Taiga region or coniferous forest or Siberian type of climate:
(a) Location The region extends from 55° to 66.50 norths. It is located only in the northern hemisphere, south of Tundra region.
(b) Area Norway, Sweden, Finland in Europe, Siberia in Asia, Canada in N. America.
(c) Natural environment
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(i) Climate the summers are short and warm and lasts for five to six months, winters are long and severe and lasts for six to seven months. Annual range of temperature is high. Land is frozen in winter. Precipitation is low between 30 to 50 cm and is mainly in summer.
(ii) Mural vegetation wooded evergreen coniferous forests; trees are tall and flexible; the leaves are thin needle like; species are few – spruce, pine, fir, cedar and birch are the main trees.; the trees have great commercial value; the soil is leached (podzolic soil); large varieties of fur bearing animals are found, e.g., squirrel, musk, rat, mink and silver fox.
(d) Human response
(i) Lumbering is the main occupation of the people in winter as it is easy to fell the trees, haul them on frozen ground and stack them on frozen rivers.
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(ii) Manufacturing wood pulp, paper, matches, synthetic fiber, etc.
(iii) Trapping of fur-bearing animals. Fur trade is important.
(iv) Agriculture in the short summer season. Barley, oats, etc. are cultivated.
(v) Fishing in lakes, river, and coast in the summer season.