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Chapter 11 The Physical Geography of Europe Section 1: The Land Terms to Know Places to Locate Dike • Polder • Glaciation • Fjord • Loess * North Sea * Iberian Peninsula * Balkan Peninsula * Alps * Rhine River • What you will learn in this chapter? • Europe’s important land formations • Rivers, mountains, plains, islands & peninsular features • Important natural resources Section 1: The Land • Europe and Asia share landmass • Eurasia • Unlike other continents • Europe – 2nd smallest of continents • After Australia • Europe – distinct region • Juts westward from Asia has unusual long, irregular coastline • Touches many bodies of water • Atlantic Ocean • Baltic sea • North Sea • Mediterranean Sea • Black Sea Struggle with the Sea Most of Europe lies within 300 miles of seacoast ◦ Shaped lifestyles of people The Netherlands – water is friend or foe ◦ 25% of country lies below sea level Dutch built dikes to hold back water ◦ Large banks of earth and stone Reclaimed new land from sea Struggle with the Sea Reclaimed new land from sea ◦ Polders – reclaimed lands Once drained and kept dry by windmills ◦ Today – other power sources run pumps to remove seawater Polders provides lands for farming and settlement ◦ Sometimes stormy seas breach dikes & create floods The Northern Peninsulas Europe is large peninsula made of smaller peninsulas Scandinavian Peninsula – far north Glaciation – process where glaciers form and spread over peninsula Glaciers carved out long, narrow, steepsided inlets – fjords (fee * AWRDZ) ◦ Atlantic coastline The Northern Peninsulas Most of Norway and n. Sweden is mountainous S. Sweden – lowlands slope to Baltic Sea Norway, Sweden and Finland – Ice Age glaciers left behind thousands of sparkling lakes The Northern Peninsulas Jutland – peninsula that forms mainland of Denmark and extends into North Sea (toward Norway & Sweden) Glaciers deposited sand & gravel on Jutland’s flat western side ◦ Carved fjords in the higher coastline on east Flat lands or low hills – most of Jutland’s interior The Southern Peninsulas Iberian Peninsula – SW edge of Europe ◦ Home of Spain and Portugal Separates Atlantic Ocean form Mediterranean Sea Strait of Gibraltar – separates southern tip from Africa ◦ 20 miles of water The Southern Peninsulas Most of peninsula is semiarid plateau ◦ Rises above coastal plains In north – Pyrenees (PIHR * uh * NEEZ) Mountains cut off peninsula from rest of Europe ◦ Result – people of peninsula isolated from rest of Europe & oriented towards the sea The Southern Peninsulas Apennine (A*puh*NYN) Peninsula – Italy is located there ◦ Extends into Mediterranean Sea ◦ Like a giant boot Coastline varies from high, rocky cliffs to long, sandy beaches Apennines – mountain chain that includes an active volcano – Mount Vesuvius ◦ Near city of Naples Plains cover 1/3 of area ◦ Largest fertile plain of Lombardy ◦ Along Po River in north The Southern Peninsulas Balkan peninsula – se Europe ◦ Bounded by Adriatic and Ionian Seas on west & Aegean/Black Seas on east ◦ Made up of mountain ranges and valleys stretch southward from Danube River ◦ Travel difficult b/c of craggy landscape Europe’s Islands Europe has many islands ◦ Iceland – located south of Arctic Circle in N. Atlantic Ocean Lies along Mid-Atlantic Ridge Has volcanoes, hot springs and geysers ◦ Glaciers found next to volcanoes & hot springs Due to Iceland’s northern location Europe’s Islands Homes and industries – most located in capital of Reykjavik (RAY*kyah*VEEK) ◦ Pipe in water from hot springs for heat Coast made up of grassy lowlands Land rises sharply to form inland plateau Europe’s Islands British Isles – nw of European mainland ◦ Two large islands Great Britian & Ireland ◦ Thousands of smaller islands N. and W. G.B. – mountain ranges, plateaus and deep valleys S. G.B. – low hills & gently rolling plains Europe’s Islands Ireland – called “Emerald Isle” ◦ Lush green land of cool temps and lots of rainfall ◦ Rugged coastline of GB feature rocky cliffs dropping to deep bays Europe’s Islands Islands – south of European mainland ◦ In Mediterranean Sea Rugged mountains form larger islands: ◦ Sicily, Sardnia, Corsica, Crete & Cyprus Volcanic & earthquake in region ◦ Mt. Etna – highest active volcano – rises over Sicily Europe’s Islands Smaller islands in Med. Sea ◦ Balearic Islands (Spain) ◦ Malta (5 islands) ◦ Greece (2,000 islands – Aegean Sea) Draws tourists b/c of scenic, rugged landscape Mountains and Plains Mainland consists of plains interrupted by mountains ◦ run through interior ◦ Along northern and southern edges Mountain Regions Northwestern mountains ◦ Ancient rock formations ◦ Rounded by eons of erosion and glaciation ◦ Low peaks Ben Nevis – highest mountain in British Isles – 4,406 feet Central Uplands ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Iberian Peninsula to eastern Europe Low, rounded mountains High plateaus Scattered forests Include Meseta (Spain’s central plateau) and Massif Central (France central highlands) Mountain Regions Southern Europe ◦ Geologically younger mountains ◦ High & jagged Pyrenees Mountains formed by crust lifting and folding ◦ Thrust upward to 11,000 feet Alps formed by glaciation and folding ◦ Forms crescent from s. Europe to Balkan Peninsula Highest peak – Mont Blanc – 15,771 feet on border of France and Italy Mountain Regions Major rivers originate in Alps ◦ Rhine and Po Alps form barrier that separates warm, dry climate of Mediterranean region from cooler climates of north Carpathian Mountains – towering mountain chain ◦ Runs through eastern Europe from Slovakia to Romania Plains Regions Broad plains curve around highlands North European Plain – stretches from SE England and W. France eastward to Poland, Ukraine and Russia Fertile soil & wealth of rivers drew farmers to area ◦ Plain still major agricultural region ◦ Southern edge very fertile b/c deposits of loess Fine, rich, wind-borne soil that covers area Plains Regions Deposits in North European Plain include coal, iron ore and other minerals ◦ Led to western Europe’s industrial development in 1800s ◦ Today many large cities located on plain Paris & Berlin Great Hungarian Plain – from Hungary to Croatia, Serbia, Romania ◦ Cultivate gains, fruit and vegetables in area ◦ Also raise livestock in lowlands along Danube Water Systems Many water systems flow from inland mountain and highland areas to coasts Connect navigable rivers with canals ◦ Enhanced natural waterways as transportation links ◦ Rivers & canals also provide water to irrigate farmland and produce electricity Water Systems Rivers have differing characteristics ◦ Scandinavia – rivers short & do not provide easy connection b/w cities ◦ Iberian Peninsula – main rivers too narrow and shallow for large slips ◦ Thames River (TEHMZ) – in England – allows ocean going ships to reach port of London Water Systems Heartland of Europe ◦ Long rivers provide links b/w inland areas as well as to sea ◦ Rhine – most important river in western Europe Flows from Swiss Alps through France & Germany into Netherlands Connect many industrial cities to Rotterdam Busy port on North Sea Water Systems Danube River – flows from Germany’s Black Forest to Black Sea ◦ Eastern Europe’s major waterway ◦ Every year – millions of tons of cargo carried on river by ships & barges Main (MYN) River – tributary of Rhine ◦ b/c connected to Danube in 1992 ◦ Main-Danube Canal completed ◦ Linked North Sea with Black Sea Water Systems Other major European Rivers: ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ France: Seine, Rhone, Loire Germany: Elbe, Weser Poland: Vistula Italy: Po Ukraine: Dnieper Natural Resources Long history of utilizing natural resources ◦ i.e. energy sources, agricultural areas, water and minerals Abundant supply of coal & iron ore ◦ Fueled development of modern industry Natural Resources Coal Major reserves in U.K., Germany, Ukraine and Poland Many coalfields depleted or expensive too mine ◦ Western Europe Iron Ore Large deposits in n. Sweden, ne France and s. Ukraine Other mineral resources: ◦ Bauxite, zinc, manganese Natural Resources • Fuel is scarce – in some countries • Burn peat • Vegetable matter found in swamps and usually composed of mosses • Dug up, chopped into blocks and dried so it can be burned • Mostly rely on coal, oil, gas and nuclear/hydroelectric power • Large deposits of oil and natural gas under North Sea • Contribute to energy needs • France – no oil or gas reserves • Nuclear power Section 2: Climate & Vegetation Terms to Know Timberline Foehn Avalanche Mistral Sirocco Chaparral Permafrost Places to Locate Gulf Stream North Atlantic Drift Water and Land Climates and vegetation vary Cold, barren tundra & subarctic land of Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland Warm, shrub-covered Mediterranean coasts of Italy, Spain and Greece Water and Land What determines climate in Europe? ◦ Northern latitude and relation to sea W. and S. Europe – lie near/along large bodies of water ◦ Benefit from warm maritime winds ◦ Mild climate compared to other places in world at same latitude i.e. Paris and Boston – same distance from Arctic Circle Jan. temps of Paris milder then Boston E. and N. Europe – colder climate than rest of Europe ◦ Due to distance from warming effects of Atlantic Ocean Water and Land Location influences vegetation in Europe ◦ Natural vegetation varies from: forests and grasslands Tundra and small shrubs Western Europe Marine West climate – most of W. Europe ◦ Mild winters, cool summer, abundant rainfall ◦ Gulf Stream in Atlantic Ocean and North Atlantic Drift (northern extension of Gulf Stream) Bring warm waters to area from Gulf of Mexico/regions near equator ◦ Warm, most air blow across surface of Europe Due to prevailing westerly winds Trees and Highlands W. Europe – varieties of deciduous and coniferous trees ◦ Deciduous trees thrive in marine west coast climate ◦ Coniferous trees found in cooler Alpine mountains up to timberline Elevation above which trees can’t grow Trees and Highlands Alps – highland climate ◦ Colder temps and more precipitation then lowland areas ◦ Sudden changes can occur with foehns (FUHNZ) winds Dry winds that blow down from mountains into valleys and plains ◦ This wind can trigger avalanches Destructive masses of ice, snow and rock sliding down mountainsides Ireland’s Forests Region originally covered by forests Vegetation transformed due to human settlement and clearing of land ◦ i.e. prior 1600s – midlands of Ireland covered with forests of broad-leaved trees ◦ Afterwards – forests depleted due to agriculture pressure and large-scale harvest of trees for firewood 1922- Ireland gained independence – only 1% of country woodland ◦ Woodlands building backup ◦ Due to state-funded deforestation projects Peninsulas of Europe Peninsulas – itself a peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is characterized by the number of peninsulas that are found there. The most significant peninsulas are: A. B. C. D. Iberian Peninsula – Spain and Portugal Italian Peninsula – Italy Jutland Peninsula – Denmark Scandinavian Peninsula – Norway, Sweden, and Finland Fjords are steep U-shaped valleys that connect to the sea and that filled with seawater after the glaciers from an Ice Age melted. E. Balkan Peninsula – Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Serbia & Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, and Bulgaria (among others) F. British Isles – England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland D F C A E B Southern Europe Mediterranean climate ◦ Warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters Other climates found in small area ◦ i.e. humid subtropical climate from N. Italy to central Balkan Peninsula Parts of Spain’s Meseta h- dry, steppe climate Southern Europe Alps – block moist Atlantic winds ◦ Less precipitation in S. Europe Winds in region can cause changes in normal weather patterns ◦ Mistral – strong north wind from Alps Sends gusts of bitterly cold air into S. France ◦ Siroccos – high, dry winds from N. Africa Bring high temps to area Eastern & Northern Europe Climate mostly humid continental ◦ Cold, snowy winters and hot summers ◦ Atlantic currents – less influence in area Farther away from Atlantic Ocean Summer & winter temps vary more then rest of Europe Eastern & Northern Europe Eastern Europe – mix of deciduous and coniferous forests ◦ Coniferous trees – survive long, cold winters Found in parts of Scandinavia and Baltic Sea region Grasslands – cover other parts of this area ◦ Esp. Hungary, Yugoslavia and Romania Eastern & Northern Europe Far N. Europe – such as Iceland, n. Scandinavia and Finland ◦ Subarctic and tundra climates Bitterly cold winters and short, cool summers ◦ Permafrost – soil that is permanently frozen below surface ◦ Little vegetation except mosses and small shrubs and wildflowers
