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Western Europe By Amanda Huy, Karina Critten, and Kayla Harper Countries and capitals! United kingdom- London Ireland: Reykjar’k Norway- Oslo Sweden- Stockholm Germany- Berlin Denmark- Copenhagen Belgium- Brussels France- Paris Netherlands-Amsterdam Switzerland- Bern Italy- Rome Spain- Madrid Portugal-Lisbon Alliances and agreements The Western European Union 1948: Have a council and secretariat formerly located in London and based in Brussels since Jan, 1993, and a parliamentary Assembly in Paris. NATO 1949: They adopted a “platform on European Security interests”, in which affirmed their determination both to strengthen the European pillar of NATO and to provide an integrated Europe with a security and defiance dimensions. Government Western Europe has a Parliamentary System of government. There are 3 branches: Executive, legislative, and judicial. The ministers of the executive branch are drawn from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined. In such a system, the head of government is both de facto chief executive and chief legislator. The prime minister in London is Harold Macmillan You can vote at the age of 18. Economy of Western Europe - The standard of living in Western Europe is very wealthy. The average income is 35,000 dollars. Exports- Furniture, leather goods, liquor, cars, cheese, other fine foods Resources: pigs, root vegetables, chemicals, iron, coal, wheat History of western Europe human inhabited the European continent since it was first populated in prehistoric times to present with the first human settlement between 45,000 and 25,000 B.C. Population characteristics There are currently 789,000,000 people living in western Europe. Growth rate 0.098 % (2010 est.) Ethnic groups The Culture of Europe is better described as a series of overlapping cultures of Europe. Language is a very important part of culture, and Europe has a widespread variety of languages, with most countries having at least one official language. Populations characteristics Populations characteristics Biomes of Europe and surrounding regions: tundra alpine tundra taiga montane forest temperate broadleaf forest mediterranean forest temperate steppe dry steppe Climate and topography Temperatures average between 2°C (January) and 22°C (July) in London The climate of Europe has a maritime climate prevailing on the western coasts and a Mediterranean climate in the south. The climate is strongly conditioned by the Gulf stream, which warms the western region. Volga – the largest river in Europe. Its length is 3,530 km. Volga basin resembles branched mighty tree, which stretched for 1 / 3 of the East European Plain. Source of the river is at the Valdai Hills and it feeds mostly melted snow water. Climate and topography cont: The Danube – the second largest (2850 km) and basin area European river. it starts its way into the mountains of the Black Forest to the north-east of the Alps and flows into the three main arms of the Black Sea Dnipro – the third longest river in Europe (2201 km) and the largest in Ukraine. As well as the Volga, Dnipro rises in the Valdai Hills and finished his course, falling into Dnipro estuary of the Black Sea ALPS Located in south-central Europe, they extend for almost 700 miles in a crescent shape from the coastline of southern France (near Monaco) into Switzerland, northern Italy and Austria, then southeast through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Yugoslavia) as the (Dinaric Alps). They end in Albania on the rugged coastline of the Adriatic Sea Climate and topography cont: Time Line 476 AD- Dark Ages- began roughly with the fall of the western roman empire. It lasted until the 11th century. 1340- black death kills a third of Europe’s population 1707- the kingdom of Great Britain is form by the union of England and Scotland. 1789- French Revolution 1919- league of Nations founded. 1919- signing of treaty of Versailles. 1940- Nazis invade France, Belgium, Luxemburg, and Netherlands. 1949- NATO- was established in Washington D.C , the most important and long-lasting international agreement of the postwar era, comprising the US, Britain, Canada, France, Italy, and other western European democracies. Current Events In West Europe Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks turned himself in to authorities in London in December of 2010. Arid Uka, a radicalized Muslim killed two American soldiers in a military bus in Frankfurt, Germany last Wednesday. Italy suspends the friendship treaty with Libya. The royal wedding of Prince William(2nd in line to the British throne) to Kate Middleton will be on April 29th in Westminster Abbey. Italy! Italy’s capital About Italy . The capital of Italy is Rome Italy is located in Southern Europe, on a peninsula that extends out into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia. It stands out distinctively like a large boot on the map. Alliances and Agreements The Triple Alliance was the military alliance between Germany, Austria–Hungary, and Italy that lasted from 1882 until the start of World War I in 1914. Each member promised mutual support in the event of an attack by any two other great powers, or for Germany and Italy, an attack by France alone. Italy’s government Italy has been a democratic republic since June 2, 1946, when the monarchy was abolished by popular referendum. The constitution was promulgated on January 1, 1948.The Italian state is centralized. The prefect of each of the provinces is appointed by and answerable to the central government. In addition to the provinces, the constitution provides for 20 regions with limited governing powers Many regional governments, particularly in the north of Italy, are seeking additional powers. Executive--president (chief of state), Council of Ministers (cabinet), headed by the president of the council (prime minister). Legislative--bicameral parliament: 630-member Chamber of Deputies, 315-member Senate (plus a varying number of "life" Senators). Judicial--independent constitutional court and lower magistracy. Italt’s government Foreign Minister--Franco Frattini President--Giorgio Napolitano Prime Minister--Silvio Berlusconi Economy of Italy The Italian economy has changed dramatically since the end of World War II. From an agriculturally based economy, it has developed into an industrial state ranked as the world's sixth-largest market economy. Italy belongs to the Group of Eight industrialized nations; it is a member of the European Union and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Italy has few natural resources. With much land unsuited for farming, Italy is a net food importer. There are no substantial deposits of iron, coal, or oil. Proven natural gas reserves, mainly in the Po Valley and offshore in the Adriatic, constitute the country's most important mineral resource. Most raw materials needed for manufacturing and more than 80% of the country's energy sources are imported. Italy's economic strength is in the processing and the manufacturing of goods, primarily in small and medium-sized family-owned firms. Its major industries are precision machinery, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electric goods, and fashion and clothing. Cont: GDP (purchasing power parity, 2009): $1.8 trillion. GDP per capita (purchasing power parity, 2009): $29,500. GDP growth: -5.0% (2009) Natural resources: Fish and natural gas. Agriculture: Products--wheat, rice, grapes, olives, citrus fruits, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans beef, dairy products History and culture Italy has the fifth-highest population density in Europe-about 200 persons per square kilometer (about 500 per sq. mi.). Minority groups are small, the largest being the German-speaking people of Bolzano Province and the Slovenes around Trieste. Roman Catholicism is the majority religion--85% of native-born citizens are nominally Catholic--all religious faiths are provided equal freedom before the law by the constitution. Cont: Population characteristics Population (November 2009 est.): 60.3 million. Annual population growth rate (2008 est.): 0.07%, mostly due to immigration. Ethnic groups: Primarily Italian, but there are small groups of German-, French-, Slovene-, and Albanian-Italians. Religion: Roman Catholic (majority). Language: Italian (official). Education: Years compulsory--16. Literacy--98%. Health: Infant mortality rate--3.7/1,000 live births. Life expectancy--78.8 years for men; 84.1 years for women. Work force (24.97 million, 2009): Services--67%; industry and commerce--29%; agriculture--4%. Unemployment rate is 7.8%. Climate and topography The climate of Italy is mainly temperate, though it varies slightly according to region. The north of Italy is warm in summer, with occasional rain; the central area of the country is very humid; and the south is hot and dry. The northern cities of Milan, Turin and Venice experience cold, damp foggy winter weather, and in Tuscany the mercury drops close to freezing. Winter weather in the south of Italy is more pleasant. Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc) Cont: Major Rivers: The major rivers in Italy are: the Po River (which flows from the Alps near the French border, through Turin, and eastward into the Adriatic Sea), the Arno River (which flows from the north-central Apennines, through Florence, and into the Tyrrhenian Sea), and the Tiber River (which flows from the north-central Apennines, south through Rome, and into the Tyrrhenian Sea). Cont: Present day Italy Italy's state TV network is facing accusations of censorship after it banned a trailer for a documentary critical of Silvio Berlusconi, claiming it pokes fun at the prime minister's late mother. Italy is the latest Western European country turning the screws on an expanding immigrant population by demanding language skills in exchange for work permits, or in some cases, citizenship. Spain! About Spain The capital and largest city is Madrid. It is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar; to the north by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the northwest and west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. City of Madrid! Alliances and Agreements The Pact of Madrid It was signed in 1953 by Spain and the US. It ended a period of virtual isolation for Spain. The1953 accord took the form of three separate executive agreements that pledged the US to furnish economic and military aid to Spain. The US in turn was to be permitted to construct and to utilize air and naval bases on Spanish Territory. American Revolutionary War Spain sided with France against Britain. Treaty of Paris In the treaty with Spain, the colonies of the East and West Florida were ceded to Spain, as was the island of Minorca, while the Bahama Islands, Grenada and Montserrat, captured by the French and Spanish, were returned to Britain. Spain’s Government Parliamentary Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy. Branches: Executive- president of government nominated by monarch, subject to approval by democratically elected Congress of Deputies. Legislative- bicameral Cortes: a 350 seat Congress of Deputies and a senate. 4 senators are elected in each of 47 peninsular provinces, 16 are elected from the three island provinces, and Ceuta and Melilla elect two each. This accounts for 208 senators. Judicial- Constitutional Tribunal has jurisdiction over constitutional issues. Supreme tribunal heads system comprising territorial ,provincial, regional, and municipal courts. Political Parties Spanish Socialist Workers Party, Popular Party, and the United Left. Key regional Parties are the Convergence and Union, in Catalonia and the Basque Nationalist Party in the Basque country. Legal System The Spanish legal system is excruciatingly slow. There is a backlog of hundreds of thousands of cases throughout Spain, which means that it takes years for many cases to come to court. Cont. Voting: A resident of spain may vote if: They are registered on the population census They have signed the voting form The government building in Murica City, Spain. King Juan Carlos the first Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero Economy of Spain Spain is a mixed capitalist economy and is the 12th largest in the world. GDP Per Capita: $ 29,875 Production: Processed foods, textiles, footwear, petrochemicals, steel, automobiles, consumer goods, and electronics. Exports; Automobiles, fruits, minerals, metals, clothing, footwear, textiles, Natural Resources: Coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, hydroelectric power. Average Exchange Rate: 1 euro= U.S $1.39 History of Spain The first known peoples of present-day Spain were the Celts and the Iberians. After an arduous conquest, the Iberian Peninsula became a region of the Roman Empire known as Hispania. During the early Middle Ages it came under Germanic rule but later was conquered by Muslim invaders. Through a very long and fitful process, the Christian kingdoms in the north gradually rolled back Muslim rule, finally extinguishing its last remnant in Granada in 1492, the same year Columbus reached the Americas. A global empire began which saw Spain become the strongest kingdom in Europe and the leading world power in the 16th century and first half of the 17th century. Celts and Iberians! Time line of some of Spain's history! 1533: Francisco Pizarro conquered the South American Inca Empire. 1588: Phillip launched the Spanish Armada which the English defeated. 1939-1945: world war 1- Spain remained neutral. 1975: Franco died and Juan Carlos became King. July 17, 1821: Spain ceded Florida to the United Kingdom. 1898: the Spanish were defeated in the Spanish- American War. Cuba was given its independence and Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico were given to the United States. Culture of Spain The culture of Spain is a European culture based on a variety of influences. These include the pre-Roman cultures, mainly the Celts and the Iberians cultures; but mainly in the period of Roman influences. The subsequent course of Spanish history also added elements to the countries cultural development. In addition, the history of the nation and its Mediterranean and Atlantic environment have played a significant role in shaping its culture. culture cont. Religion: Catholicism is the major religion in Spain. Spain is dominated by the Roman Catholics. According to statistics about 76% of the population is Catholic. People of other faith comprise of 2% and people of no faith are about 19%. Languages: The official language is Spanish. Recognized languages are Aranesse and Basque. Regional languages are Catalan/ Valencian and Galician. Population! The population of Spain is 46,030,109. The Growth Rate as of 2010 is .49% which was a big change from 2009 which was 7% Ethnic groups: the Basques, Catalan and Galician. Unemployment rate: 20% Population Pyramid! Climate! The climate of Spain is extremely varied . The northern coastal regions are cool and humid. The central plateau is cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Land use: arable land : 27.18%, permanent crops: 9.85%, other: 65.97% Elevations: lowest point- Atlantic Ocean 0 M. highest point- Pico De Teide on Canary Islands 3,718 M. Rivers: There are some 18000 rivers in Spain. Some of these are the: Bidasoa, Nervion, Navia, Eo. Land Forms: Iberian Peninsula, Meseta Plateau. Climate Graph of Spain News! Spain is Mired in a deep recession. It faces a budget gap of more than 10% of GDP, an overhang of 800,000 unsold new home and an economy expected to shrink by .4% in 2010. Spain's leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has replaced his right hand woman in a major cabinet reshuffle. Health Minister Trinidad Jemenez replaces Miguel Angel Moratinos at Foreign Affairs. Shakira is going to be bringing her European tour to Spain! Victims of Spain's stolen Babies scandal say that they need help from the government to pay for DNA testing. Belgium THE COLORS REPRESENT THE ARMS OF THE DUCHY OF BRABANT. The Nation as a Whole Capital: Brussels Alliances: Belgium is a member in both NATO, and the EU. Location: It is below the Netherlands, above France, and to the West of Luxembourg and Germany. Governmen t It’s government is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy. The Executive branch is composed of a chief of state (King Albert II, with a prime minister who is currently resigned, but remains caretaker of the head of government. The cabinet is a Council of Ministers that are fomally appointed by the King. The Legislative branch is a bicameral Parliament that consists of a senate (71 seats: 40 members directly elected by popular vote, 31 inderectly) , and a Chamber of Deputies (150 seats: members directly elected by popular vote.) The Judicial Branch is a Supreme Court of Justice where the judges are appointed for life by the government. Voting is allowed at the age of 18. Executive: King Albert II Prime Minister-Yves Leterme (caretaker) Cabinet– Council of Ministers Legislative: a bicameral Parliament with a Senate (71 seats) and a Chamber of Deputies (150 seats) Judicial: a Supreme court of Justice where the judges are appointed for life by the government. Economy of Belgium Income: 30,000 Euro Produce: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco, beef, veal, pork, and milk Exports: machinery and equipment, chemicals, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foods Resources: Chemicals, metal, farm lands Exports History Neanderthals occupy Belgium as well as the majority of Europe. •The northernmost part of the Roman Empire was established in Belgium. •1349 Nov 1, Duke of Brabant ordered the execution of all Jews in Brussels. He accused them of poisoning the wells. •1500 Feb 24, Charles V, king of Spain, was born in Ghent, Belgium. He was the last Holy Roman Emperor to be crowned by the Pope. •1584 Jan 7, This was the last day of the Julian calendar in Bohemia & Holy Roman empire. The 1582 Gregorian (or New World) calendar was adopted by this time in Belgium, most of the German Roman Catholic states and the Netherlands. •1760 A Belgian created roller skates by replacing the blades of ice skates with wheels. •1830 Aug 25, Belgium rebelled against Netherlands. •1830 Dec 20, An international conference declared the dissolution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands effectively recognizing the independence of Belgium. •1831 Jan 23, The Belgian Provisional Government decreed: The flag of Belgium is red, yellow and black. These colors are arranged vertically. •1834 May 5, The first mainland railway line opened in Belgium. Time line continued…. •1857 Neuhaus began making chocolate in Belgium. •1914 Mar 27, 1st successful blood transfusion took place in Brussels. •1914 Aug 4, Britain and Belgium declared war after German troops entered Belgium. The United States proclaimed its neutrality. •1920 Godiva Chocolates, founded by Joseph Draps, began as a family business. •1942 Aug 4, The 1st train with Jews departed Mechelen, Belgium, to Auschwitz. •1944 Sep 2, Troops of the U.S. First Army entered Belgium. •1945 Jan 12, German forces in Belgium retreated in Battle of Bulge. Culture Religion: Roman Catholic--75% Other—25% People Population: 10,423,493 Growth rate: .082% Median age male– 40.7 yrs. female- 43.3 yrs. Average Life Expectancy: 79.37 yrs. Ethnic Groups: Fleming—58%, Walloon 31%, other—11% Soccer and cycling are very common sports in Belgium. Climate •Average temp: 4 degrees C in Winter and 22 degrees C in the summer. •Belgium's climate receives an average of 785 mm (30.9 in) of rainfall per year •The weather is typically wet with 135 rainy days in a year. •Terrain--flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast. •Lowest point--North Sea 0 m •Highest point--Botrange 694 m arable land: 27.42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% Current Events •By the 28 of Feb., Belgium had gone 249 days without a government, and is trying to establish peace in it’s system. •NATO plans to make a new headquarters in brussels, which will cost members 1B Euros. •A Beer producing abbey watched over by monks caught fire. The monks had been producing beer there since the 13th century. •A man renovating his house in Gehnt, Belgium found 225,000 unclaimed Euros left from when the house was a bank.