International Day of the Tropics 2021: Theme this year is 'Digital Divide in the Tropics'; all you need to know

The International Day of the Tropics is observed every year on 29 June to highlight opportunities, unique challenges faced by nations lying between the tropics and celebrates the diversity of tropical regions. The day aims at promoting tropical regions on the planet and raising awareness about conservation strategies. The Tropics are defined as the area between the tropic of Capricorn and the tropic of Cancer. While various factors, including topography, contribute to climatic variation, tropical areas go through little seasonal change in day-to-day temperature and are warm. Theme of International Day of the Tropics 2021 As per the State of the Tropics Report 2021, the theme this year is ‘The Digital Divide in the Tropics’. International Day of the Tropics history Launched on 29 June, 2014, the first State of the Tropics Report was the culmination of an alliance between twelve top tropical research institutions. The report presented a unique point of view on the tropical areas and regions. In 2016, on the second anniversary of the report’s launch, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/70/267 and declared that the International Day of the Tropics will be marked every year on 29 June. International Day of the Tropics significance Across the world, the day is celebrated to identify the developmental scope in tropical regions, emphasise major challenges, ensure sustainable development goals are on the right path and underline the role of countries in the tropics. It also aims at informing people about how deforestation, urbanisation, climate changes, demographic changes and global warming are negatively affecting biodiversity in tropical regions. On this day, various events are organised where the potential of the tropics and strategies to protect them are discussed. Take a look at a few facts related to the Tropics - The Tropics host nearly 99 percent of mangrove species and 95 percent of mangrove forests - The Tropics have around 54 percent of the world’s renewable water resources, however, half their population is considered vulnerable to water stress - As compared to the rest of the world, biodiversity as well as loss of biodiversity is greater in the Tropics