Download Europe`s Physical Geography

1/6/2016
EUROPE’S
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
NATURAL
BOUNDARY
Please get out 4 different colored
pencils and a highlighter!
The Ural Mountains extend for 2,400 km (1,500 mi) from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the
steppes of Kazakhstan in the south. The Urals are traditionally considered the boundary
between the European and Asian continents.
EUROPE IS A PENINSULA
OF PENINSULAS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
SCANDINAVIAN
JUTLAND
IBERIAN
APENNINE
BALKAN
Iberian
Peninsula
Strait of
Gibraltar
Also called the Italian
Peninsula.
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Europe can be divided into four major
landform regions:
1.Northwest Highlands
2.Northern European Plain
3.Central Uplands
4.Alpine Mt. System
balkanization
1. NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS
The Northwest Highlands is an
eroded area of rugged hills and
low mountains.
It forms all of Iceland, Ireland, part of the island of
Great Britain, most of the Scandinavian peninsula, north
west part of France and much of the Iberian peninsula.
Some of these mountains are believed
to be between 395 and 500MILLION
years old.
During the last ice age, glaciers scoured
the landscapes of Scandinavia and much
of the British Isles.
Glacial Effects:
1. fjords
2. thousands of lakes
3. thin soils
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NOT EXACTLY!!!
FJORDS
NARROW DEEP INLETS OF THE SEA
SET BETWEEN HIGH ROCK CLIFFS…
That’s more like it…..
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2. NORTH EUROPEAN PLAIN
Stretches from France’s Atlantic coast all the way to Ural Mts.
Characteristics:
• Most of the plain is less than 500 feet above sea level.
• Many rivers flow across it before reaching the ocean.
RESULTS…….
Today:
-Most important farming
and industrial region.
• River towns and port cities have
developed. Large cities like Paris
and Berlin are located in this region.
• Many rivers, short distances and
smooth terrain have made human
contact relatively easy= many
culture groups have traveled, traded
and migrated through the region.
-Densely populated
3. Central Uplands
•
•
•
•
area of hills and small plateaus
old eroded region
forested slopes and fertile valleys
many of Europe’s productive coal fields
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Last but not least, is Europe’s
youngest region…
Massif Central in France.
The Alpine mountain system
*Alps
*Carpathian (Eastern Europe)
*Apennines (Italy)
*Pyrenees (France and Spain)
Alps stretch from France’s Mediterranean coast to the
Balkan peninsula.
Many peaks reach the heights of more than 14,000 feet.
Because of the high elevations, the Alps have high
snowfields, glaciers and avalanches are fairly common
in winter.
Despite their height, people have crossed the Alps through
Mountain passes for thousands of years to trade and travel.
P.S. Skiing as a sport was invented here!!!
65 million years ago…
DANGER!
EARTHQUAKES!!!!!!!
Tectonic processes formed
the Alpine system …
The African plate began
pushing against the Eurasian
plate….
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Tectonic activity continues today.
A subduction zone off the coast
of southern Italy and Greece
still creates powerful earthquakes
and volcanoes.
Iceland also experiences this!
Use what you know about
history and explain how you think
Europe’s peninsular location
affected its history…
Is it a positive factor or negative?
How has it affected the locations of
cities and settlements?
HOMEWORK TONIGHT
Now what about climate…..
Read “Water Systems” in Chapter 11, Lesson 1.
• Take notes focusing on significant characteristics and
purposes of Europe’s rivers.
• Also take note of whenever the reading compares or
contrasts, describes cause and effect, or identifies pros
or cons.
• Describe the innovation used in The Netherlands to
overcome 25% of land below sea level.
DUE WEDNESDAY, 1/6!
MEET IN LECTURE HALL TOMORROW FOR CLASS!!!!
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