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Wyzyna Lubelsko-Lwowska
About the region
Wyzyna Lubelsko-Lwowska occupies the area of 9.4 thousand km² (3% of area of Poland). It is a basin built of chalk layers, elevated by meta-Carpathian tectonic movements from 200 to almost 400 m asl and in south-eastern part cut with faults towards sub-Carpathian depression. The upland is slanting towards the north and erosively dismembered into mild humps. A characteristic feature of the upland is occurrence of loess lobs. In terms of land form we can distinguish two macroregions: Wyzyna Lubelska (Lublin Upland) and Roztocze, which are also two geobotanic regions.

Wyzyna Lubelska stretches from gorge of the Wisla, through Polish uplands in the west, beyond the Wieprza valley in the east. Northern border of the region constitutes a slope of loess plateau between the Vistula and the Bystrzyca rivers. Southern border is marked by tectonic steps separating the upland from Kotlina Sandomierska (Sandomierz Valley) and Wal Roztocza (Roztocze Embankment). Wyzyna Lubelska within these borders occupies the area of about 7.2 thousand km². The main river of the region is the Wieprz with its tributaries. The area is overgrown with few oak-hornbeam and beech forests.

A characteristic feature of the Lublin-Lwow Upland is occurrence of loess lobs.
Wyzyna Lubelska is divided into 9 mesoregions: Malopolski Przelom Wisly (the Little Poland Gorge of the Vistula), Plaskowyz Naleczowski (Naleczow Plateau), Rownina Belzecka (Belzec Plain), Kotlina Chodelska (Chodlik Valley), Wzniesienie Urzedowskie (Urzedow Elevation), Plaskowyz Swidnicki (Swidnica Plateau), Wynioslosc Gielczewska (the Gielczew Rise), Dzialy Grabowieckie (Grabowiec Divides) and Padol Zamojski (Zamosc Valley).

Malopolski Przelom Wisly is about 80 km long and from 1.5 to 10 km wide, occupying area of around 300 km². Altitude of the valley's slopes reaches 60-80 m. They are modeled in chalk system layers. In the region functions Kazimierski Park Narodowy (the Kazimierz National Park) as well as three reserves, including the bird reserve "Krowia Wyspa" ("The Cow Island"). An attractive touristic object of the region is Kazimierz Dolny, a town famous for its diverse landscape and numerous monuments.

Plaskowyz Naleczowski occupies area of 625 km². It is cut through by three longitudinal valleys: the Bystra creek - a tributary of Wisla, the Ciemiega and the Cechowka - tributaries of Bystrzyca. Because of fertile soils almost whole area is under cultivation, treeless and densely populated.

Rownina Belzecka stretches over the area 45 km long and 5 to 25 km wide, which occupies about 640 km². The region is mostly under cultivation and almost entirely treeless.

Kotlina Chodelska is a depression modelled in a layer of writing chalk. A bottom of the valley descends from 180 m in the east to 130 m in the valley of the Wisla. Area of Kotlina Chodelska has been estimated at 370 km². In the western part of the valley was created a group of fishponds situated among relatively vast forests.

Wzniesienia Urzedowskie occupy quite large area of about 1330 km². Wood areas in the terrain are mixed forests or wet-ground hornbeam-oak forests, with quite a few orchards and shrub plantations.

Plaskowyz Swidnicki is a relatively flat plain which occupies the area of 530 km². It is an agricultural region with a little share of forests. Nadwieprzanski Park Krajobrazowy (the Wieprza Landscape Park) and "Wierzchowiska" reserve, which covers linden stands with an admixture of English oak and pine, are located here.

Wynioslosc Gielczewska is the highest part of Wyzyna Lubelska which covers area of 1250 km². The region is of agricultural character with no towns apart from Bychawa (about 5 thousand inhabitants). On area of the region exist four reserves and one Landscape Park.

Dzialy Grabowieckie is a hump of upper-cretaceous rocks which occupies area of about 1280 km². It is an agricultural region where forests remain only on some plateaus. The area lies on the border between a zone of mixed forests with a share of beech and sycamore and a forest-steppe zone with oak forests. Here are located three nature reserves.

Padol Zamojski covers area of about 870 km². The area is dominated by farmlands and meadows, with very few forests. The region is cut across by the Wieprz. There are located two nature reserves. The only town is Zamosc (about 66 thousand inhabitants).

Roztocze stretches about 180 km within Polish borders from north west to south east. The altitude grows in this direction from about 300 m asl to about 400 m asl. The region is a divide between the Lower San basin and the Upper Bug basin. Despite little altitude Roztocze receives more rainfalls than adjacent terrains (about 700 mm annually). Wal Roztocza lies on eastern border of breech, fir, larch and spruce ranges. Polish part of the region occupies area of about 2.2 thousand km² and is divided into 3 mesoregions: Roztocze Zachodnie (Western Roztocze), Roztocze Srodkowe (Middle Roztocze), and Roztocze Wschodnie (Eastern Roztocze).

Roztocze Zachodnie occupies area of 560 km². Characteristic feature of this part of Roztocze is a loess layer cut by a fine net of ravines.

Roztocze Srodkowe stretches on area of 1250 km². The region is densely forested. Here exists Roztoczanski Park Narodowy (the Roztocze National Park), Krasnobrodzki Park Krajobrazowy (the Krasnobrod Landscape Park) and 12 reserves.

Roztocze Wschodnie within Polish borders occupies area of 385 km². The region stretches in south east direction from ares of Narole and Belzec to Lwow. In Poland lies only its northern part. On this area occur mineral sulfur springs, used for medical purpose.

Stella Sobczak