Physical-geographical characteristics of Lemkivshchyna
Authors: Rozhko Ihor , Koinova Iryna 
Published: March 2020

The article presents the physical-geographical characteristics of the Lemkos’ ethnic territory, the farthest western ethnographic group of Ukrainians who have long inhabited the slopes of the Carpathians Eastern Beskids. Lemkivshchyna is located on both slopes of the Carpathian Beskids between the Borzhava and San rivers in the east and Poprad and Dunajec in the west, located in three countries. The total area is about 9 000 km2. Lemkivschyna occupies the largest area within the mountainous part of South-Eastern Poland (48 %), less in the mountainous part of north-eastern Slovakia (41 %), the least in the Trans¬carpathian region of Ukraine (11 %).
Most of the territory of Lemkivshchyna is located in the Carpathian lowlands of the Eastern Beskids. Only some peaks have a height of more than 1 000 m. The highest peak is Tarnitsa (1 346 m a.s.l.) on the Bukovo Berdo ridge.
Lemkivshchyna is located in the temperate climate zone of Europe, which is formed under the influence of the western transfer of the Atlantic air masses. In addition, the climatic characteristics are influenced by the terrain, altitude, exposure of the slopes, the direction of extension of the mountain valleys.
The territory of Lemkivshchyna lies on the Main European Watershed. The rivers that originate in the northern macro-slope of the Low Beskid are tributaries of the Vistula (the Baltic Sea basin). The rivers of the southern macro-slope are tributaries of the Tisza River, which flows into the Danube (the Black Sea basin). The largest river in the Lemky region is the San (444 km in length). Another tributary of the Vistula is the Vislok (165 km). The mountain rivers that originate on the southern slopes of the Low Beskid River flow in a meridional direction to the south and belong to the Tisza basin. The largest among them are Gorand (286 km), Poprad (169 km), Laborets (129 km), Ondava (112 km in length). The rivers of Lemkivshchyna are characterized by mixed food dominated by snow. Boundaries are observed in winter and during the dry season in summer. Floods can occur at any time of the year during heavy rainfall.
The mountain-forest soils of Lemkivshchyna are formed on flysch rocks under beech and fir forests. Soils of low power (up to 75 cm), often stony, characterized by high acidity, poor in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron. Mountain-meadow soils were formed in the subalpine meadows. The processes of accumulation of peat and organic material are observed on the watersheds and sites of poor runoff. The geographical location of Lemkivshchyna causes the vertical extent of the vegetation cover, which differs from the other mountain ranges of the Carpathians. Belt of deciduous forests, rising to an altitude of 1 156 m. is mainly represented with beech forests. The belt of the Polonynian subalpine meadows that developed under the influence of a long pasture farm is above the beech forests.
About 1 000 species of vascular plants, more than 600 species of mosses and lichens, and many algae and fungi have been found in the Lemky region. A modern feature of the vegetation cover of Lemkivshchyna is the natural regeneration of forests, which occurred after the expulsion of the ethnic population from these territories. More than 200 species of vertebrates have been found in the Lemky region.
Key words: Lemkivshchyna, physical and geographical conditions, relief of the Eastern Beskids, hydrography, vegetation.