European Geography

•What are the major physical features of Europe?

• What are the major countries of Europe?

• How do the factors of climate, access to water and natural resources affect where Europeans choose to live and work?

Essential Questions

Vocabulary• Peninsula –A body of land nearly surrounded by

water

• Fjord - a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea located between steep cliffs

• Population Density –The average number of people living per sq mile or km. (25 people/square mile)

Vocabulary

• Loess -Rich dust like soil found in the European plain.

• Rain Shadow –An area on the sheltered side of a mountain that receives little rain fall.

• Taiga –A forest in Russia that covers 4 million sq miles…the largest forest in the world

Vocabulary

• Steppes –Russian grasslands

• Tundra - A treeless plain where only grasses and mosses grow

•Permafrost –Permanently frozen soil

Vocabulary

• Hydroelectric Power –Water generated power

• Fossil Fuel –Fuel from fossils (Non-Renewable)

• Reserves –The available supply of a fossil fuel

Land

• Europe is part of Eurasia (Europe & Asia)• World’s largest landmass• Ural Mountains divide Europe and Asia• ¼ of Russia is in Europe

Land

• Europe is a peninsula with many smaller peninsulas formed by bays and harbors.

Landforms- Peninsulas

• Scandinavian Peninsula • Norway and Sweden• Fjords are found along the

coastline

• Iberian Peninsula • Portugal and Spain• Separated from the rest

of the continent by Pyrenees Mtns.

4 Major Land Regions

1. Northwestern Highlands

• Far northern part of Europe (Norway & Sweden)

• Steep sloped mountains with thin soil

Austrian Alps

Norangsfjorden- Norway

4 Major Land Regions (cont.)

2. North European Plain• Covers over ½ of north

central Europe

• Most productive farmland

• Largest cities are located in this region today

4 Major Land Regions (cont.)

3. Central Uplands

• Area of mountains and plateaus

• Rocky land –not good for farming

• Mostly used for cattle and mineral resources

Grundlsee

4 Major Land Regions (cont.)

4. Alpine Mountains• Southern portion of

Europe

• From Spain across to Eastern Europe

• Alps are the highest mountains in this system

Mountains• The Alps• The Pyrenees• The Balkan• Ural

•Rivers• Rhine, Elbe & Danube Rivers –Germany• Seine River –France• Po River –Italy• Thames River –England• Volga River- Russia

PhotosAmsterdam

The Tulip Festival

Windmill

4 Major Climate Regions1. Marine West Coast- Northwestern Europe• North Atlantic Current/ Gulf Stream

• Current carries warm water from the Gulf of Mexico across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe

• Winds off warm waters carry moisture onto land, making it wet and keeping temperatures warm

• Even though they are far to the North, they have a mild climate.

4 Major Climate Regions2. Mediterranean- along Mediterranean Sea

• Hot and dry summers• Mild and rainy winters

4 Major Climate Regions

3. Humid Continental- Central Europe• Inland areas away from major bodies of water

experience very cold winters & very hot summers

4. Sub Artic- Northern Europe-Short, cool summers and very long cold winters

-Warmest days maybe 40º F