To the south of the Black and Caspian seas, we can find the Pontic and Hyrcanian forests---parts of which can qualify as temperate rainforest. These unique environments stand in stark contrast to the surrounding desert and steppe. As a result, the ecology and human culture in these two places have diverged as well.

Image sources:
earthobservatory.nasa.gov
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ninara/
google earth

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