The greatest seasonal contrast of insolation on the earth is in which of the following latitudinal zones?

The greatest seasonal contrast of insolation occurs in the polar zones. While the equatorial region receives high and consistent insolation year-round with minimal variation, the polar regions experience extreme fluctuations due to the Earth's axial tilt of 66.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane [1]. In these high latitudes, the sun's apparent path varies significantly from season to season [2]. During the summer solstice, polar regions receive continuous 24-hour daylight, whereas during the winter solstice, they endure months of total darkness with zero insolation. This shift from maximum possible daily duration to absolute absence creates the highest seasonal amplitude. In contrast, tropical and temperate zones maintain more regular cycles, although temperate regions do show higher gradients than the tropics [2]. Thus, the polar zones exhibit the most dramatic seasonal contrast in solar radiation received at the surface.

Sources

1. [1] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature > Variability of Insolation at the Surface of the Earth > p. 67
2. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 21: Horizontal Distribution of Temperature > ity (far from the moderating effect of the seas). > p. 288