Temperate climate zones lie between the tropics and the polar circles. Countries with temperate climates include the UK, New Zealand, eastern Asia and southern Chile as well as much of northwest Europe and coastal areas of North America.
In these regions the changes between summer and winter are not extreme but temperate climates can have very unpredictable weather.
Temperate zones cover about 7% of the world's land surface but are by far the most popular areas in which to live - providing a home to around four-tenths of the Earth's population. This is largely due to the mildness of the climate, the plentiful supply of rain and generally very fertile soils.
The majority of the land in temperate zones has been cleared of its natural forest vegetation to make way for more intensive farming methods. Deciduous trees such as the oak and the beech are the most common types of tree found in these regions. These have formed a protective mechanism against the effects of cold winters by shedding their leaves.