The Alpine biogeographic region of Europe includes the Alps in France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland and Monaco, the Apennines in Italy, the Pyrenees between Spain and France, the Scandes in Sweden, Finland and Norway and the Carpathians in Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Ukraine.

[1] The region also includes the Dinaric Alps, Balkans, Rhodopes, Urals and Caucasia.

[2] All the ranges in the Alpine region have high altitude, rugged terrain and a relatively cold and harsh climate.

Higher up the montane grasslands give way to scrub heath and then to a few very hardy plants adapted to the rocks and snow of the highest altitudes.

The Alpine region has about two thirds of the plants found in Europe, including endemic plants at the higher levels with very limited distribution.