sabana

Sabana is the Spanish term for the savanna biome, a broad grassland with scattered trees commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions. The landscape supports grasses and herbaceous plants and is shaped by seasonal rainfall and fire. Fire and grazing keep the canopy open, with tree cover typically a minority of the landscape. Soils range from relatively poor to moderately fertile, and nutrient cycling can be slow in drier areas.

Savannas occur in Africa, parts of South America, and some areas of Asia and Australia, all characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. Typical annual rainfall spans roughly 500 to 1500 millimeters, though patterns vary regionally. Fires, herbivory, and climate influence the balance between grassland and woody cover.

Flora includes grasses and drought-tolerant trees such as acacias or euphorbias, depending on region. Fauna is diverse and region-specific, ranging from large herbivores and predators in African savannas to diverse mammals and birds in South American Llanos and Cerrado landscapes.

Humans use many savannas for grazing, pastoralism, and agriculture; they also support ecotourism and many protected areas. Conversion to farmland and fires, alongside climate change, threaten some savanna ecosystems, prompting conservation and fire-management programs.

Across the Spanish-speaking world, Sabana or La Sabana is used as a place name for neighborhoods, towns, and parks. A notable example is La Sabana Metropolitan Park in San José, Costa Rica, which hosts the National Stadium and several cultural facilities.