The tropics are the region of the Earth near to the equator and between the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere . This region is also referred to as the tropical zone and the torrid zone . It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to as the tropical zone and the torrid zone ( see geographical zone ) .