Northern Eurasia Is
The Last Wild Frontier Of The Northern
Hemisphere Kola
Peninsula ©D.Aksenov & Co. Introduction to the
Natural Treasures of Northern Eurasia Overview of
Types of Protected Areas
*Color Map with
Russian Zapovedniks and information on each
Zapovednik* B/W
Proportional Symbol Map of Russian Zapovedniki (23
K) B/W
Proportional Symbol Map of Russian National Parks (15
K)
Formerly known as the Soviet Union, this territory covers 8.65 million square miles (about 22.3 million square km). Its total population is over 280 million people. Russia is the largest of the 15 former Soviet republics, and the largest country in the world (by territory, 6th largest by population) with 149 million people living in an area of about 6.625 million square miles -- almost twice the size of the United States.
Northern Eurasia contains the largest intact tracts of wilderness on our planet. The majority of the wilderness areas are occupied by boreal forests (taiga), tundras, and mountains. About one third of the whole territory of Northern Eurasia is occupied by boreal coniferous forest, covering up to 2 billion acres (930 million ha), by far the largest forest on the planet. Russia alone has over 25% of the world's timber stock, the majority of it in softwoods.
Northern Eurasia is home to over 25,000 species of vascular plants, 1,100 bryophytes, almost 200 species of amphibians and reptiles, 765 species of birds, and 360 species of mammals. About 10% of these are threatened or endangered. Many are endemic to Northern Eurasia. Well-known examples include the Siberian Tiger, Saiga Antelope, Russian Desman, Baikal Lake Seal, Red-breasted Goose, Siberian Crane, and Amur Sturgeon.
Preservation of biodiversity in this part of the world is crucial to the maintenance of global ecological balance. Nowhere else in the world is an area so vast still so wild. Northern Eurasia is the last chance for the world to save representative samples of large pristine ecosystems. Creation and support of the existing system of protected areas, such as Zapovedniki and National parks, and regional networks of smaller preserves is of paramount importance.
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