The vegetation zones of planet Earth loosely follow the borders of the planet's geographic zones and climatic regions. The main factors that influence the vegetation of a region are its temperature, precipitation and soil type. Precipitation or rainfall is influenced by the winds, mountain ranges and ocean currents that affect the region's climate.

The map below displays some of planet Earth's most significant vegetation zones. Human activity has an influence on vegetation, as forests and natural habitats are cut down to make way for land for habitation or agricultural use. As a result, a map of the planet's vegetation zones display the kinds of vegetation that would exist in a given region if it was free of human interference.

The vegetation zones of planet Earth form large egosystems known as biomes. Biomes are characterized by a dominant vegetation type. For example, the savanna biome is characterized by large areas of grassland, but it also contains river, forest and rock ecosystems. As a result, the savanna biomes of Africa are home not only to grassland-dwelling mammals such as elephants and antilopes, but also to river-dwelling hippopotamuses.

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The formation of biomes is explained by the variation in precipitation and soil type.

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The most significant vegetation zones of planet Earth.​