The demilitarized zone crosses mountainous and field areas. In between are valleys, basins and several rivers. It is an important region geographically, where the mountain ecosystem, inland marsh, freshwater and coastal ecosystem all exist together. Not only internationally protected species and threatened species but also various natural monuments, endangered species and protected wild animals and plants live in this region. Also, providing habitats and migration routes to internationally important aquatic birds and cranes, this region is receiving high interest from the international spectrum for the conservation of biological diversity.

In the DMZ, including the Civilian Controlled zone, 1/3 of 2,900 plant species, 1/2 of 70 mammalian species and 1/5 of 320 bird species have been discovered. The demilitarized zone can be largely divided into the east coast region, mid-eastern mountainous region, mid-western inland region, west coast and island region. The ecosystem and the characteristics of the biosphere are clearly defined by the weather and also by topographical differences of mountain range, rivers, and seas.

Wetland in DMZ	The course of Imjin River	Seasonal bird of DMZ