Physical Geography of Europe Chapters 13-18
The British Isles Archipelago made of 6000+ small islands Temperate climate Largest body of fresh water is Loch Ness Mostly rolling hills and large flat lands
The British Isles Government: U.K. has a democratic government (constitutional monarchy) with a queen, parliament, and prime minister; Ireland is a republic with a president People and culture: Most of the people in the U.K are Protestant while Ireland s population is mostly Catholic. Economy: Britain s economy is strong and most people work in service industries. Ireland s economy is developing quickly. Issues and challenges: Violence in Northern Ireland is a continuing problem.
British Isles
France Wide mix of climates: from Highland to arid Known for its central plains (vineyards) Southern Alps begin in Eastern France Important landforms: Seine River and Alps
France Economy: Important industries include fashion design, tourism, farming, and hightech industry. Issues and Challenges: French gov t. places high taxes on citizens and many industries are gov t.-owned. Unemployment is high because of privatization (state-owned businesses are being turned over to private owners).
France
Benelux Countries Comprised of Belgium, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands Geography is generally flat with rolling hills to the east The Netherlands are known for their barrier islands to the north
Benelux Countries (Belgium, Netherlands, & Luxembourg) Urban Environments: Because of its central location, Brussels, Belgium is the headquarters for the European Union and for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Economy: Belgium s economy is based on industry, agriculture, and services. The Netherland s economy is mainly based on agriculture and Luxembourg is the smallest member of the EU, but has the highest per capita GDP in the world.
Benelux Countries
Scandinavia Includes the countries of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland Marine West Coast climate Known for its fjords (narrow inlets with steep cliffs) About 30% lies north of the Arctic Circle and is permanently frozen
Scandinavia Culture: Very high standards of living Development: High-tech industries have become important. Commercial agriculture and fishing are also important. Norway has oil and gas deposits that make it rich. Economic Change: Sweden s economy used to be a mixture of capitalism and socialism. Because of high taxes, many social programs were offered, but the gov t. is now trying to lessen its influence.
Scandinavia
Germany Forested in the north and mountainous in the south (Alps) Temperate Climate (similar to the mid-west of the US) Important physical features are the Elbe, Danube and Rhine rivers
Germany Government: Democratic government; 16 states Culture: German is the dominant language and Roman Catholic is the dominant religion. Literature, poetry, and music have traditionally been important to the culture. Economy: 4 th highest GDP in the world, diverse economy based on machinery, autos, electronics, and medical equipment. Large deposits of coal, iron ore, and other minerals. Issues and Challenges: The country s changing population (low birthrates, longer life expectancies, and large # of immigrants) is an issue. So is bringing the economy of the east up to that of the west.
Germany
Alpine Made up of Austria and Switzerland Landlocked countries Mostly mountainous because of the Alps Known for its great skiing/snowboarding
Alpine Countries (Austria & Switzerland) Culture: Most Austrians speak German and 75% are Roman Catholic; Switzerland has 4 main languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansh), 46% are Catholic and 40% are Protestant Economy: Austria s economy is very diverse (steel, chemicals, forestry, tourism, etc.); Switzerland has a very high standard of living with an economy based on international banking and insurance
Alpine
Baltics Made up of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania Climate and geography similar to the New England states
Eastern Hungary, Slovakia, and Czech Republic These countries have a temperate climate with very cold winters Climate greatly effected by being landlocked and the Alps to the South
Czech Republic, Slovakia, & Hungary Culture: Most people in C.R. are Catholic. Most people in these countries live near urban areas. Economy: Trade between the U.S. and C.R. increased after the end of Communism. C.R. has many mineral deposits and exports many agricultural products. Slovakia is struggling to improve its economy since the Communist era; unemployment is high. Farming plays a major role in Hungary s economy.
Iberia Made up of Spain, Portugal and Andorra Large peninsula in southeastern Europe Cut off from Europe by the Pyrenees Mountains Mostly a Mediterranean climate Known for its alluvial plains
Iberian Peninsula Culture: Most people are Roman Catholic. Spanish and Portuguese languages both came from Latin. Economy: Spain manufactures textiles, automobiles, and footwear. Tourism is also important. They also export olive oil and wine. Portugal makes automobiles and leads the world in cork production. Issues/Challenges: Unemployment is high and is getting worse with immigration. Also, many of Spain s regions want independence (ex: Basque Country).
Iberia
Italy Made up of a large peninsula shaped like a boot Has mostly a Mediterranean climate (pretty much the perfect place) Major landforms are the Danube River, Apennine Mts. and 14 active volcanoes
Italian Peninsula Culture: Most people are Roman Catholic and speak Italian. Economy: High GDP; many exports including autos, clothing, and food. Northern Italy is much more industrialized and rich than Southern Italy. Issues/Challenges: Developing Southern Italy's economy remains a challenge. Low birthrates, an aging population, and pollution are also challenges.
Italy
Greece Made up of over 6000 islands Islands are dominated by the Pindus Mountains which cover 80% of the country Its geography makes travel challenging Climate: temperate Home to Mount Olympus
Greece & the Balkan Peninsula Culture: 98% of Greeks are Orthodox Christian. Balkan Peninsula has a mix of ethnic groups, languages, and religions. Economy: Greece has made progress since joining the EU, but it is still poor by European standards. Most of the Balkan countries are struggling economically. Issues: Ethnic conflict, corruption, lack of modern industries, and low standards of living.
Greece Mount Olympus
Balkans Made up of 12 different countries Dominated by many mountain ranges, the larges being the Carpathian Mostly a humid subtropical climate
Central Asia Made up of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan Area dominated by the Gobi Desert and the Eurasian Steppe Wide variety of climates Not may natural resources and farming is almost impossible
Central Asia
European Russia Recently Russia was divided in two using the Ural Mountains for economic reasons 25% of Russia is in Europe and 75% is in Asia Roughly 80% of the population lives in European Russia Most well-known for the Taiga the largest forested area on the planet
European Russia