The valley of river Khemchik with poplar riparious groves, Siberia, Russia

Russian wildlife

Russia contains the planet's largest expanse of forest, over eight million square kilometres of mixed woodlands that are home to rare carnivores such as tigers, bears and leopards. The rest of Russia ranges from semi-desert to cold tundra, from snowy mountain peaks to open grasslands. The Himalayas and other mountain ranges have cut Russia off from the warmer southern climes, leaving most of the country temperate to subarctic and snowbound in winter, though the summers can be surprisingly hot. Russia's easternmost parts are the most biodiverse, though they also experience the harshest winters.

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