CHAPTER 11
Physical Geography of Europe
Seas, Peninsulas, and Islands Most of land within 300 miles of seacoast
— how does this affect life? 25% of Neth. Lies below sea level
Dikes—hold back water Polders—reclaimed land (windmills)
Great for farming
Northern Peninsulas
Scandinavian Peninsula Glaciation—formed and spread Fjords—long, narrow inlets Norway, Sweden are mountainous
—lakes Jutland Peninsula—Denmark
(plains, hills)
Southern Peninsulas
Iberian Peninsula Southwest edge—Spain and Portugal Strait of Gibraltar Plateau, Pyrenees Mountains (isolation)
Apennine Peninsula—Italy Apennine Mountains—young mountains Mt.
Vesuvius SE Europe—Balkan Peninsula
Isolation
Apennine Peninsula
Straight of Gibraltar
Da Boot
Balkan Peninsula
Europe’s Islands
Iceland—south of Arctic Circle Volcanoes, hot springs, geysers (glaciers) Grassy lowlands along coast, inland plateau
British Isles Great Britain and Ireland (thousands of other
islands) North—mountains, plateaus, deep valleys South—low hills, rolling plains Ireland—Emerald Isle (lush green land
Iceland
United Kingdom
Ireland
Me
Islands cont.
South—Mediterranean Sea Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Crete, and
Cyprus Volcanoes and earthquakes Mt. Etna—highest active volcano in Sicily
Greece—2,000 islands Very sunny, lots of tourism
Mountain Regions
Southern mountains—Pyrenees Alps—Southern France to Balkan
Peninsula Major rivers (Rhine and Po) originate in Alps
Carpathians—eastern Europe
Swiss Alps
Carpathian Mts
Plains
North European Plain (Great European Plain) SE England & western France to Poland Fertile soil and rivers (loess—fine soil)
Deposits of coal, iron ore, and other minerals led to industrialization in 1800s
Great Hungarian Plain Hungary to Croatia—grains, fruits, vegetables,
livestock
Great European Plain
Water System
Flow from mountains to coasts Great transportation Rhine—Swiss Alps through France and
Germany (connect industrial cities) Danube—Germany to Black Sea
Natural Resources
Utilize natural resources Energy, agriculture, water, minerals Coal and iron ore fueled industrial
revolution Peat—moss burned for energy in some
locations France—nuclear power (no oil reserves)
Pete cutting Peat
Natural resources map on page 263
Section 2: Climate and Vegetation Water and Land
Climates and Veg. vary cold to warm North Latitudes—very cold Location of sea—warm maritime winds—
mild climates Vegetation forests to grasslands
Western Europe
Marine West Coast Climate—mild winters, cool summers, abundant rainfall
Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift bring warm waters (and westerlies)
Trees and Highlands
Western Europe vegetation Deciduous and coniferous trees
Timberline—cannot grow Alps—colder, Foehns cause avalanches
Ireland’s Forests Depleted forests—agriculture and need for
wood left only 1% of land forests
Southern Europe
Mediterranean climate Warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters Cold winds from Alps—mistral Warm winds from northern Africa—siroccos
Eastern and Northern Europe Humid continental climate—cold, snowy
winters and hot summers Coniferous and deciduous trees,
grasslands in eastern Europe Far North, subarctic and tundra—
permafrost—frozen below surface (little vegetation)