Splash Screen

Chapter Intro 1

Human-Environment Interaction Europe is one of the economic powerhouses of the world, home to many large companies that sell goods in the United States. Europe is also an important market for goods and services produced in North America, such as movies and computer programs. What factors help make a region an important world economic center?

Chapter Intro 2

Section 1: Northern Europe

Geographers organize the Earth into regions that share common characteristics. The countries of northern Europe have developed diverse economies and high standards of living.

Section 1

The United KingdomOnce the center of a worldwide empire, the United Kingdom has had a great impact on the rest of the world.

Have you ever seen a picture of Big Ben, the large clock tower located in London?

Section 1

The United Kingdom (cont.)

• Four regions make up the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, and Wales on the island of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland on the nearby island of Ireland.

• Everyone in the United Kingdom is considered British, but people sometimes differentiate by referring to the English, the Scots, the Welsh, or the Irish.

• The island of Great Britain is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel.

Section 1

The United Kingdom (cont.)

• England’s productive farms are in the rolling fertile plains in the eastern and southern parts of the country.

• Sheep herding is found in the rough highlands and mountains in Scotland and Wales.

Section 1

The United Kingdom (cont.)

• The United Kingdom exports manufactured goods and machinery and is increasing its computer, electronic, and service industries.

• London is a world center of finance and business.

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The United Kingdom (cont.)

• Oil and natural gas, extracted from fields beneath the North Sea, are the leading energy sources, as well as valuable exports, for the United Kingdom.

• The government of the United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy.

• A king or queen serves as head of state and takes part in ceremonies, but elected officials run the government.

Section 1

The United Kingdom (cont.)

• The British trace this form of government to the early 1200s when King John of England signed the Magna Carta, a document that took away some of the king’s powers.

Section 1

The United Kingdom (cont.)

• The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy as well as a constitutional monarchy.

• Voters elect members of Parliament, and the leader of the party with the most elected officials becomes prime minister, or head of the government.

Section 1

The United Kingdom (cont.)

• Parliament is a lawmaking body that arose in 1628.

• One of its first acts was to force King Charles I to sign the Petition of Right, reducing the power of the monarchy.

• Parliament gained more power in 1689 through the English Bill of Rights.

Section 1

The United Kingdom (cont.)

• Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have regional legislatures that control matters such as health care and education.

Section 1

The United Kingdom (cont.)

• Almost all of the United Kingdom’s 60 million people live in cities and speak English, although Welsh, Scottish and Gaelic are spoken in some areas.

• Most are Protestant Christians.

• During the 1700s and 1800s, the United Kingdom had a powerful empire, and British culture spread to many lands.

Knowledge Check

How has the location of the United Kingdom shaped its history?

Section 1

The Republic of IrelandIreland is growing economically, but a territorial dispute remains unsettled.

Why do you think Ireland is called the Emerald Isle?

Section 1

The Republic of Ireland (cont.)

• The Republic of Ireland is a Catholic country that occupies the southern five-sixths of the island of Ireland.

– It won its independence from the United Kingdom in 1922, but the British still control Northern Ireland.

– The interior of Ireland is a lowland plain with gently rolling hills.

– The coastal areas are rocky highlands and towering cliffs.

Section 1

The Republic of Ireland (cont.)

• Low-lying areas are rich in peat, or plants that have partly decayed in water.

– Peat is dug from bogs, or low swampy lands.

– It is then dried and can be burned for fuel.

Section 1

The Republic of Ireland (cont.)

• Irish farmers raise sheep and cattle and grow vegetables such as sugar beets and potatoes.

• Other Irish citizens work in industries that produce clothing, pharmaceuticals, and computer equipment.

Section 1

The Republic of Ireland (cont.)

• In recent years, the productivity of the Irish workers has helped Ireland’s economy.

– Productivity is a measure of how much work a person does in a specific amount of time.

– More goods produced mean more profits and higher wages.

Section 1

The Republic of Ireland (cont.)

• The Irish trace their ancestry to the Celts who settled the island hundreds of years ago.

• Irish Gaelic, a Celtic language, and English are Ireland’s two languages.

• About 60 percent of the Irish live in cities or towns.

– Nearly one-third live in Dublin, the capital.

Section 1

The Republic of Ireland (cont.)

• Catholics in the Republic of Ireland and Protestants in Northern Ireland have disputed for many years over whether to unify the two countries.

– In 1998 the two sides agreed to end the violence, but the issue still is not resolved.

Knowledge Check

What happened as a result of the potato crop failure in the 1840s?

Section 1

ScandinaviaThe Scandinavian countries have similar cultures and high standards of living.

How would you like to live in a place where the sun never sets in midsummer?

Section 1

Scandinavia (cont.)

• Scandinavia, the northernmost part of Europe, is made up of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland.

– Warm winds from the North Atlantic give Scandinavia’s southern and western areas a mild climate.

– Central Scandinavia has long, cold winters and short, warm summers.

Section 1

Scandinavia (cont.)

– The region near the Arctic Circle is always cold.

– It has summer days when the sun never sets and winter days when the sun never rises.

Section 1

Scandinavia (cont.)

• Scandinavia’s landscape is varied because of its large size.

– The region has islands along the coasts, lowland plains, mountains, forests, and lakes as well as barren tundra that remains frozen most of the year.

Section 1

Scandinavia (cont.)

– This creates hot springs and geysers, which are springs that shoot hot water and steam into the air.

– Two tectonic plates are pulling apart near the island of Iceland, allowing hot magma to rise to the surface.

Section 1

Scandinavia (cont.)

• Norway is known for its many beautiful fjords, or narrow inlets of the sea.

– Fjords provide inland waterways that supply fish for food and export.

• The countries of Scandinavia are wealthy and prosperous, with an economic mix of agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, and service industries.

Section 1

Scandinavia (cont.)

• Oil, natural gas, and hydroelectric power are the energy sources for Norway, Finland, and Sweden.

• Iceland taps molten rock beneath the surface to make geothermal energy, or electricity produced by natural underground sources of steam.

• Sweden has reserves of iron ore that it uses to produce steel for a variety of products, including Saab and Volvo cars.

Section 1

Scandinavia (cont.)

• Shipbuilding is important in Finland and Denmark, as are wood and wood product industries in Finland and Sweden.

• Most Scandinavians belong to the Protestant Lutheran Church.

Section 1

Scandinavia (cont.)

• During the Middle Ages, Scandinavian sailors and traders known as Vikings laid the foundation of the modern nations.

• Today Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are constitutional monarchies.

• Finland and Iceland are republics with elected presidents.

Section 1

Scandinavia (cont.)

• The Scandinavian countries are welfare states, providing health care, child care, elder care, retirement benefits, and help for the needy.

• In return for these services, the people pay some of the highest taxes in the world.

Knowledge Check

What energy resources are found in Scandinavia?

Chapter Intro 2

Section 2: Europe’s Heartland

People’s actions can change the physical environment. Today the countries of Europe’s heartland are agricultural and manufacturing centers.

Section 2

France and the Benelux CountriesFrance and the Benelux countries are important cultural, agricultural, and manufacturing centers of Europe.

What do you think of when you think of France?

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• France, the second-largest country in Europe, includes the vast Northern European Plain, southern mountain ranges, and important rivers, such as the Seine and the Loire.

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• France’s agriculture is characterized by specialization, or the focus on certain activities to make the best use of resources.

• Two areas of specialization are growing grapes for making wine and raising dairy cattle and sheep for milk to make cheese.

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• Workers in industrial areas make cars and trucks, chemicals, textiles, and processed foods.

• High-technology industries and tourism are also important to the economy.

What are some examples of high-technology industries?

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• The majority of the population speaks French and is Roman Catholic.

• Islam is France’s second religion, as a result of recent immigration from Muslim lands in Africa.

• Most of France’s 60.7 million people live in urban areas, including almost 10 million in Paris.

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• France is a democratic republic with both a president, elected by the people, and a prime minister, appointed by the president.

• The president has a great deal of power and can even dismiss the legislature, forcing new elections to be held.

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg—the Benelux countries—are low, flat, and densely populated.

– Most people live in cities, work in businesses or factories, and enjoy a high standard of living.

– All three nations are parliamentary democracies with monarchs as heads of state.

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• Belgium, with few natural resources of its own, imports raw materials to make and export vehicles, chemicals, and textiles.

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is headquarters of the European Union (EU).

• Antwerp is the center of the world diamond industry.

• Some of Belgium’s people speak Dutch, some speak French, and some are bilingual, speaking both Dutch and French.

• Bilingual means you can speak two languages fluently.

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• The people of the Netherlands are known as the Dutch, and about 90 percent live in cities and towns.

– They work in service industries, manufacturing, and trade and also export cheese, vegetables, and flowers including about 2 million tulip bulbs each year.

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• About 25 percent of the Netherlands lies below sea level.

• The Dutch have built dikes, or banks of soil, to control and confine the sea.

• Then they pump the wetlands dry, leaving drained land called polders, which has rich farming soil.

Section 2

France and the Benelux Countries (cont.)

• Luxembourg, whose people have a mixed French and German background, is one of Europe’s smallest countries.

• Many multinational companies, or firms that do business in several countries, have their headquarters here.

Knowledge Check

How does France’s physical geography contribute to its agriculture?

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine CountriesGermany, Switzerland, and Austria are known for their mountain scenery and prosperous economies.

Have you ever found yourself working alongside someone you used to compete against?

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• Germany’s physical features include the flat Northern European Plain; rocky highlands containing rich coal deposits; the forested Alps; and the Danube, Elbe, and Rhine Rivers, which are major transportation routes.

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• Germany was created from a collection of states in 1871, but after World War II, it was split again into Communist-ruled East Germany and democratic West Germany.

– After the collapse of communism, the two parts of Germany were reunited in 1990.

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• Germany today is a federal republic, or a system in which the national and state governments share powers.

• An elected president serves as Germany’s ceremonial head of state, but the country’s chancellor, chosen by Parliament, is the real head of government.

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• Germany has the largest population in Europe, with nearly 90 percent of the people living in urban areas.

• Almost all of the country’s people are native Germans, Protestant or Catholic, and speak German.

• Immigrants from eastern Europe and Turkey include many Muslims and Jews.

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• Germany is a global economic power and a leader in the European Union (EU).

• Its economy is driven by agriculture and by industry, especially the manufacture of steel, chemicals, cars, and electrical equipment.

• German firms, investing money for research and development of desirable and competitive products, avoided a decline in manufacturing in the late 1900s.

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• In 1990 East and West Germany agreed to reunification, or joining together under one government.

• The Alpine countries are Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein.

• Liechtenstein is a tiny country of only 62 square miles (161 sq. km)—smaller than Washington, D.C.

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• Switzerland, an important country internationally, practices neutrality, or refusal to take sides in wars.

• Many different ethnic groups and religions and four national languages are found in Switzerland.

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• Switzerland is known for producing electronic equipment, chemicals, fine clocks and watches, chocolate, and cheeses.

• A large part of the economy is dependent upon banking services.

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• Austria’s primary resources are timber and iron ore that come from the mountains, and its rivers generate hydroelectric power.

• The country produces machinery, chemicals, metals, and vehicles but also has strong banking and insurance industries.

Section 2

Germany and the Alpine Countries (cont.)

• The people of Austria mainly speak German and are Roman Catholic, and most live in cities and towns.

• Vienna, the capital, has long been a cultural and learning center.

– It is a popular destination for visitors.

Knowledge Check

How do the economies of the western and eastern parts of Germany differ?

Chapter Intro 2

Section 3: Southern Europe

Places reflect the relationship between humans and the physical environment. Seas and mountains have influenced where people live and how they work in southern Europe.

Section 3

Spain and PortugalSpain and Portugal are young democracies with growing economies.

Can you imagine chasing bulls down the main streets of your hometown?

Section 3

Spain and Portugal (cont.)

• Spain and Portugal are located on the Iberian Peninsula.

– They share it with tiny Andorra, nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains.

Section 3

Spain and Portugal (cont.)

• Most of Spain is covered by the Meseta, a dry plateau surrounded by mountains.

• Dry farming, or leaving the land unplanted every few years so that it can store moisture, allows wheat and vegetables to be grown in this area, which has little rain.

Section 3

Spain and Portugal (cont.)

• Spain’s mild climate along the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea provides ideal conditions for the growing of citrus fruits, olives, and grapes.

• Castilian Spanish is Spain’s official language, but some regions have their own languages.

• In the Pyrenees, the Basque people speak Euskera, a language that is unrelated to any other in the world.

Section 3

Spain and Portugal (cont.)

• Most of Spain’s 43.5 million people live in urban areas, such as Madrid, the capital, and Barcelona, the leading seaport and industrial center.

• Most are Roman Catholic, although a large number of North African Muslims have migrated to Spain in recent years.

Section 3

Spain and Portugal (cont.)

• After years of rule by a dictator, Spain became a democracy in the late 1970s.

• In recent times, Spain’s democratic government has given the different regions of Spain greater autonomy, or self-rule.

Section 3

Spain and Portugal (cont.)

• In the Basque region of the country, many people want to be separate from Spain and have used terrorism to try to achieve this goal.

• Similarly, Spain was shaken in 2004 when terrorist attacks by suspected Muslim militants killed 191 people on Madrid trains.

Section 3

Spain and Portugal (cont.)

• Most Portuguese live in small villages on the Atlantic coast, where some earn a living by fishing.

• Important crops are grapes for wine making and oak trees that provide cork.

• Closeness to the ocean helped Portugal become a sea power during the 1500s.

Section 3

Spain and Portugal (cont.)

• Portugal has a democratic government, and its economy is growing stronger through subsidies from the European Union (EU).

– Subsidies are special payments a government makes to support a particular group or industry.

Knowledge Check

What languages are spoken in Spain?

Section 3

ItalyItaly’s north and south form two distinct economic regions.

Do you have a favorite Italian food?

Section 3

Italy (cont.)

• Italy and its island of Sicily are on the Mediterranean Sea.

• The Alps tower over northern Italy, and the Apennine Mountains form a backbone through the country and into Sicily.

Section 3

Italy (cont.)

• Northern Italy has a leading industrial economy, producing cars, technical instruments, appliances, clothing, and high-quality goods.

• The north’s fertile Po River valley is a rich farming region, producing grapes, olives, and livestock.

Section 3

Italy (cont.)

• Southern Italy is poorer and less industrialized than northern Italy.

• Many people have left the south to find work and a better life elsewhere.

• About 90 percent of Italy’s 58.7 million people live in urban areas, speak Italian, and are Roman Catholic.

Section 3

Italy (cont.)

• Rome, the capital, was once the center of the Roman Empire.

– Today it is home to the country’s democratic republic form of government.

Knowledge Check

How do the economies of northern and southern Italy differ?

Section 3

GreeceMountains, seas, and islands have shaped Greece’s people and economy.

Do you ever go boating or fishing?

Section 3

Greece (cont.)

• Greece extends from the Balkan Peninsula into the Mediterranean Sea and includes not only the mainland, but also about 2,000 islands.

• Agricultural production is declining in Greece, but some farmers still raise sheep, goats, wheat, and olives.

• In recent decades, Greece has developed new industries. Greece also has one of the world’s largest shipping fleets.

Section 3

Greece (cont.)

• About 60 percent of Greeks are urban dwellers with nearly a third living in or around Athens, the capital.

• The Greeks speak a form of Greek similar to that spoken in ancient times.

• Most are Greek Orthodox Christian.

• Greece is a democratic republic and a member of the European Union.

Knowledge Check

How has geography affected the way Greeks earn a living?

Chapter Intro 2

Section 4: Eastern Europe

Geography is used to interpret the past, understand the present, and plan for the future. After changes in government, eastern Europe’s economies are struggling to recover.

Section 4

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics

Poland and the Baltic Republics have become democratic, while Belarus is still influenced by its Communist past.

How do you feel when someone orders you to do something?

Section 4

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

• Poland borders the Baltic Sea. The Carpathian Mountains rise on the southern and western edges of the country, but most of Poland is a fertile lowland plain.

• After World War II, a Communist government came to power in Poland and set up a command economy, in which the government decides what, how, and for whom goods will be produced.

Section 4

• Poland’s postwar government produced few products for consumers, which led to food shortages.

• The Poles wanted a better life, and, in the 1980s, workers and farmers formed Solidarity, a labor group that supported peaceful democratic change.

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

Section 4

• Communist leaders allowed free elections in 1989, and a new democratic government was formed.

– This event helped bring about the fall of Communist governments that had long ruled in eastern Europe.

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

Section 4

• Poland quickly moved toward a market economy, a system in which individuals and businesses make the decisions about how they will use resources and what goods and services to make.

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

Section 4

• Poland is one of the world’s top producers of rye and potatoes, but industries are growing, too, making use of coal and other minerals.

• Many people are moving from rural areas to the cities of Warsaw and Kraków.

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

Section 4

• Belarus, independent now but once part of the Soviet Union, still has strong ties to Russia.

• Its leaders favor strong government and a command economy.

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

Section 4

• Belarus has few resources other than potash, a mineral used in making fertilizer.

• Industries include processing fertilizer and manufacturing trucks, radios, televisions, and bicycles.

• Government-controlled farms produce vegetables, grain, and other crops.

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

Section 4

• Most people in Belarus are Eastern Orthodox Slavs, two-thirds of whom live in cities, such as Minsk, the capital.

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

Section 4

• The Baltic Republics—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia—lie on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

• These Baltic countries became independent when the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991 and have large Russian minority populations.

• Most people in Estonia and Latvia are Protestant, while Roman Catholics make up the majority in Lithuania.

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

Section 4

• All three Baltic Republics have seen strong economic growth since the mid-1990s.

• Their well-developed economies are based on dairy farming, beef production, fishing, shipbuilding, and the manufacture of telecommunications equipment.

Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic Republics (cont.)

Knowledge Check

What do the Baltic Republics, Belarus, and Poland have in common? How are they different?

Section 4

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary share common histories but have distinct cultures.

Have you ever ended a close friendship?

Section 4

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary (cont.)

• The Czech Republic has a landscape of rolling hills, lowlands, and plains bordered by mountains.

• Large fertile areas make the country a major agricultural producer.

Section 4

• Although Communists controlled the government for years, the Czechs rapidly moved from a command economy to a free market economy in the 1990s.

• Czech factories produce machinery, vehicles, metals, textiles, beer, and crystal.

• Rapid industrialization, however, has caused environmental problems.

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary (cont.)

Section 4

• The Czechs have a relatively high standard of living.

• Most of the country’s people live in cities, such as Prague, the capital.

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary (cont.)

Section 4

• Slovakia is a popular vacation spot with its mountains, forests, and lakes.

– Independent since 1993, the Slovaks are moving slowly to a free market economy.

– Most Slovaks are devout Catholics, and nearly 60 percent live in towns and cities, such as Bratislava, the capital.

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary (cont.)

Section 4

• Hungary, once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, later came under Communist rule.

• Today it is a democracy headed by a president.

• Its capital, Budapest, straddles the Danube River.

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary (cont.)

Section 4

• Hungary’s language is unique.

• The people descend from the Magyars, who moved into the area from Central Asia about 1,000 years ago.

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary (cont.)

• Hungary has few natural resources besides its fertile farming land, but it imports raw materials for manufacturing and then exports chemicals, food products, and other goods.

Knowledge Check

Why did Czechoslovakia split into two countries?

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern EuropeBecause of limited natural resources, political upheaval, and ethnic conflict, many countries in southeastern Europe face challenges.

Do you adapt easily to change?

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• Ukraine is the largest country in all of Europe.

– It lies on a lowland plain near the Black Sea, with the Carpathian Mountains along its southwestern border.

– Ships carrying goods to distant markets navigate the Dnieper River.

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• Ukraine’s western region is agricultural and produces grains, fruits, vegetables, cattle, and sheep.

• Most of the people in the west are of Ukrainian descent.

• The eastern region, with its own coal and iron ore, is industrial, producing cars, ships, locomotives, and airplanes.

• The people here are mostly ethnic Russians.

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• Ukraine became independent when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, but now ethnic divisions trouble the country.

• Romania drove out the Communists in a bloody revolt in 1989.

• With a wealth of natural resources, such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas, Romania’s industrial output is rising after a deep economic slump.

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• Romans once ruled this region, and the Romanian language is based on the Latin spoken in ancient Rome.

• In rural areas, farmers grow grains, grapes, and other crops. Many of Romania’s citizens are Eastern Orthodox Christian.

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• Moldova is sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania.

– As Europe’s poorest country, Moldova has productive farms but little else, due to few mineral resources and limited industry.

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• Farming, manufacturing, and tourism form the base of Bulgaria’s economy.

– Most Bulgarians are Eastern Orthodox Christian, but a sizable minority is Muslim.

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• Albania, on the Adriatic Sea, is the only country in Europe with a majority Muslim population.

– In Albania, farmers outnumber factory workers.

– It is one of the poorest countries in Europe.

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro are part of the Balkan region.

– All of these countries came into existence in the 1990s, pulling apart from a Communist country called Yugoslavia.

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• When Yugoslavia dissolved, fighting broke out among the regions, with Serbia striving to dominate.

– The heaviest fighting took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Serbs carried out ethnic cleansing, or removing or killing an entire ethnic group.

Section 4

Countries of Southeastern Europe (cont.)

• Slovenia is one Balkan country that has experienced economic growth since it gained independence.

– Slovenian industries produce machinery, appliances, vehicles, and medical supplies.

Knowledge Check

Why have conflicts been fought in the Balkan Peninsula?