In which climate is laterite soil found?

Laterite soil is formed in and is characteristic of regions with a hot and wet tropical or subtropical monsoon climate.

The specific climatic conditions required for its formation are:

• High Temperatures: Consistently high temperatures throughout the year promote rapid chemical weathering of rocks.
• Heavy Rainfall with Distinct Wet and Dry Seasons: The intense rainfall during the wet season causes a process called leaching. During this process, water percolates through the soil, washing away soluble minerals like silica, lime, and other nutrients. The less soluble compounds, primarily iron and aluminum oxides, are left behind, giving the soil its characteristic reddish-brown color. The subsequent dry season helps in the hardening of these leftover oxides.

This climate is common in parts of India (like the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats), Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America.