Leptosol is the Reference Soil Group with the most extensive coverage on the global scale, extending over approximately 16.55 million km2. Leptosols are found in all climatic regions and all altitudes and are particularly frequent in mountain areas.
Leptosols are shallow over hard rock and comprise of very gravelly or highly calcareous material. Because of limited pedogenic development, Leptosols do not have much structure and have only weakly expressed horizons. Rendzic and Mollic Leptosols have more pronounced morphological features. The Reference Soil Group of the Leptosols includes a wide variety of soils with greatly differing chemical and physical properties. Leptosols are generally well-drained soils; however they have very few other favorable characteristics for agricultural utilization. The suitability of Leptosols in most areas is limited to forestry.
Lithosols of many international classification systems correlate with the Leptosol Reference Soil Group. Leptosols on limestone are called Rendzinas while those on acid rocks, such as granite, are called Rankers.
Leptosol is one of the four Reference Soil Groups that occupy more than 10 of the area of the European Union. Leptosols are present throughout Europe. However, they are most typical in the Mediterranean. The majority of the soil types of Cyprus is Leptosols and they cover vast areas in Greece, Spain and France as well.