The Geography of EuropePages 496-499

Vocabulary

• Eurasia – The large landmass that includes Europe and Asia.

Vocabulary

• Topography – The shape and elevation of the land in a region.

The Physical Features of Europe• Europe is a part of Eurasia. • Europe and Asia are separated by the Ural Mts.

Regions of Europe

• Southern Europe • Northern Europe• Scandinavia (Far North)

Southern Europe • Landforms – Mountainous: Alps, Pyrenees,

Balkans, and Caucasus

Southern Europe

• Climate – Warm and Sunny

Southern Europe

• Vegetation – Shrubs and Trees that need little water.

Southern Europe • People – Settled on the coastal plains and river

valleys so that they were on the flat and near water. This allowed them to farm. Due to the dry climate they would grow grapes and olives. Due to the steep terrain they would raise sheep or goats.

Northern Europe

• Landforms – Flatter: Northern European Plains and contains most of Europe’s major rivers

Northern Europe

• Climate – Mild Climate, Wetter and Cooler than Southern Europe, Winter winds bring freezing weather.

Northern Europe

• Vegetation –More of a variety of vegetation can grow here due to the wetter climate.

Northern Europe• People – The people settled further

from the sea because they had the rivers. The rivers were used for transportation and protection.

• People also built their towns on the rivers and then would farm the surrounding flat fields.

• Due to the fact that the region was so flat, many invaders would follow the fields and attack the nearby towns.

Scandinavia

• Landforms – Located on a Peninsula with hills and mountains.

Scandinavia

• Climate – Cold and Snowy

Scandinavia

• Vegetation – Forests and in the far North few plants can survive the freezing winters.

Scandinavia

• People – Settlements were made near water so that the people could fish and get other goods necessary for survival through their trade with other regions.

The Varied Topography of Europe

• Europe has always had a diverse topography. This led to the development of many different ways of life for the people that live on this continent. • Now we have “Set the stage” to

understand the history we are about to learn about during the middle ages!