically occur in areas with moderate to high rainfall and cool temperatures (soils.org)
– Alfisols
Alfisols are primarily found in temperate humid and subhumid regions of the world (uidaho.edu)
[Alfisols are] located in similar climatic regions [to Ultisols, which is in humid areas], typically under forest vegetation (soils.org)
– Mollisols
Mollisols form in semi-arid to semi-humid areas typically under grassland vegetation. They are most commonly found in the mid-latitudes … Mollisols also occur in savannahs and mountain valleys (such as Central Asia, and the North American Great Plains) (wikipedia.org)
Are soils of grassland systems … [and] primarily occur in the middle latitudes and are extensive in prairie regions such as the Great Plains of the U.S (uidaho.edu)
Mollisols are often found in climates with pronounced dry seasons (soils.org)
– Vertisols
Vertisols are located in areas where the underlying parent materials allow for the formation of expansive clay minerals (soils.org)
Resources where you can read more:
Soils (Orders) Around The World (soils4teachers.org) (has a map that shows the different biomes and where the different soil orders are found around the world in these biomes)
Where Are The World’s Most Productive Soils Found?
– Where Majority Of The World’s Arable Land, & Cropland Is Located
In terms of the countries with the most arable land …
10 of the countries in the world with the most arable land (as a % of overall land found in that country) are Bangladesh, Denmark, the Ukraine, Moldova, India, Hungary, Rwanda, Comoros, Togo and Gambia. (worldatlas.com)
In terms of where the crops that take up the most land area are located geographically …
If you go to this resource yourself, you can find out the geographical distribution of these crops around the world in terms of what countries they are found in
– Soil Orders That Are Most Productive, Or Support The Highest % Of The Population
We already mentioned in this guide above that Mollisols might be some of the most productive soils in the world – so you can refer to the soil order maps and see where they are located in different countries
Additionally, in this guide we mention the soil orders that support the largest % of the world population.
– Soil Productivity For Forests
It’s also possible to measure soil productivity by it’s ability to grow forest area too (instead of being used for agricultural production).
This guide identifies the countries that currently have the most forest area in the world
Sources
1. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/edu/?cid=stelprdb1236841
2. https://www.adama.com/documents/130172/4752576/Infographic+Type+Of+Soils
3. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-most-arable-land.html
4. https://www.soils4teachers.org/around-the-world
5. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/what-is-the-most-fertile-soil/
6. https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/why-soil-is-disappearing-from-farms/
7. https://www.soils4teachers.org/state-soils/
8. https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/soil-orders
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USDA_soil_taxonomy
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andisol
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mollisol
12. https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/the-soil-orders-simplified/
13. https://www.toppr.com/guides/general-knowledge/resources-of-india-and-world/soils-of-india-and-the-world/
14. https://www.soils.org/about-soils/basics/types/
15. https://www.gardenguides.com/107420-types-soil-us.html
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