Armenia is a small country situated in the Transcaucasus on the border of Europe and Asia. For visitors from Central Europe, the huge landscape variety from the perspective of geological, geomorfological and climatic factors is surprising, as well as the vegetation and floristic diversity. Here alpine vegetation, semideserts, phryganoid vegetations and mountain steppes occurre in the same area, together with interesting forest vegetation types. Beautiful country - side rich in ancient historical monuments is a great treasure for this small country lying at the crossroads of cultures, biogeo - graphical regions and migration routes. and Ester Ekrtová, Libor Ekrt.
Forest vegetation occupied some 20 % of this Armenian area, with forests of three types. Open forests consist of short, rather sparse trees (juniper/pistachio/oak). Alluvial vegetation occurs as a narrow belt of trees or scrub along rivers and streams. Deciduous forests usually develop in more humid places and may show interesting parallels to our lowland and upland forests. Traditional management (in Europe practi - sed in the past) is maintained, providing an inspiration for our nature conservation. and Ester Ekrtová, Libor Ekrt.
In Armenia, more than 50 % of the territory lies at an altitude of over 2 000 metres a. s. l. The overall landscape and the mountain flora and vegetation are determined by volcanic areas alternating with crystalline massif or limestone areas. and Ester Ekrtová, Libor Ekrt.
The extremely dry lower altitudes of Armenia are occupied by semi-desert and phryganoid xerophyte plant communities with many rare endemics, useful wild plant species and wild relatives of cultivated plants. The rather high proportion of semi- -desert vegetation was transformed to agricultural areas due to irrigation. At higher altitudes, steppes and meadow-steppes are abundant and thorn-cushion communities are rather widespread too. In regions with high annual precipitation, meadows represent species rich and ornamental forest-free vegetation. and Ester Ekrtová, Libor Ekrt.