[1] Also known as the Siberian Lowlands, the region is a large sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide, both in the forests and boggy peatlands.

The eastern boundary is traditionally held to the just west of the Yenisei River, which runs south to north, beyond which is the East Siberian taiga ecoregion, which is colder and more rugged in terrain.

The southern edge of the region lies north of the belt of temperate forests and forest-steppe that runs along the Trans-Siberian railway.

[1] Because the West Siberian ecoregion is thus outside of the normal agricultural and developed strip of southern Russia, it is sparsely populated, although the city of Yekaterinburg is at the extreme southwest corner of the region.

To the south is the forest-steppe and steppe belt supports most of the population and agriculture of Siberia, and that runs along the northern edge of the Altai Mountains.

Located away from the Atlantic Ocean, and the center of Eurasian landmass, the climate of the Western Siberian Plain is mildly continental.

[5] The climate is affected by the pressure systems of the Siberian High, which brings dry, cold winters, and the Asiatic Low, which supports relatively warmer (but still cool) summers.

Alexin stated that "in general taiga in the western siberian sense has three principal characteristics: strong shade, swampiness, and absence of elements of the broad-leaf forests".