Gelisols are soils of very cold climates that contain permafrost within 2 meters of the surface. These soils are limited geographically to the high-latitude polar regions and localized areas at high mountain elevations. Because of the extreme environment in which they are found, Gelisols support only ~0.4% of the world's population - the lowest percentage of any of the soil orders.

Gelisols are estimated to occupy ~9.1% of the Earth's ice-free land area and ~8.7% of the US. Although some Gelisols may occur on very old land surfaces, they show relatively little morphological development. Low soil temperatures cause soil-forming processes such as decomposition of organic materials to proceed very slowly. As a result, Gelisols store large quantities of organic carbon - only soils of wetland ecosystems contain more organic matter.

The frozen condition of Gelisol landscapes makes them sensitive to human activities.

Gelisols are divided into 3 suborders: Histels, Turbels, and Orthels. Click here for more information about these suborders. Click here to view a map of their distribution in the US.