the physical geography of europe unit 4 – chapter 11
TRANSCRIPT
The Physical Geography of Europe
Unit 4 – Chapter 11
I. Section I
The Land
A. Seas, Peninsulas, and Islands
• Struggle with the sea– Most of Europe lies
within 300 miles of a seacoast
– In the Netherlands, about 25% of the land lies below sea level
• Dutch (people of Netherlands) have built dikes
– With these dikes, they have reclaimed lands, called polders
Seas, Peninsulas, and Islands (Cont.)
• The Northern Peninsulas
– Europe is a large peninsula made up of smaller peninsulas
• Scandinavian Peninsula – northern Europe
– Glaciation occurred here and formed fjords
• Jutland Peninsula – mainland part of Denmark
A. Seas, Peninsulas, & Islands (cont)• The Southern Peninsulas
– Iberian Peninsula – SW edge of Europe – Spain & Portugal
• Only 20 miles of water (Straight of Gibraltar) separates this peninsula from Africa
– Apennine Peninsula – Italy – shaped like a boot
• Peninsula is named after the Apennine Mountains located here (they include a volcano named Mt. Vesuvius)
– Balkan Peninsula – SE Europe – Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, European part of Turkey
A. Seas, Peninsulas, & Islands (cont)
• Europe’s Islands– Iceland– British Isles – Great
Britain & Ireland (& many small ones)• Great Britain vs.
United Kingdom vs. England – what is the confusion?
– Islands in the Mediterranean Sea• Sicily, Sardinia,
Corsica, Crete, Cyprus, and many smaller ones
B. Mountains & Plains
Mountain Regions– Pyrenees– Alps
Highest Peak – Mont BlancSome major rivers originate here
– Carpathians– Apennine
Plains Regions– North European Plain (or Great European Plain)– Great Hungarian Plain
C. Water Systems• Europe’s Rivers
– Provide transportation links between major cities
– Irrigate farmland– Provide electricity
• Major Rivers– Thames– Rhine – most important river in Western
Europe– Danube – most important river in Eastern
Europe– Others – Seine, Rhone, Loire, Elbe, Vistula, Po,
Dnieper
D. Natural Resources
Coal – UK, Germany, Ukraine, & Poland Iron Ore – N. Sweden, NE France, SE
Ukraine Bauxite, Zinc, Manganese Peat – read paragraph on pg. 276
II. Section II
Climate & Vegetation
A. Water & Land
Large variation in climates– What things could cause this?
Answer:– Northern Latitude– Relationship to the sea– Elevation
B. Western Europe Mostly Marine West
Coast Climate Trees & Highlands
– Deciduous & Coniferous trees
– Timberline – mountain areas where the elevation is too high for trees to grow
– Foehns – dry winds Foehns can trigger
avalanches
C. Southern Europe
Mostly Mediterranean Climate Some Humid Subtropical &
Steppe Mistral – strong north winds from
the Alps Siroccos – high, dry winds from
North Africa– May bring high temperatures into
the region Chaparral – shrubs & small trees
that grow here
D. Eastern & Northern Europe
Mostly Humid Continental Climate – Cold winters, hot summers– Mixed forests and some
grasslands
Some Subarctic & Tundra Climate– Far northern areas– Permafrost located here– Obviously, little to no vegetation