european geography

3. Mountains and Plains
● Landforms shaped lives of Europeans
● Geologically older mountains across northern Europe
● Younger, higher mountains in the south (Alps, Pyrenees)
created by recent tectonic activity
● Alps separate warm, dry climate of Mediterranean from cooler
northern Europe
● Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe
● Northern European Plain- across northern Europe
● Fertile soil, good for agriculture
● Location of largest cities in Europe
● Hungarian Plain- eastern Europe, good agricultural area
● Plain along Danube River,
● Long rivers in heartland of Europe- Rhine, Danube, Rhone,
Seine, Po
● Europeans have altered waterways (canals, dikes) to connect
industrial centers
● Danube most important river in eastern Europe, Rhine
important to western Europe

5. Physical Geography of Europe
● Most people live within 300 miles
of ocean/sea, shaped lifestyles
● Netherlands mostly below sea
level
● For over 500 years Dutch built
large dikes to hold back North
Sea
● Provide land for settlement and
farming
● Polders are reclaimed land
● Use windmills to pump out water

6. Land of Peninsulas
● Europe is a large peninsula
● Scandinavian Peninsula- Norway, Sweden, Finland
● Norway’s coast has many small inlets called fjords-
evidence of glaciations
● Jutland-Denmark
● Iberian Peninsula- Spain and Portugal, most of it is a
semiarid plateau, cut off from the rest of Europe by
Pyrenees Mts., mts kept region isolated
● Apennine Peninsula- Italy, along spine of peninsula
Apennines Mts., earthquakes, volcanoes common in
region
● Balkan Peninsula- southeast Europe, tangle of
mountains and valleys, historically kept people isolated

8. Islands
Major Islands
❖ Iceland, Great Britain,
Ireland located in Atlantic
❖ Climate moderated by warm
North Atlantic current
❖ Sicily, Crete, Sardinia,
Corsica in Mediterranean
❖ Characterized by
earthquakes and volcanoes
❖ Mt. Etna Europe’s largest
active volcano located on
Sicily

9. Natural Resources
● Abundant supply of
coal, iron ore helped
fuel Industrial
Revolution
● Many starting to be
depleted
● Vast oil reserves in
the North Sea
● Wind, hydroelectric
and nuclear power in
widespread use
● Geothermal energy
abundant in Iceland

10. Climate and Vegetation
● Europe’s relationship to the sea
influence climate and vegetation
● Western, Southern Europe benefit
from maritime winds
● Western Europe- maritime west
coast climate (mild winters, cool
summers, abundant rainfall)
● Gulf Stream, North Atlantic Drift
bring warm water from tropical
regions, westerly winds carry
warm moist air to European
landmass, Scandinavian
Peninsula and southern Iceland
● Arctic, subarctic climate types
found across northern Europe

11. Climate and Vegetation
● Southern Europe- most is a
Mediterranean climate
● Balkan Peninsula (subtropical), Spain
(steppe )
● Alps block moisture from Atlantic
● Local winds cause changes in the normal
pattern- Mistral (brings cold air from
Alps to southern France), Siroccos
(brings hot dry air from North Africa to
region)
● Eastern Europe humid continental
climate, cold winters, hot summers
● Does not benefit from ocean influence
● Steppe climate in southwestern Europe
characterize by drought, poor soils
● Influenced development of region

13. Northern Europe
➢United Kingdom, Ireland,
Iceland, Sweden, Finland
and Denmark
➢Population patterns shaped
by migration and distinct
ethnic groups
➢Over 160 different ethnic
groups across Europe
➢United Kingdom one of the
most ethnically diverse and
densely populated
➢Other countries dominated
mainly one ethnic group

15. Northern Europe
● UK has been conquered by different groups
for thousands of years
● Ireland, UK have temperate climates and
fertile soil that have supported a large
population
● Immigration from the former British
Empire has makes the British Isles more
diverse
● Scandinavia has less diversity
● Internal and external migration has
affected the region
● Internal migration has brought people to
urban areas for economic opportunity
● Major cities and economic centers and
capitals - London, England; Stockholm,
Sweden; Copenhagen, Denmark

16. Northern Europe
● Mid 1700’s Industrial Revolution
A.Transformed manufacturing in Europe and
across the world
B.Transportation, communication developed
C.Rise of Industrial capitalism (profits used to
expand companies)
D.Rise of middle class, rise of material comforts
● Factory workers- poor, lived in crowded slums
● Social problems led to ideas of communism
● Idea based on economic equality, workers
control factories and industrial production
● By end of 1800’s many gov’ts began to pass
laws to improve workers lives

17. Northern Europe
● Since the end of World War II northern
European countries have built stable
democracies and strong economies
● All northern European countries are
members of the European Union
● Languages all have Indo-European
language
● Most countries are Protestant and allow
religious freedom
● School is mandatory for at least 10
years and literacy rates are around
100%
● Countries offer complete social welfare
to citizens
● Welfare States- tax supported
programs for higher education, health
care, social security
● Large portions of national budget spent
to provide services
● Because of recent economic pressures
governments have had to limit services

18. Western Europe
● France, Netherlands,
Switzerland, Austria, Belgium,
Germany
● Germany and Austria historically
have been homogeneous
● Other countries reflect traditions
of many different groups
● Countries welcome many
different immigrant groups
● Germany uses foreign guest
workers (workers temporarily
allowed into country) to fill
industrial jobs because of low
population growth and ageing
population
● Many French immigrants are
from former French colonies and
are predominantly Muslim
● Situations cause ethnic tension
in region

19. Western Europe
● Subregion densely populated, good
farmland support large populations
● Germany most populous country in
Europe
● Netherlands and Belgium have
highest population densities
● Most of region has an aging and
shrinking population
● Immigrants and people from rural
areas moving to urban areas for
opportunity
● Major urban areas Paris, Brussels,
Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam

20. Western Europe
● Subregion part of Roman, Empire, Holy Roman Empire and place
where Protestant Reformation began
● France, Prussia (modern Germany and Poland) were once major
European powers
● Countries suffered heavily during two World Wars
● End of WW II left Europe divided, ruined
● Struggle between non- communist world and communist world –
Cold War
● Eastern Europe came under Communist control (USSR)
● Most of Western Europe helped by aid from the US
● Germany at center of tensions
● After WWII Germany divided for almost 50 years
● West Germany was democratic, East Germany was communist
(reunited 1991)
● West Germany prospered at this time by becoming a member of the
EU and a player in the world economy
● Economic development lags behind in the former East Germany

22. Western Europe
● Region home of artistic and literary movements
● Realism, impressionism
● Languages of region Indo-European in origin
● Primarily Christian, tolerant of other religions and with
a growing Muslim population
● High literacy rate, high standard of living
● Economy based in manufacturing and service
industries
● Governments provide social services to citizens

24. Southern Europe
● Mediterranean home to some of
the oldest civilizations in Europe
● Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal,
Vatican City
● Italy most populated country
● Vatican City world’s smallest
independent state, and the seat
of the Catholic Church
● Population in Spain
concentrated near coast
● Millions from this region left in
the late 1800’s and early 1900’s
and came to the US for economic
opportunity
● Most of the population is urban

25. Southern Europe
● Region was home to the Greek and Roman Empires
● Athens introduced the world to democracy
● Rome made breakthroughs in law and government
● Renaissance began in Italy in the 1300’s
● 1800’s and 1900’s were a time of nationalism and
World War
● 1990’s political and economic stability across
subregion through democratically elected
governments and membership in the European Union

26. Southern Europe
● Literacy rates are high and the
governments of the Southern
European countries provide free,
compulsory education
● Governments provide healthcare and
social services to citizens
● 2010 economic collapse in Greece and
Portugal has led to reduction of social
services
● Romance languages dominate
(languages based in Latin)
● Majority of population is Roman
Catholic and Greek Orthodox,
growing Muslim population due to
immigration
● Greeks and Romans developed the
basics of architecture and great works
of art have been produced by Italian
artists

27. Eastern Europe
● Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia,
Macedonia, Romania, Hungary,
Czech Republic, Poland,
Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Belarus and Russia
● Sub region shaped by wars,
migration and changing borders
● Most people of region are ethnic
Slavs
● Many religious groups are
represented (Catholic, Muslim,
Eastern Orthodox)
● Minority group found in Bulgaria
are Roma people (Gypsies)

28. Eastern Europe
● Population density affected by
geographic factors
● Ukraine, Poland have fertile soils and
support large populations (part of
Northern European Plain)
● Ukraine regions largest nation
● Slavs settled region thousands of years
ago, Romans conquered region, under
the control of the Byzantine Empire, for
over 500 years Balkan region controlled
by Ottoman Empire
● After WWII the region was part of the
Soviet Bloc
● Political circumstances caused large scale
internal immigration and migration
● Since the end of the Cold War many
countries are experiencing economic
growth

29. Eastern Europe
● Modern Eastern Europe has suffered
instability because of ethnic division, and
power struggles
● Balkan peninsula seen most instability
● Balkanization term used to describe the
division of a region into smaller regions that
are often hostile toward one another
● After WWI Yugoslavia was established that
united all countries of Balkan region
● Country was under communist control after
WWII
● After decline of Soviet Union in early 1990’s
region fractured along ethnic lines
● Some republics declared independence and
ethnic and religious tension sparked violence
● Serbs accused of ethnic cleansing of Muslim
Bosnians
● International peacekeeping efforts brought
some peace

30. Eastern Europe
● Economy did improve during
1990’s
● Countries encouraged free market
reforms and free elections installed
democratic leaders
● Many countries faced challenges to
health care in the transition from
communism but most Eastern
Europeans have access to
government sponsored health care
● Literacy rates are not quite as high
as they are in Western Europe
● Religious diversity has caused
conflict across the region

31. The Region Today

32. The Economy
● Industrial Revolution made Europe
birthplace of modern industry
● Availability of raw materials helped
develop industry in parts of Europe
● Major industrial centers of Ruhr
district in Germany, Po Basin in Italy
and the Upper Silesia district in the
Czech Republic and Poland
● Service industry provides a large
percentage of the GDP (Gross
domestic product, the value of goods
and services produced by a country in
a year) across Europe
● 60% of workers in service industry
● Banking and finance, high tech
industries and tourism, leading
service sector industries

33. The Economy
● Europe has fertile farmland
● Numbers involved in farming is dropping
● Crops vary across Europe
● Farmers use advanced techniques to make best use of limited
space
● Mixed farming common- several crops and livestock on one
farm
● Farm cooperatives- farmers share growing and selling
products, reduces costs, increases profits
● Under communism collective farms, government owned farms,
workers received wages and a share of products
● Out dated equipment, lack of incentive resulted in low yields
● Debate over new farming methods from genetically modified
foods to organic practices
● Government subsidies for agriculture are an issue
● Many think it causes overproduction and artificial price
protection

34. Transportation and Communication
● One of the best transportation systems in
the world
● Many are government owned, standards
vary from in Western Europe
● Rail network links continent
● High speed trains more economical than
auto, air travel
● Well developed highway system
● Autobahn one of the best roads in the
world (Germany)
● Long tradition of seafaring, many major
ports
● Economies along Danube and Rhine River
depend on trade
● Handles over half of the worlds
international shipping
● Rotterdam in the Netherlands , at the
mouth of the Rhine, the largest port in the
world
● Well developed cell phone network across
Europe

35. Trade and Interdependence
● European Union (EU) unites Europe
into one trading community
● Greater volume of trade than any single
country in the world
● Movement arose from WWII to rebuild
ruined economies
● 1957 first countries joined (Belgium,
West Germany, France, Luxembourg,
Italy, Netherlands) to integrate
economies
● 1992- Maastricht Treaty, set up EU
● Get rid of trade restrictions, have
common foreign policy, currency,
works to scale down welfare state
● Member countries work to boost trade
and make economy more efficient and
productive

36. Eastern European Economy
● During Cold War (1940’s-1991)
Eastern Europe run under a
command economy, were loyal
to the USSR
● Government made all economic
decisions, workers had a lack of
incentive to work
● After the fall of communism-
too many workers, too little
technology, needed to retrain
workers, adopt energy
conservation measures
● Countries needed to modernize
to compete
● Social benefits have been cut,
population dropping since the
early 1990’s

37. People and Their Environment
● Europeans face challenges from the
physical environment and most of
Europe has been altered by human use
● Physical environment: Earthquakes
frequent in southern Europe, Iberian
peninsula is an arid region makes
agriculture difficult
● Human interaction:
A.High concentration of industry has
had an impact on land, air and water
B.Soil erosion due to deforestation and
overgrazing is a problem in the arid
Mediterranean region
C.Most of Europe’s forests have been
removed, especially in Southern and
industrial Western Europe to create
cities, industry and farms
● Delta Project- large scale, 30 year
project to prevent flooding in the
Netherlands

38. Water Pollution
● Agricultural ,industrial runoff problems across
Europe
● Industrial pollution, raw sewage and agricultural
runoff have harmed river systems
● Destroyed fish species, contaminated ecosystems
● Biggest concern along Mediterranean
● Recent times many have moved near the sea, tourism
popular, has caused an increase in environmental
problems
● Used for transportation, recreation also a dumping
ground for waste, sewage, industrial waste
● Small tides, weak currents do not disperse pollution

39. People and Their Environment
● Black Triangle (Germany, Poland, Czech
Republic, Slovakia) where industrial
pollution has had the highest impact
● Before 1989 most of Eastern Europe had
no laws to control pollution
● Communist emphasis on rapid industrial
growth affected public health
● Western European countries have dumped
industrial waste in water and air
● Industry contributed to acid rain, drifted
across borders and affected other countries
● Auto exhaust also contributes
● Most severe in E. Europe where they burn
more coal
● Acid rain has damaged many historic sites
in Europe
● Worries about global warming

40. People and their Environment
● Many European governments have made an effort to clean up the
environment
● EU requires environmental protection and cleanup from its members
● EU members face legal actions for not following environmental
protection laws
● Countries wishing to join the EU are required to meet environmental
standards
● Many Western European countries and the US are providing
technology and investment to clean up the environment
● Financing and cleanup is expensive and difficult because of the number
of countries involved
● Many European countries are using alternative energy resources