East European Plain facts for kids
The East European Plain (also called the Russian Plain or Sarmatic Plain) is a huge, mostly flat area in Eastern Europe. It's one of the largest plains in the world, stretching for about 4 million square kilometers (1.5 million sq mi)!
This vast plain covers much of European Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, southeastern Romania, and northern Bulgaria. It's a major part of the even larger Great European Plain.
While mostly flat, the plain isn't perfectly level. It has some higher areas called plateaus, like the Central Russian Upland and the Volga Upland. It's also home to many important rivers, including the Dnieper River, Don River, and the mighty Volga River. The average height of the plain is about 170 meters (560 ft) above sea level. The highest point, found in the Valdai Hills, is 346.9 meters (1,138 ft) high.
Where is the Plain?
The East European Plain has clear natural borders that separate it from other regions:
- West: It meets the Baltic Sea, the Oder and Lusatian Neisse rivers, and the Carpathians mountain range.
- South: Its southern edge is marked by the Balkan Mountains, Black Sea, Crimean Mountains, Caucasus Mountains, Caspian Sea, and the Sea of Azov.
- East: To the east, you'll find the Ural Mountains and the Turan Depression.
- North: The plain reaches the White Sea, Barents Sea, Kara Sea, and the Scandinavian Mountains in the north.
Countries and Regions
The East European Plain covers large parts of several countries. Here are some of the main regions within it:
- Belarus: Includes the Belarusian Ridge and parts of Polesia.
- Bulgaria: Features the Danubian Plain (Bulgaria).
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Moldova: Shares the Moldavian Plateau with Romania and Ukraine.
- Poland: Includes areas like Roztocze and the Mazovian Lowland.
- Romania: Has the Wallachian Plain and parts of the Moldavian Plateau.
- Russia: The European part of Russia is largely covered by the plain. Key areas include the Valdai Hills, Central Russian Upland, Volga Upland, and the Caspian Depression.
- Ukraine: Features the Volhynian-Podolian Upland, Dnieper Upland, and the Black Sea Lowland.
Major Rivers
Many important rivers flow across the East European Plain, shaping its landscape and providing water for cities and farms. Some of the largest include:
- Volga River
- Danube
- Ural River
- Vistula
- Dnieper River
- Don River (Russia)
- Pechora River
- Kama River
- Oka River
- Belaya River
- Daugava
- Neman River
- Pregolya River
See also
- West Siberian Plain, another major plain in Russia
- Great Russian Regions
