Introduction Section 1 The Land Section 2 Climate

Introduction Section 1: The Land Section 2: Climate and Vegetation Visual Summary

A study of the physical geography of Europe will reveal how physical features influence the lives of its people and how people have managed and used the continent’s natural resources to survive and prosper.

Section 1: The Land Physical processes shape Earth’s surface. Physical forces shaped Europe’s landforms, water systems, and natural resources. These features have shaped the lives of people living in Europe.

Section 2: Climate and Vegetation Physical processes shape Earth’s surface. Latitude, mountain barriers, ocean currents, and proximity to large bodies of water affect Europe’s climate and vegetation.

The Land Physical forces shaped Europe’s landforms, water systems, and natural resources.

The Land • glaciation • polder • loess • fjord • dike • located • process

The Land A. Alps B. Rhine River C. Po River D. Northern European Plain E. Baltic Sea

The Land F. North Sea G. Mediterranean Sea H. British Isles I. Aegean Sea J. Danube River K. Black Sea

The Land Most of Europe lies within how many miles of a seacoast? A. 450 miles B. 300 miles C. 150 miles A. A B. B C. C

The Land Europe’s landscape, created over time by physical processes, has shaped the lives and settlement patterns of Europeans. • Wind, water, and ice are among the forces that have created Europe’s landforms. • Mountains: – Ben Nevis – Alps – Pyrenees – Carpathians

The Land (cont. ) • Plains: – Northern European Plain – The Great Hungarian Plain • Seas: – Atlantic Ocean – Baltic, North, Mediterranean, Aegean, Black Seas

The Land (cont. ) • Peninsulas: – Scandinavian – Jutland – Iberian – Italian – Southeastern

The Land (cont. ) • Islands: – Iceland – The British Isles – Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Crete, Cyprus – Balearic Islands, Malta’s 5 islands, Greece’s 2, 000 islands Building dikes and Polders

Which group of European mountains is younger? A. The northwestern mountains B. Southern Europe’s mountains A. A B. B

Water Systems Europeans depend on rivers and canals for transportation, trade, and leisure activities. • Many of Europe’s rivers flow from mountain and highland areas to the coasts, which has enhanced natural waterways as transportation links.

Water Systems (cont. ) • Rivers: – Thames – Rhine and Main – Danube – Sein, Rhone, Loire – Elbe and Weser – Vistula – Po – Dnieper

Which river is the most important in western Europe? A. Thames B. Rhine C. Sein D. Po A. B. C. D. A B C D

Natural Resources Natural resources influence economic activity in Europe. • Resources: – An abundant supply of coal and iron ore – Oil and natural gas deposits – Peat

Natural Resources (cont. ) – Bauxite – Zinc – Manganese Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Coal Reserves in Europe

Europeans today rely on coal, oil, gas, nuclear and hydroelectric power. A. True B. False A. A B. B

Climate and Vegetation This section describes the many factors that affect climate and vegetation in different regions of Europe.

Climate and Vegetation • permafrost • foehn • timberline • avalanche • mistral • sirocco • vary • annual • normal

Climate and Vegetation A. France B. North Atlantic Current C. Hungary D. Romania E. Ukraine

Climate and Vegetation How many different climate regions do you think exist in Europe? A. 4 B. 6 C. 8 D. 12 A. B. C. D. A B C D

Influence on Climate Latitude, mountain barriers, wind patterns, and distance from large bodies of water influence Europe’s climate patterns. • The climates and vegetation vary from cold, barren tundra to warm, shrub-covered Mediterranean coasts.

Influence on Climate (cont. ) • Factors that account for such variation: – Northern latitude – Proximity to the sea – Westerly winds – Presence of large mountain ranges Europe: Natural Vegetation

Western and southern parts of Europe have a generally mild climate due to which reason? A. Their latitude B. The North Atlantic Current C. Mountain ranges D. The surrounding lakes A. B. C. D. A B C D

Climate Regions Europe’s climate regions range from cold northern climates to dry steppe climates in the southern part of the region. • Wind, ocean currents, latitude, and landforms all help determine Europe’s varied climates. • High-Latitude Regions: – Subarctic – Tundra – Highland

Climate Regions (cont. ) • Midlatitude Regions – Mediterranean – Humid subtropical – Marine west coast – Humid continental • Dry Regions – Steppe Europe: Climate Regions

Much of eastern Europe has which type of climate? A. Highland B. Mediterranean C. Steppe D. Humid continental A. B. C. D. A B C D

A. Islands • Volcanic Iceland has hot springs and geysers; tundra and marine west coast climates • British Isles consist of islands of Great Britain and Ireland; lie northwest of the European mainland • Rugged mountains form islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Crete, and Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea

B. Resources • Major petroleum and natural gas reserves in the North Sea. • Coal deposits in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ukraine, and Poland. • Heavy investment in nuclear power in France.

C. Peninsulas • Glaciation carved narrow, steep-sided fjords along the coasts of northern peninsulas. • Warm ocean currents create marine west coast climate in coastal areas of northern peninsulas • Southern peninsulas include the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan Peninsulas. • Mediterranean climate characterizes the Iberian and Italian Peninsulas.

D. Rivers • Rhine and Danube Rivers in the heartland of Europe are dominant rivers with large amounts of traffic. • Seine and Rhone Rivers in France are important for transportation and urban development. • Po River in Italy key industrial development

E. The Alps • Located in southern Europe; young, high, jagged mountains • Source of some of Europe’s major rivers • Form a barrier that separates warm, dry climate of the Mediterranean from cooler climates of the north

F. Northern European Plain • Stretches from southeastern England western France east to Poland, Ukraine, and Russia • Mild climate, fertile soil, and access to rivers make it a highly productive agricultural area

glaciation the process whereby glaciers form and spread

loess (LEHS) clay, usually carried by the wind

dike large bank of earth and stone that holds back water

polder low-lying area from which seawater has been drained to create new farmland

fjord (fee • YORD) long, steep-sided glacial valley now filled by seawater

permafrost permanently frozen layer of soil beneath the surface of the ground

timberline elevation above which it is too cold for trees to grow

mistral strong northerly wind from the Alps that can bring cold air to southern France

sirocco hot desert wind that can blow air and dust from North Africa to western Europe’s Mediterranean coast

foehn (FUHN) dry wind that blows from the leeward sides of mountains, sometimes melting snow and causing avalanches; term used mainly in Europe

avalanche large mass of ice, snow, or rock that slides down a mountainside

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