The introduction to the WRB aims to serve as a first entry into the knowledge of soil diversity and soil distribution, accessible to disciplines other than Soil Science sensu strictu and to a wider public.
The salient features of the 30 Reference Soil Groups are discussed by briefly highlighting history, connotation, correlation with other systems of soil classification, concept and morphology, properties, geography, linkages, land use and management.
The link to the real world is made by providing for each Reference Soil Group  typical colour pictures as well as typical landscapes in which these soils are commonly occurring.

The Atlas depicts the world distribution of the 30 Reference Soil Groups of WRB, indicating briefly the mode of formation, soil profile features, the environment in which they form and landforms upon which they occur.

A brief description and distinct picture of a representative profile is given for each reference soil group, together with the analytical data required for correct identification.

The maps have been compiled from the geographical database of the digital Soil Map of the World, released by FAO (1995) using the terminology of WRB.

On-line reading 
World Reference Base for Soil Resources 
(World Soil Resources Report No. 84)

Download this document as htm files (124 KB)
(Thanks to the contribution of Stefano Carnicelli, Felix Rembold and Ugo Wolf, D.S.S.N.P., University of Florence)

Download this document as a pdf file
- English version (440 KB)
- French Version (297 KB)
- Spanish Version (377 KB)

On-line reading 
Lecture Notes on Major Soils of the World
(World Soil Resources Report No. 94)
Download this document as one website: English version (1784 KB)
Download this document as .pdf file: English version (13082 KB !)

Quatorzième Réunion du Sous-comité Ouest et Centre Africain de Corrélation des Sols pour la Mise en Valeur des Terres
(World Soil Resources Report No. 98)
Download this document as .pdf file: French version (3126 KB !)