about the biome: mediterranean basin

Geography and Topography

The Mediterranean Basin is two and a half times larger than any other Mediterranean biome region, with more than two million square kilometers of land. Split into northern and southern sections by the Mediterranean Sea, the entire region spans three continents (Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east and northeast) and includes coastal and inland areas in thirty-three countries, territories, and microstates: Albania, Algeria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Egypt, France, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Vatican City, West Bank, and Western Sahara.

Vegetation and plant life

Because the area is a nexus for plants from Europe, Africa, and Asia, the flora in the Mediterranean region is especially rich. At the Strait of Gibraltar, where Spain and Morocco are only eight miles apart, plant species commingle in unusual combinations, reflecting the character of both continents. Greece and the Balkans host some of the richest floras of this region, with more than 300 species of Asian origin sharing their turf with western European species.

The region’s rugged terrain, high mountain ranges and numerous islands have encouraged evolutionary divergence in its plants. The number of restricted species is especially high in the mountains. In addition, the area seems to have been a refuge for ancient species and species displaced during the last Ice Age (Akeroyd, 1999).

Centuries of human land use have shaped the diversity of present-day plant species. Huge shifts in vegetation have stemmed from the collapse of traditional rural and agricultural land uses, allowing woody vegetation to encroach on open habitats that are rich in native plants. In the north, traditional agriculture, forest and livestock management stimulated the evolution of plants adapted to open agricultural environments. These systems, which provide sustainable land uses that preserve oak woodland, are critical to supporting biodiversity as well as economic livelihoods for local communities.

The most widespread vegetation type within the region is maquis, a form of scrub that is similar to California’s chaparral and Chile’s matorral. Also common is garrigue, which is lower in form and includes many aromatic shrubs and soft foliage, such as rosemary and lavender. In wetter locations, woodlands and forests of oak and pine dominate. (Dallman, 1998).

Fast Facts

The Mediterranean Basin is by far the largest Mediterranean biome region, representing 64% of total area.
The region covers 22% of the 33 countries around the Mediterranean Sea, but it is home to 45% of these countries’ population (TNC Analysis, In Prep).
At 30%, it’s the region with the second-highest percentage of land converted from natural habitat to other uses (TNC Analysis, In Prep).
Home to 25,000 species of plants, far more than any other Mediterranean region, and half of these species are endemic to the region and found no where else in the world (Cowling et. al., 1996)
260 million tourists visit annually. This is projected to increase to 350 million by 2020 (Vogiatzakis et al., 2005)
This region has the greatest total population and second highest population density. 210 million people live here: over 100 people per square kilometer TNC Analysis, In Prep)
50 to 70% of the population live within 60 kilometers of the coast (Caffyn et al., 2002).
Over half of the 46,000 kilometers of coastline has been urbanized (Grenon & Batisse, 1989).
At 16.2%, this region had the greatest increase in urban growth between 1990 and 2000 (TNC Analysis, In Prep).

El Hierro Giant Lizard – a cliffhanger tale.

Found only on the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands, this cliff-dwelling lizard is Europe’s most endangered reptile. For many years it was believed extinct, until a population was discovered in 1975. With an average lifespan of 15 years, the Giant Lizard never stops growing – adults can reach lengths of up to two feet (0.6 meters).

Learn more about threatened and endangered species in the Mediterranean Basin – and what’s being done to protect them – at the World Conservation Union

A microcosm of the world: Beckoning you.

One of 33 countries in the Mediterranean Basin, Lebanon’s variety of landscapes and native species represent a microcosm of the world. And one of the most important “flyways” on the planet.

Lebanon’s diverse topography and geography, coupled with its mild Mediterranean climate, makes it the place where millions of birds migrate twice a year from Europe, Asia and Africa.

Learn more and help protect the biodiversity of Lebanon.

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