Plant and Animal Life

Ukraine

The fascinating country of Ukraine is located in Eastern Europe and is bordered by the Black Sea, Poland, Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia. If you had to look on a map, you would find Ukraine at 49 00 N, 32 00 E. Ukraine is a geographically interesting country with many variations of climate and terrain taking place in an area which is only slightly smaller than the US state of Texas.

Ukraine enjoys some 2782 km of varied coastline – from stunning white beaches to rocky shores. It has no inland bodies of water but enjoys a large number of fertile plains or steppes nonetheless. The vast majority of the country consists of grassy, fertile plains and plateaus. The only mountains in Ukraine can be found in the west and extreme south of the country. The Carpathian Mountains are in the west and the Crimean Peninsula is in the south.

Generally speaking, Ukraine enjoys a temperate continental climate. On the southern Crimean coast it becomes somewhat Mediterranean. Winters along the coast may be cool and temperatures drop the further inland you go. Summers are warm to hot depending on what part of the country you are visiting. Ukraine enjoys a large variety of natural resources which are constantly mined and sourced for both local use and exporting. Some 57.1% of the countr'ys landmass is considered to be very arable and a large portion of this is already being farmed.

Rivers and Lakes

There are almost 23,000 rivers within the borders of Ukraine. Its longest river is the Dnieper (Dnipro) which is some 966 kilometers long. Other notable rivers include the Dniester, Donets, Danube and Southern Buh. Lake Svityaz is one of the largest natural lakes in the country. Water is used for drinking, transportation and hydroelectricity and is considered to be a very important natural resource in the country. As the second largest country in Europe, Ukraine’s geography is varied and picturesque and its southern border is washed by the Black Sea, which connects to the Mediterranean Sea through Turkey. Ukraine has more than 3000 small lakes that cover about 3 percent of its territory.

Plant and Animal Life

Ukraine's four major zones of plant life, from north to south, are forest, forest-steppe, steppe, and Mediterranean. In the forest zone, beech trees are widespread in the west; linden, oak, and pine are found in the swamps and meadows in the north and northwest; and spruce is prevalent in the northeast. In the central forest-steppe zone, grasslands are interspersed with numerous trees, mainly oak. The steppe zone, which covers the lower third of Ukraine, features grassy plains. In the extreme south, the steppe is dry with thin-leaved grass. The Mediterranean zone, which encompasses a narrow strip along the southern Crimean coast, contains a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and grasses.

Wildlife in Ukraine includes elk, deer, wild boars, brown bears, and wolves. Species such as bison and wild horses have long been extinct. Others, such as moufflon (wild sheep), spotted deer, and muskrats, have been successfully reintroduced. A network of 10 nature reserves and more than 100 wildlife refuges has been established to protect wildlife, especially beaver, lynx, elk, and muskrats. Birds include the Eurasian black vulture, steppe eagle, and gray heron. Ukraine has more than 200 species of fish, including pike, carp, and sturgeon. There are 25 species of domesticated animals, including cattle, hogs, sheep, and goats.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16