The Czech Republic belongs to the temperate broad-leaved deciduous forest biome for its largest part, but two of its dry lowland areas belong to the forest-steppe biome. Landscapes corresponding to the coniferous forest biome and alpine tundra occur mainly as temperate orobiomes in small areas. Eight altitudinal vegetation belts from lowland to alpine are distinguished. There are high diversities of different vegetation types mainly in deep river valleys in the Bohemian Massif, karst areas, sandstone pseudokarst areas, on solitary volcanic hills, in glacial cirques, lowland riverine landscapes and serpentinite areas. Potential natural vegetation across most of the country is deciduous and mixed forests of beech, oak, hornbeam and noble hardwoods, and coniferous forests of spruce and fir. However, large areas of these forests have been cleared or converted into forest plantations. Open landscape is covered mainly by arable land and perennial grassland. Diversity, ecology, distribution, history and dynamics of the different vegetation types defined in the national vegetation classification are described here in detail.