THE 8 NATURAL REGIONS OF THE WORLD AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

Each natural region of the world has its characteristics, according to the main characteristics of the natural vegetation. Eight natural regions can be distinguished: savanna, forest, desert, tundra, grassland, jungle, equatorial region and Mediterranean region.

Natural regions are geographic areas that have similar qualities or attributes such as relief, climate, vegetation, soils, hydrography, and others. Next we will explain its characteristics, climate, flora and fauna.

List of the 8 natural regions of the world

1- Savanna

The savanna, also known as the tropical grassland, is found to the north and south of the rainforest biomes. The largest extensions of savanna are located in Africa, where a large portion of the central part of the continent is made up of tropical grasslands. For example, Tanzania and Kenya. They can also be found in Brazil (South America).

Savanna regions have two distinct seasons, one wet and one dry. In the dry season there is very little rain. In the wet season the vegetation grows, with lush green pastures and wooded areas. As you move away from the equator, the grassland becomes drier and drier.

Its vegetation includes shrubs, grasses and trees, which grow near water holes, rivers or seasonal aquifers. Soils tend to be red in color due to their high iron content.

In this region, plants and animals must adapt to long periods of drought. Many plants are xerophytes, and these can also store water, or have long roots that reach up to the water table. Animals can migrate long distances in search of food and water.

The soils of the savanna are not very fertile. Plant roots cannot penetrate and this restricts the growth of vegetation.

Nutrients in the soil are near the surface, as they come from decaying organic matter from the previous season. This organic matter decomposes quickly due to high temperatures.

The Serengeti of Tanzania is probably the best known African savanna. In the southeast, grasses cover the vast plains, while in the central region, acacia plants are more common. The place is rich in wildlife, inhabited by zebras, giraffes, lions, elephants, and millions of wildebeest.

2- Forest

Forests are areas with trees grouped so that their leaves or foliage shade the ground. Different types can be found, from tropical forests near the Equator to boreal forests in cold climates, near the Arctic Circle.

One way to classify them is by the type of trees. Deciduous forests have trees with green leaves that change color in the fall and fall completely in the winter, the most common being oak and maple.

The northeastern United States is covered in deciduous forest, and tourists flock to the area each fall to experience the orange, yellow, and red leaves that cover the region.

Evergreen forests have trees with leaves that remain green throughout the year. One of the evergreen forests that can be found is that of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Pacific Northwest is full of evergreens (spruce).

Coniferous forests have trees with cones and needles instead of leaves, and have the tallest trees (coast redwoods), largest (giant sequoia), and oldest (bristlecone pines).

Tropical forests are a type of broadleaf forest. Many forests are mixed, which means they have broadleaf and coniferous trees.

The eucalyptus forests of Australia are mixed forests, for example. Eucalyptus evergreens are mixed with deciduous trees like beech.

You can also see 25 amazing animals that live in the forest.

3- Desert

A desert is a place with very little water or rain. Most deserts are hot places, but some are cold.

Few plants or animals live in deserts, and those that live there have special shapes that help them survive. For example, the cactus stores water in its stem, that is why when it rains its many roots that extend to collect water.

In the case of animals, the meerkat can get the water it needs from the food it finds and extra water by eating the roots of the plants.

The camel stores fat in its hump and when it finds water, it can drink enough to fill a bath. There are also the ostrich, lizards, snakes, among others.

Among the cold deserts is the Antarctic Desert, considered the largest in the world because it occupies most of the continent of Antarctica. Ice sheets cover the barren rocks and the few animals that can live there are often microscopic, like lice.

4- Tundra

The tundra is an area with cold temperatures and short seasons. Vegetation on the tundra is limited to a few shrubs, grasses, and mosses.

About 1,700 different species live on the tundra, but this is not much compared to forests and grasslands. The soil is often too cold for plants and few animal species can survive.

There are two types of tundra: the alpine tundra and the arctic tundra. The alpine tundra is separated from a region of forest vegetation by the tree line. The climate in the alpine tundras is cold, snowy and windy. Most of it is located in Tibet, China and India. Animals like mountain goats live in this region.

The Arctic tundra is found in Earth's far northern hemisphere. It has a bare landscape and freezes for much of the year. Here, the land can be permanently frozen.

Russia and Canada have huge areas of the Arctic tundra. During the summer the land thaws a bit, allowing some plants to grow in the wet, swampy soil.

Not many mammals live on this tundra (just caribou, polar bears, and a few others), but thousands of insects and birds do appear each year to enjoy the swamps before they freeze.

5- Prairies or grasslands

Grasslands are flat, open areas where grasses are the dominant type of vegetation. They can be found on all continents except Antarctica.

Climate plays a role in the type of meadow. In cool, mild climates, as in northwestern Europe, the grasslands are dominated by tough vegetation that thrives all year round.

In warmer climates, there are temperate grasslands which exist where there are seasonal variations in temperature throughout the year (hot summers and cold winters).

Temperate grasslands are important for the production of milk and dairy products, as dairy cows are more productive in these climates. This is because they are areas where they can chew on grass all day. Tropical grasslands are called savannas.

6- Jungle

A jungle is a forest in a tropical country where large numbers of tall trees and plants grow closely together. It is one of the richest habitats on the planet. It is a mysterious world, the most competitive place on earth, where animals try to survive every day.

They are typically found around the Equator. They are home to hunting jaguars, alligators, and ninja frogs that battle flying dragons and wasps. Also, the jungle night hides never-before-seen creatures and strange mushrooms.

Rainforests have high annual levels of rainfall and temperatures high enough to create humid conditions. The constant climate allows the organisms of the rainforest to grow throughout the year, without a period of hibernation.

7- Equatorial Region

It extends along the equator in the form of a belt between latitude 10 ° N and 10 ° S. It includes the lowlands of the Amazon and the coast of Guyana in South America; the Congo Basin and the Guinea coast of Africa and Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea and the Philippines of South Asia.

It is a hot humid climate, with a temperature around 27 ° C throughout the year. The humidity is very high, there is rainfall throughout the year, although it is heavier after the equinoxes.

Forests are natural vegetation and are considered the densest in the world, also known as jungles.

The hippopotamus and the rhino are in abundance. Other animals that inhabit this region are gorillas, monkeys, sloths, chimpanzees, jaguars, and lizards. The tsetse fly is dangerous due to its poisonous bite.

8- Mediterranean Region

This region is located on the western margins of the continents between latitudes 30 ° and 40 ° in both hemispheres. This region is also called Winter Rain.

The Mediterranean coast is the largest area and they include: In Europe: the coastal regions of Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece. In Asia: the coastal regions of Turkey, Israel, Syria and Lebanon.

In Africa: the coastal regions of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco in the extreme north, and in the extreme south the Cape Province. The coasts of Australia also belong to this region. and the western margin of California (North America). As well as central Chile (South America).

The average summer temperature is between 20 ° C and 26 ° C and the relative humidity is low. Rain is received during winters with mild cyclones. Normal rainfall is between 35 and 75 cm. The sun is always abundant and the winters are mild.

The vegetation types are broadleaf forests: eucalyptus in Australia, redwood in California. Also, according to the area, create shrubs and bushes, as well as pines, firs and cedars.

References

1. Oxford Dictionary (2017). Natural Region. English Oxford Living Dictionaries. Recovered from: en.oxforddictionaries.com.
2. BBC Staff (2014). Planet Earth. BBC. Recovered from: bbc.co.uk.
3. National Geographic Staff (2017). Vegetation Region. National Geographic Society. Recovered from: nationalgeographic.org.
4. Reference Staff (2016). Jungle. Reference. Recovered from: reference.com.
5. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica (2017). Desert. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved from: global.britannica.com.