Central Eurasia
Central Eurasia makes up the interior section of the Palearctic realm with five major subrealms—Kazakh Steppes & Hemiboreal Forest, Caspian Sea & Central Asian Deserts, Tien Shan Mountains, Persian Deserts & Forests, and Altai-Sayan Mountains—containing 11 bioregions in total. This area stretches from the Gulf of Oman to the Russian border and consists primarily of temperate grasslands and semi-desert. It encompasses most of Iran, Azerbaijan, and the ‘stans,’ corresponding roughly to Central Asia. The forested Altai-Sayan Mountains are found in the northwest. In the Persian Deserts subrealm, there are two forested bioregions associated with the Zagros and Elburz mountain ranges in Iran, along with expansive deserts that extend to western Pakistan. The largest subrealm is defined by the Caspian Sea to the west, with desert and semi-desert ecoregions extending to the Tien Shan Mountains, which are particularly important for biodiversity, containing over 2500 plant species and populations of the vulnerable and elusive snow leopard. In the north, the Kazakh Steppes subrealm stretches across the lower edge of Western Siberia and includes a narrow band of hemiboreal forests.
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Afghan-Balochistan Drylands, Mountain Meadows & Conifer Forests (PA30)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 78,022 Number of Ecoregions: 8 Protection Target: 8% Protection Level: 2The Afghan-Balochistan Drylands, Mountain Meadows & Conifer Forests bioregion is located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains eight ecoregions totaling approximately 78 million hectares of land area.
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Persian Deserts & Mountain Woodlands (PA29)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 133,896 Number of Ecoregions: 4 Protection Target: 25% Protection Level: 3The Persian Deserts & Mountain Woodlands bioregion is located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains four ecoregions totaling approximately 134 million hectares of land area.
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South Caspian Coastal & Mountain Mixed Forests (PA28)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 11,864 Number of Ecoregions: 2 Protection Target: 20% Protection Level: 6The South Caspian Coastal & Mountain Mixed Forests bioregion is located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains two ecoregions totaling nearly 12 million hectares of land area.
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Zagros Mountain Forests & East Anatolian Steppe (PA27)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 56,727 Number of Ecoregions: 2 Protection Target: 10% Protection Level: 5The Zagros Mountain Forests & East Anatolian Steppe bioregion is located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains two ecoregions totaling nearly 57 million hectares of land area.
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Caspian Sea, Coastal Deserts & Kopet Dagh Mountain Woodlands (PA33)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 41,680 Number of Ecoregions: 4 Protection Target: 47% Protection Level : 1The Caspian Sea, Coastal Deserts & Kopet Dagh Mountain Woodlands bioregion is located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains four ecoregions totaling approximately 41.5 million hectares of land area.
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Central Asian Deserts & Riparian Woodlands (PA32)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 200,065 Number of Ecoregions: 4 Protection Target: 54% Protection Level : 0The Central Asian Deserts & Riparian Woodlands bioregion is located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains four ecoregions totaling approximately 200 million hectares of land area.
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Siberian Hemiboreal Forests & Steppe (PA35)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 22,393 Number of Ecoregions: 1 Protection Target: 32% Protection Level: 2The Siberian Hemiboreal Forests & Steppe bioregion is part of the Kazakh Forest Steppes & Hemiboreal Forest subrealm located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains one ecoregion.
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Kazakh Forest Steppe & Grasslands (PA34)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 129,988 Number of Ecoregions: 3 Protection Target: 27% Protection Level : 2The Kazakh Forest Steppe & Grasslands bioregion is located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains three ecoregions totaling approximately 130 million hectares of land area.
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Altai Mountain Forests, Grasslands & Desert Steppe (PA37)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 38,137 Number of Ecoregions: 4 Protection Target: 46% Protection Level: 3The Altai Mountains & Ermin Valley bioregion is part of the Altai-Sayan Mountains subrealm located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains four ecoregions.
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Sayan Mountain Conifer Forests, Alpine Meadows & Steppe (PA36)
Total Land Area (1000 ha): 63,554 Number of Ecoregions : 4 Protection Target : 49% Protection Level: 3The Sayan Mountains & Siberian Forest Steppe bioregion is part of the Altai-Sayan Mountains subrealm located in the Central Eurasia realm (central Palearctic) and contains four ecoregions.
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