Back Критски средиземноморски гори Bulgarian Bosque mediterráneo de Creta Spanish Foresta mediterranea di Creta Italian Середземноморські ліси Криту Ukrainian
| Crete Mediterranean forests | |
|---|---|
 Streamside forest in Zakros Gorge, Crete | |
 Topographic map of Crete | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub |
| Geography | |
| Area | 8,450 km2 (3,260 sq mi) |
| Country | Greece |
| Elevation | sea level to 2,456 m |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | critical/endangered |
| Protected | 35.26%[1] |
The Crete Mediterranean forests is a terrestrial ecoregion that encompasses the Greek island of Crete.
The island has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome found in the lands in and around the Mediterranean Sea. Crete's diverse habitats, from shrublands to forests, sustain 1600 species of plants, including dozens of endemic species.[2] The island was once characterized by forests, but centuries of human habitation have transformed the landscape, converting much of the original forest into shrublands, woodlands, fields, orchards, and pastures.