Soil

Africa Groundwater Atlas >> Resource Pages >> Soil

Dataset description

Soil type classification

This dataset is extracted from the African-wide harmonised soil map produced by the European Commission Joint Research Centre, which is available through the European Soil Portal – Soil Data and Information Service.

The map is derived from Harmonised World Soil Database, updated and modified according to the World Reference Base for Soil Resources classification system, and describes the dominant World Reference Base Reference Soil Group and associated qualifiers.

The map is provided as part of the Soil Atlas of Africa, which is an excellent resource describing the changing nature of soil across the continent as well as essential background on soils globally and in Africa.

Soil Classification

AC

Acrisols

AL

Alisols

AN

Andosols

AR

Arenosols

CH

Chernozems

CL

Calcisols

CM

Cambisols

CR

Cryosols

DU

Durisols

FR

Ferrasols

FL

Fluvisols

GL

Gleysols

GY

Gypsisols

HS

Histosols

KS

Kastanozems

LP

Leptosols

LX

Lixisols

LV

Luvisols

NT

Nitisols

PH

Phaeozems

PL

Planosols

PT

Plinthosols

PZ

Podzols

RG

Regosols

SC

Solonchaks

SN

Solonetz

ST

Stagnosols

TC

Technosols

UM

Umbrisols

VR

Vertisols

WR

Water Body

Links to external data

The soil map of Africa is available to download from the European Soil Portal as either a PDF or vector based (.shp or shapefile) GIS-enabled file.

Citations:

Dewitte, O, Jones, A, Spaargaren, O, Breuning-Madsen, H, Brossard, M, Dampha, A, Deckers, J, Gallali, T, Hallett, S, Jones, R, Kilasara, M, Le Roux, P, Michéli, E, Montanarella, L, Thiombiano, L, Van Ranst, E, Yemefack, M, Zougmore, R. 2013. Harmonisation of the soil map of Africa at the continental scale. Geoderma, 211-212, 138-153.

Jones A, Breuning-Madsen, H, Brossard, M, Dampha, A, Deckers, Dewitte, O, Gallali, T, Hallet, S, Jones, R, Kilasara, M, Le Roux, P, Michéli, E, Montanarella, L, Spaargaren, O, Thiombiano, L, Van Ranst, E, Yemefack, M, and Zougmore, R (edsitors). 2013. Soil Atlas of Africa. European Commission, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. 176 pp. ISBN 978-92-79-26715-4, doi 10.2788/52319

Panagos, P, Van Liedekerke, M, Jones, A, Montanarella, L. 2012. European Soil Data Centre: Response to European policy support and public data requirements. Land Use Policy, Vol. 29, 329-338. doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2011.07.003

Spaargaren, O, Schad, P, and Michéli, E. 2010. Guidelines for constructing small-scale map legends using the WRB. FAO, Rome.

Africa Groundwater Atlas >> Additional resources >> Soil