Natural Environment and Human Response in the Temperate Grassland.
(a) Location Mediterranean region is located between 30° to 45° north and south of the equator on the western margins of the continents in the belt of the shifting of the pressure belt.
(b) Areas Southern Europe around Mediterranean sea, i.e., Spain. Southern France, Italy, Greece, Northern Africa, Algeria and Morocco;
(c) Natural environment (Physical environment)
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(i) Summers are long, hot and dry and the winters are cool and moist.
(ii) Cyclonic rainfall in winter is due to the shifting of the pressure belt.
(iii) The region comes under the influence of the off-shore trade winds in summer,
(iv) In winters the region is influenced by the on-shore Westerlies. Rainfall is between 50 to 75 cm.
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(v) Vegetation consists of evergreen forests. The trees have long, deep roots, with glossy waxy leaves such as cork, oak, olives, figs, mulberry, lemons, etc.
(d) Human response
(i) Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapes grow well and are cultivated on a large scale.
(ii) Wine making is done on commercial scale.
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(iii) Fruit processing is an important industry.
(iv) Subsistence farming.
(v) Perfume industry is well developed.
(vi) Tourism.