Soil types

These 24 colours show the global classification of major soil types. Each soil type has its physical, chemical and biological properties, as it is composed of minerals, organic matter, air and water, and hosts many living organisms. Soil classification is important because it reflects not only these properties, but also how soils were formed due to differences in climate, geology, location and vegetation. Soils perform a number of key vital environmental, social and economic services, that the JRC studies through satellite observation and extensive sampling campaigns across the European Union and beyond. The results of these findings are detailed in the JRC Soil Atlas series.