Eastern EuropeEastern EuropeGeographyGeography

Quick FactsQuick Facts

• 16 independent countries make up the region of Eastern Europe

• Eastern Europe is made up of four separate subregions – Central Europe, the Baltic States, the Western Balkans, and the Eastern Balkans

Central EuropeCentral Europe

• Made up of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.

• Poland is largest country in Central Europe– Thousands of lakes– Great European Plain covers much of Poland– Vistula River brings water to agricultural areas

and provides transportation

More about Poland...More about Poland...

• Carpathian Mountains form Poland's southern border– Home to brown bears, wolves, and lynxes

• Most of the people in Poland live in cities and work in service or manufacturing jobs

• 1/4th of economy comes from agriculture

• Big pollution problem – mostly from burning coal

More about Central Europe...More about Central Europe...

• Czech Republic– economy is based mostly on industry– Prague is capital, popular spot for visitors– Bohemian Forest, Elbe River, Sudety

Mountains

• Slovakia– Carpathian and Tatra Mountains– Danube River causes fertile soil for farming

More about Central Europe...More about Central Europe...

• Hungary– Rich farmland – fruits, vegetables, and

peppers for making paprika– More than 1,000 lakes and thermal springs –

tourists travel to Hungary to bathe and relax in springs

The Baltic StatesThe Baltic States

• Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia border the Baltic Sea

• Low-lying coastal plain and mild climate

• Thick forests

• Farming, forestry, and fishing

• Nearly 90% of world's amber comes from Lithuania

The Baltic StatesThe Baltic States

• Latvia's forests cover about 40% of the land– Home to elk, deer, brown bears, and wolves– Sells much of its timber and wood products to

other countries

• Estonia has more than 1,400 lakes and 10% of land area is made up of 800 islands in Baltic Sea

The Western BalkansThe Western Balkans• Balkan Peninsula sits between the Adriatic

and Black Seas• Balkan means “mountain” in Turkish

• Slovenia is northernmost country – half is covered with forests– Limestone caverns and caves

• Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Albania

The Eastern BalkansThe Eastern Balkans

• Clustered around western shore of the Black Sea

• Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova

• Rivers define borders of countries

• Most of land is mountainous

• 60% of Europe's bears and 40% of its wolves live in Romania