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RUSSIA
GEOGRAPHY
Russia, the largest country in the world, occupies one-tenth of all the land on Earth. It
spans 11 time zones across two continents (Europe and Asia) and has coasts on three
oceans (the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic).
The Russian landscape varies from desert to frozen coastline, tall mountains to giant
marshes. Much of Russia is made up of rolling, treeless plains called steppes. Siberia,
which occupies three-quarters of Russia, is dominated by sprawling pine forests called
taigas.
Russia has about 100,000 rivers, including some of the longest and most powerful in
the world. It also has many lakes, including Europe's two largest: Ladoga and Onega.
Lake Baikal in Siberia contains more water than any other lake on Earth.
NATURE
As big as Russia is, it's no surprise that it is home to a large number of ecosystems and
species. Its forests, steppes, and tundras provide habitat for many rare animals,
including Asiatic black bears, snow leopards, polar bears, and small, rabbit-like
mammals called pikas.
Russia's first national parks were set up in the 19th century, but decades of unregulated
pollution have taken a toll on many of the country's wild places. Currently, about one
percent of Russia's land area is protected in preserves, known as zapovedniks.
Russia's most famous animal species is the Siberian tiger, the largest cat in the world.
Indigenous to the forests of eastern Russia, these endangered giants can be 10 feet (3
meters) long, not including their tail, and weigh up to 600 pounds (300 kilograms).
ECUADOR
GEOGRAPHY
Ecuador is located in the western corner at the top of the South American continent.
Ecuador, the smallest country in South America, is named after the Equator, the
imaginary line around the Earth that splits the country in two. Most of the country is in
the Southern Hemisphere.
Ecuador is roughly the size of Colorado and is bordered by Colombia and Peru. The
high Andes Mountains form the backbone of the country. Cotopaxi in the Andes is the
highest active volcano in the world.
The Galápagos Islands, 596 miles (960 kilometers) west of the mainland of Ecuador are
part of Ecuador and are home to unique reptiles, birds, and plants. The Costa, or
coastal plain region is where many of the world’s bananas are grown. The Sierra is also
made up of farmland. The Oriente is east of the Andes and is rich in oil.
NATURE
Ecuador is considered one of the most diverse areas of the world. There are some
25,000 plant species, and over 1,600 known bird species. The search for oil has caused
environmental devastation due to oil leaks and destruction of forests.
Ecuador has nine national parks, including the Galápagos Islands. These 18 islands are
home to some of the most amazing creatures, including the Galápagos tortoise,
Galápagos penguin, blue-footed booby, and iguanas. This is where Charles Darwin
noticed the diversity of species and began to study evolution.
AUSTRALIA
GEOGRAPHY
Australia is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent. It is one of the
largest countries on Earth. Although it is rich in natural resources and has a lot of fertile
land, more than one-third of Australia is desert.
Most Australian cities and farms are located in the southwest and southeast, where the
climate is more comfortable. There are dense rain forests in the northeast. The famous
outback (remote rural areas) contains the country's largest deserts, where there are
scorching temperatures, little water, and almost no vegetation.
Running around the eastern and southeastern edge of Australia is the Great Dividing
Range. This 2,300-mile (3,700-kilometer) stretch of mountain sends water down into
Australia's most important rivers and the Great Artesian Basin, the largest groundwater
source in the world.
NATURE
Australia's ecosystem is an unusual one because of its remote location. As a result,
there are many animal species that occur here and nowhere else in the world, such as
the platypus, kangaroo, echidna, and koala. Australia has 516 national parks to protect
its unique plants and animals.
One of Australia's most amazing sites rises like an enormous whale's back from a flat
red-soil desert called the Red Center. This site is called Uluru, and it is a sacred natural
formation at the heart of the country. Rising 1,100 feet (335 meters) tall, it is the largest
rock in the world!
Australia is home to many of the deadliest species of animals on the planet. There are
36 species of poisonous funnel-web spiders in eastern Australia. There are also 20
types of venomous snakes, including the taipan, which attacks without warning and
bites repeatedly, killing its victim in minutes.
There are several types of rain forests in Australia. Tropical rain forests, mainly found in
the northeast, are the richest in plant and animal species. Subtropical rain forests are
found near the mid-eastern coast, and broadleaf rain forests grow in the southeast and
on the island of Tasmania.
CROATIA
GEOGRAPHY
Located in southeast Europe, Croatia is geographically diverse. The crescent-shaped
country features low mountains and highlands near the Adriatic coastline, flat plains that
hug the Hungarian border, and a multitude of islands.
In mountainous regions, winters are cold and snowy and the summers are mild. The
country's coastal areas have a Mediterranean climate with hot, sunny summers and
mild winters. Over a thousand islands are found off this coastline. Many are major
tourist areas including the Dalmatian coast.
NATURE
Croatia's varied geographic regions—plains, mountain forests, and coastline—are
reflected in its varied animal life.
Rabbits, foxes, boars, wildcats, and wild sheep are found in the plains areas, while
wolves and even bears can be found in the inland forests. Sea life in the Adriatic is rich
as well, with many coral reefs and underwater caves serving as habitats.