Vegetation Zones of Central and Eastern Europe (1)

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The names and extents of these zones tends to vary from map to map.  This is the centre cut from a more extensive map which seems pretty clear. The Taiga runs across the top of the map, then there is a broad band of coniferous-mixed forest (except on the mountain slopes which have patches of mainly coniferous forest). On the edges of this, bordering the forest steppe (including in the carpathian basin) and in western Europe is a more deciduous forest. Right down the south, areas settled by the Slavs the dominant vegetation type is 'Mediterranean'.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads/europe_nv.jpg

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads/europe_nv.jpg

In a series of posts below I want to present the main characteristics (and in particular the climax vegetation) of the various ecoregions of the part of Europe in which the early spread of the Slavic languages took place. These are the zones defined by both the WWF and incorporated into the Digital Map of European Ecological Regions created by the European Environment Agency.