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

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

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

IslandsMajor 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

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

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

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

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

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

Northern Europe●Mid 1700’s Industrial RevolutionA.Transformed manufacturing in Europe and

across the worldB.Transportation, communication developedC.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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

The Region Today

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

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

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

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

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

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 waterB.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

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

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

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