The geographical spread area of the vipers is marked orange on the world map.

In the course of their evolution vipers have adapted themselves excellently to the most various conditions of their environment and therefore spread over almost all continents. The spreading area of the Northern adder (vipera berus) even reaches into cold zones and up to the Arctic and Antarctic Circle. In the slightly warmer northern climate zones the Asp viperr (vipera aspis) is resident.

The Mountain Adder (vipera xanthina) lives in the Mediterranean vegetation areas of eastern Europe, the Palm adder (bothriechis nigroviridis) and the Eyelash viper (bothriechis schlegelii) can be found frequently as tree inhabitants in the humid mountain forests of the tropics.

In the tropical areas of North America one strikes on an abundant variety of species of rattle snakes as well as in Africa on the Bitis family: From the ordinary Puff adder (bitis arietans) up to the Rhinoceros viper (bitis nasicornis) numerous viper species can be found.

The Chinese moccasin (deinagkistrodon acutus) lives on the ground, the Hornviper (cerastes cerastes), living in the northern Africa, is known for its peculiarity to burrow itself into the sand. In heights of up to 5000 m the Himalaja adder (agkistrodon himalayanus) is resident, the Patagonian yararanata (bothrops ammodytoides) is the viper living in the most southern areas.