EuropeEurope

Leading countries Leading countries according to GDPaccording to GDP

SwitzerlandSwitzerlandLuxembourgLuxembourgSwedenSweden

Leading countries Leading countries according to Land Sizeaccording to Land Size

UkraineUkraineFranceFranceSpainSpain

Leading countries Leading countries according to populationaccording to population

GermanyGermanyUnited KingdomUnited Kingdom ItalyItalyFranceFrance

PHYSICAL CHARATERISTICSPHYSICAL CHARATERISTICSPart of a large landmass called Part of a large landmass called

EURASIAEURASIAEurope includes four Europe includes four

peninsulaspeninsulasA peninsula is a body of land A peninsula is a body of land surrounded by water on three surrounded by water on three sidessides

Europe’s peninsulas are theEurope’s peninsulas are the Iberian, Italian, Iberian, Italian, Scandinavian,and the Scandinavian,and the JutlandJutland

Europe also has three Europe also has three ISLANDSISLANDS

an island is a body of land an island is a body of land completely surrounded by completely surrounded by waterwater

Europe’s main three islands are Europe’s main three islands are Great Britain, Ireland and SicilyGreat Britain, Ireland and Sicily

Europe is also home to many Europe is also home to many FJORDSFJORDS

A fjord is a narrow valley or A fjord is a narrow valley or inlet from the sea--originally inlet from the sea--originally carved out by glacierscarved out by glaciers

Two Major mountain ranges Two Major mountain ranges exist in Europeexist in EuropeAlps-Alps-Central EuropePyrenees-Pyrenees- border between France and Spain

The largest physical The largest physical characteristic in Europe is the characteristic in Europe is the North European PlainNorth European Plain

The North European Plain is a The North European Plain is a large flat fertile stretch of land large flat fertile stretch of land important for agriculture, important for agriculture, especially in Western Europeespecially in Western Europe

Rivers also play an important Rivers also play an important role in Europe.role in Europe.

They are or were used for They are or were used for transportation, power, and transportation, power, and trade.trade.

The most important are the The most important are the Danube (Germany), Rhine Danube (Germany), Rhine (Germany), Seine (France), (Germany), Seine (France), and the Thames (United and the Thames (United Kingdom)Kingdom)

SeasSeas OceansOceansAdriaticAdriatic AtlanticAtlanticAegeanAegean ArcticArcticMediterraneanMediterraneanBalticBalticBlackBlackNorthNorth

LandmarksLandmarksStrait of Gibraltar- separates Strait of Gibraltar- separates Europe from Africa at the Europe from Africa at the mouth of the Mediterranean mouth of the Mediterranean SeaSea

ClimatesClimatesvaried climate regions--varied climate regions--everything from tundra to everything from tundra to mediterraneanmediterranean

Europe’s climate is also Europe’s climate is also affected by the North affected by the North American Drift and the American Drift and the prevailing westerliesprevailing westerlies

North American Drift is a North American Drift is a powerful ocean current that powerful ocean current that carries tropical water toward carries tropical water toward the coast of Europe.the coast of Europe.

The winds which blow across The winds which blow across the North American Drift are the North American Drift are known as the prevailing known as the prevailing westerlies. westerlies.

Combined they help to Combined they help to produce a warm, moist produce a warm, moist climate in most of Europeclimate in most of Europe

Economic CharacteristicsEconomic CharacteristicsThe Mountain regions of The Mountain regions of

Europe are famous for tourism, Europe are famous for tourism, recreation and mineral recreation and mineral resources.resources.

Many areas of Europe are Many areas of Europe are threatened by air and water threatened by air and water pollution. pollution.

ForestsForests--Black Forest of --Black Forest of Germany (acid rain)Germany (acid rain)

CitiesCities--Venice,Italy--Venice,ItalyRiversRivers--Danube, Rhine, and --Danube, Rhine, and SeineSeine

Many of Europe’s largest Many of Europe’s largest industrial and transportation industrial and transportation centers developed near mineral centers developed near mineral deposits, especially coal and deposits, especially coal and iron oreiron oreRuhr Valley (Germany)Ruhr Valley (Germany)Po Valley (Italy)Po Valley (Italy)

Rivers and canals served Rivers and canals served as the major transportation as the major transportation linkslinks

There are oil reserves in the There are oil reserves in the North Sea. Great Britain has North Sea. Great Britain has claimed many of them.claimed many of them.

Most countries of Europe, Most countries of Europe, especially Western Europe, especially Western Europe, have a well educated have a well educated workforce.workforce.

Most are industrial or Most are industrial or technological societies technological societies (Switzerland specializes in (Switzerland specializes in banking).banking).

The countries of Western The countries of Western Europe also use advanced Europe also use advanced farming techniques which gives farming techniques which gives them high crop yields.them high crop yields.

Fertile soils and the chernozem Fertile soils and the chernozem (black earth of Russia) are also (black earth of Russia) are also found in Europe.found in Europe.

Most of Europe has a well Most of Europe has a well developed infrastructure.developed infrastructure.

Infrastructure is things such Infrastructure is things such as roads, power companies as roads, power companies railroads and air carriersrailroads and air carriers

France and Great Britain France and Great Britain have built the Chunnel to have built the Chunnel to provide a railroad provide a railroad transportation between transportation between their countries.their countries.

Western Europe and Eastern Western Europe and Eastern Europe have different Europe have different industrial systems and different industrial systems and different industrial development industrial development because of different economic because of different economic and political systems since and political systems since 1945.1945.

Most of western Europe Most of western Europe belongs to the Economic belongs to the Economic Union today. Eastern Europe Union today. Eastern Europe is slowly catching up after is slowly catching up after changing their systems in the changing their systems in the early 1990searly 1990s

The Economic Union is a The Economic Union is a economic union used to tie the economic union used to tie the economies of Europe together economies of Europe together for the benefit of all members. for the benefit of all members. It is an ECONOMIC It is an ECONOMIC ALLIANCE.ALLIANCE.

Trade is important in Europe, Trade is important in Europe, especially to the island nations.especially to the island nations.

Sweden and Denmark allow Sweden and Denmark allow their governments to play a their governments to play a large role in their economies.large role in their economies.

Eastern Europe has begun Eastern Europe has begun the switch from communism the switch from communism to capitalismto capitalism

the Netherlands grows crops the Netherlands grows crops on on land reclaimed from the land reclaimed from the seasea (Polders) (Polders)

Their demographics are typical Their demographics are typical of a developed nations.of a developed nations.

High per capita GDPHigh per capita GDPHigh literacy rateHigh literacy ratehigh life expectancyhigh life expectancy

low infant mortalitylow infant mortality low percentage of the low percentage of the

population under the age of population under the age of 15 15

Cultural CharacteristicsCultural CharacteristicsEurope is the birthplace to the Europe is the birthplace to the

Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was the switch from hand or was the switch from hand or manual labor to using manual labor to using machines for labormachines for labor

England was the center of England was the center of the Industrial Revolutionthe Industrial Revolution

Europe is the home to many Europe is the home to many ethnic groupsethnic groups

each group brings different each group brings different

languages, religions and languages, religions and customscustoms

This has led to sporadic conflict This has led to sporadic conflict among the groupsamong the groups

such as war and revolutionsuch as war and revolution

Europe is the birthplace of Europe is the birthplace of modern democracymodern democracy

Greece is the home of Greece is the home of DemocracyDemocracy

Europe has spread its’ culture Europe has spread its’ culture to other parts of the world to other parts of the world throughthrough

explorationexplorationcolonizationcolonization imperialismimperialism

Europe is highly urbanizedEurope is highly urbanized It is one of the most densely It is one of the most densely

populated areas of the worldpopulated areas of the worldMost of Western Europe is a Most of Western Europe is a

member in the political/military member in the political/military alliance called the North Atlantic alliance called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)Treaty Organization (NATO)

All of the following cities act as All of the following cities act as centers for culture and trade in centers for culture and trade in EuropeEurope

Berlin, Germany Rome, ItalyBerlin, Germany Rome, Italy London, EnglandLondon, England Paris, France Paris, France Madrid, SpainMadrid, Spain Athens, GreeceAthens, Greece Warsaw, PolandWarsaw, Poland

Cultural LandscapeCultural Landscape In Paris the following cultural In Paris the following cultural

icons can be found:icons can be found:Notre Dame, Arc de Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Eiffel Triomphe, Louvre, Eiffel TowerTower

In Italy the following cultural In Italy the following cultural icons can be found:icons can be found:Colosseum, Leaning Colosseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa, St. Peter’s Tower of Pisa, St. Peter’s BasilicaBasilica

In Greece—the ParthenonIn Greece—the Parthenon

In England--Westminster Abbey In England--Westminster Abbey and Big Benand Big Ben

In Europe in general--windmills In Europe in general--windmills (Netherlands) and castles(Netherlands) and castles

Parthenon in GreeceParthenon in Greece

Arc de Triomphe in ParisArc de Triomphe in Paris

Notre DameNotre Dame

Eiffel Tower -- ParisEiffel Tower -- Paris

Colosseum--ItalyColosseum--Italy

Leaning Tower of Pisa--Leaning Tower of Pisa--ItalyItaly

Big Ben--EnglandBig Ben--England

Westminster AbbeyWestminster Abbey

St. Peter’s BasilicaSt. Peter’s Basilica

Windmills and CastlesWindmills and Castles

LouvreLouvre

FjordFjord

AlpsAlps