Plain with no trees; like a prairie, but shorter grass; also similar to a desert, though not as dry.
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'''Steppes''' are plains with no trees. The high flat expanses of northern [[Eurasia]] are examples of steppes. They usually have little rain and are covered with coarse grass. Steppes are good lands for [[nomads]] and their herds.
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Living on the steppes promoted the breeding of horses and the development of military skills that were essential for the [[Mongols]] to form one of the greatest empires in history.
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== Sources ==
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The Earth and Its Peoples A Global History, Bulliet et al, 2005.