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Geography
Arthasthan’s geography is diverse, varying from low coastal plains to tall mountain ranges. The southern region of the country is characterised by flat plains with large slow moving rivers. Its most prominent feature is the Bashurat River Delta in the southeast. The country is divided by the Pavitra Mountain Range, which runs through the center of the country. The southern slopes of the mountain range features gently sloping foothills compared to the steeper northern slopes. As a result, the northern coast generally has rugged and steeper coasts than the southern coast.
The country can be divided into five distinct geographical regions, the Bashurat River Delta, the Southern Coast, the Interior Plain, the Highlands, and the Northern Coast. The River Delta is a maze of channels, swamps, lakes, and floodplain sediments. As it is the main drainage point for the entire Bashurat River, it makes the region extremely fertile. The southern coastal region’s flat shorelines merge into the Interior Plain, a large flat region in the center of the country. While not as fertile as the river delta, the floodplains formed by the region’s many small rivers provide fertile land. This region makes up the majority of the country and is where most of Arthasthan’s population lives.
The Highlands consist of the Pavitra Mountain Range and its surrounding foothills. It contains the country's highest point, at 2,621 meters above sea level. The mountain divide traditionally marks the boundary between Northern Arthasthan and Central Arthasthan. The mountains also mark the northern boundary of the Sura River’s drainage basin. Due to the high altitude few Arthanis live in this region. The western end of the mountain range descends in altitude to an elevated plateau and foothill near the border with Padaratha. The steeper slope in the north creates a rockier and steeper shoreline in the north; it is common to find small cliffs and bluffs.
Climate
Arthasthan's climate is largely a tropical climate with some isolated regional climates caused by elevation. The majority of Arthasthan is a hot tropical monsoon climate. Parts of the Northern Coast is a tropical rainforest climate, although the climate doesn't reach far inland. The lower regions of the Highlands feature humid continental climates, which forms as a transition zone between the lower elevations and the lower elevations. In the mountain peaks in the eastern Highlands, there is a icy mountain climate, with snow year round.
Only parts of the Northern Coast receive precipitation year round. For the rest of the country, the majority of precipitation arrives between from December to June during the monsoon season. Most of the precipitation from these storms falls in the mountains as snow. Temperatures across most of Arthasthan remain largely consistent with relevantly minor differences based upon the weather.
Biodiversity
Arthasthan is home to diverse tropical floral and fauna, especially within the mountainous regions. There are ten nature reserves and nine national parks in Arthasthan that provide safe haven for many rare and endangered plants and animals. Arthasthan is commonly divided into into the Lowland biome and the Mountain biome, although each biome can be easily divided into a number of different biotic zones.
The Lowland biome is characterised by a tropical climate that is generally considered to cover nearly all of Arthasthan. Tropical forest and shrubland covers a majority of the biome as well as some semi-arid vegetation for the most extreme regions. Arthasthan's tropical forests can be subdivided further into broad categories of canopy density, or the proportion of the area of a forest covered by its tree canopy. The country's very dense forest, whose canopy density is greater than 70%, is largely found in the interior. Due to human habitation in the region, wildlife is most commonly found in these forests. Common wildlife in this area include tigers, elephants, monkeys, and the Satrian river dolphin.
The Mountain biome is characterised by colder and wetter weather with most of the precipitation falling as snow. As a result, the region forms the southern watershed for the northern region Bashurat River Basin and other rivers. Furthermore the rain shadow of the Pavitra Mountain Range causes the southern slope of the mountain to be warmer and drier. The biome is covered by forests at the lower elevations before the trees eventually give way to an subalpine zone. Above the tree line, is an alpine tundra devoid of large vegitation because of its elevation. Common wildlife in the region are suited to the mountainous terrain, which include the Snow Leopard and the Coian Lynx.