The Carboniferous period (360 million to 290 million years ago) was the fifth period of the Paleozoic era. In North America, the earlier Mississippian time, with extensive marine limestone deposits, is distinguished from the later Pennsylvanian time, with extensive coal deposits derived from terrestrial forests, within the Carboniferous period.

In land that is now in the northern continents, climatic conditions were very warm and wet, with shallow lakes and seas. These conditions were perfect for the growth of extensive swamps, from which coal deposits formed. This is why most of the coal and oil deposits are found today in the Northern Hemisphere. Much of the land that is now in the southern continents had cold polar conditions. Glaciations on the large southern continent caused intermittent reductions in sea level during the Carboniferous period.

The land that is today the northern continents (such as Europe and North America) formed the continent of Laurasia, which was near the equator, creating warm climates. The land that is today the southern continents (such as Africa and South America) formed the continent of Gondwanaland, much of which was over the South Pole. During the later part of the Carboniferous, Laurasia collided with Gondwanaland. The resulting geological forces produced mountain ranges even in the middle of tectonic plates, such as the Appalachian Mountains of North America. The land that is now Siberia collided with eastern Europe, creating what is now the Ural Mountains. The worldwide ocean (Panthalassic Ocean) was not divided by continents as today.

All modern groups of marine organisms existed during the Carboniferous, except aquatic mammals. Many older lineages of fishes, such as the armored fishes of the preceding Devonian period, became extinct, while the fish lineages that are dominant today proliferated. . .

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