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Mrs. Reifsnyder Name: ________________________________ World Geography Test Date: ______________
Unit 9: Europe Study Guide
SOLs Addressed: WG.1d, 2b, 3, 4, 9a, c, d, Essential Questions:
- In what ways do physical, economic, and cultural characteristics influence regional development? - What are some ways that human interaction with the environment affects the development of a
region? - What are some criteria that may be used to determine a country’s relative importance? - What impact do elements of the physical environment, such as major bodies of water and
mountains, have on countries in a region? Essential Understandings/Knowledge: Physical Locations, Features, and Climate
Europe
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Countries: Peninsulas: Islands: Rivers: 1. Spain 10. Iberian Peninsula 15. Sicily 19. Volga 2. Luxembourg 11. Italian Peninsula 16. Iceland 20. Seine 3. United Kingdom 12. Scandinavian Peninsula 17. Great Britain 21. Danube 4. France 13. Jutland Peninsula 18. Ireland 22. Rhine 5. Norway 14. Balkan Peninsula 6. Germany 7. Italy Mountains Seas: 8. Ukraine 23. Pyrenees 25. North Sea 28. Mediterranean Sea 9. Switzerland 24. Alps 26. Aegean Sea 29. Adriatic Sea 27. Black Sea 30. Baltic Sea Other: Cities: 31. Atlantic Ocean -‐ Berlin, Germany -‐ Madrid, Spain -‐ Warsaw, Poland 32. Arctic Ocean -‐ London, England -‐ Rome, Italy 33. Strait of Gibraltar -‐ Paris, France -‐ Athens, Greece 34. Fjords 35. North European Plain The following countries stand out among other European nations because of their GDP, land size, and population.
GDP Gross domestic product refers to the total value of goods and services produced in a country in one year.
- Switzerland - Norway - Luxembourg
Land Size Land size refers to the total square miles or kilometers of a country.
- Ukraine - France - Spain
Population Population refers to the total number of people living in a country.
- Germany - United Kingdom - Italy - France
Physical Features
1. Europe is part of a huge landmass that is situated on both the continents Europe and Asia. This landmass is called Eurasia.
2. Fjords are the long, narrow, steep-‐sided inlets carved out by glaciers during the last Ice Age. They are found along the jagged coast of Norway.
3. The climates of Europe are very diverse. The climates include: a. Marine West Coast Climate – the Gulf Stream and its northern extension, the North
Atlantic Drift, bring warm Atlantic Ocean waters by the western coast of Europe. i. Prevailing westerly winds blow over these warm ocean currents bringing warm, moise air to western Europe. Therefore, a marine west coast climate dominates the British Isles, northwest Spain, western France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and even western Norway.
b. Mediterranean Climate – the area bordering the Mediterranean Sea experiences the Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers. The vegetation found in these countries consists of chaparral, shrubs and small trees such as olive and date trees.
c. Humid Continental Climate – the interior European countries have a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. The type of vegetation found here consists of mixed forests.
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d. Subarctic and Tundra Climate -‐ the Scandinavian peninsula has subarctic and tundra climates. The vegetation ranges from taiga (huge forests of coniferous trees) in the subarctic regions to very little vegetation in the tundra regions.
Important Cities (Centers of Culture and Trade)
1. Berlin, Germany – the capital of Germany; at one time Berlin was split into democratic west Berlin and communist east Berlin.
2. London, England – the capital of the United Kingdom; located on the Thames River where it narrows (“rivers narrow” site); home of two very important landmarks: Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.
3. Paris, France – the capital of France; located on the Seine River, was originally on an island in the Seine River (“island” site); home of several important landmarks: Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Eiffel Tower
4. Madrid, Spain – the capital of Spain 5. Rome, Italy – the capital of Italy; center of the ancient Roman Empire; originally built on a hill
(“hilltop” site); important landmark in Rome is the Colosseum. 6. Pisa, Italy – Italian city and site of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. 7. Athens, Greece – capital of Greece; site of the ancient Greek civilization; originally built on a hill
(“hilltop” site); important landmark is the Parthenon. 8. Warsaw, Poland – capital of Poland 9. Gibraltar – a British colony located at the Strait of Gibraltar; important location because of trade
through the Mediterranean Sea. 10. Vatican City – an independent country located within Rome; site of the famous St. Peter’s
Basilica; headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church (Christianity). Economic Characteristics
1. Europe suffers from air and water pollution. a. The Black Forest of Germany and the forests of Scandinavia are dying as a result of acid
rain pollution. b. The city of Venice, Italy consists of numerous canals. The water pollution has become a
problem in this city. c. The Rhine, Danube, and Seine Rivers all have water pollution.
2. The mountain regions of Europe include the Alps and the Pyrenees. Both of these mountainous regions have mineral resources. They are also popular sites for recreation and for tourism.
3. The North Sea has oil reserves. 4. The industrial and transportation centers are often located near mineral deposits of coal and iron
ore. Two important locations of mineral deposits are: a. Ruhr Valley – an area of coal and iron ore deposits in southwestern Germany; an industrial
center b. Po Valley – an area of coal and iron ore deposits in Italy; an industrial center.
5. The rivers and canals in Europe are used as major transportation routes. They are also used for trade purposes.
6. The Chunnel is a tunnel that goes beneath the English Channel and connects Great Britain to France. It is important for transportation.
7. Trade is very important in Europe. The countries of Europe are considered interdependent. 8. An example of a European company that markets its products globally is the United Colors of
Benetton of Italy.
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9. Switzerland has limited natural resources. However, it produces services on a global scale. An example of a service industry is the banking industry, which is important in the global market.
10. The European Union is an economic alliance established after World War II and made up of over 20 European countries. It was created to reduce trade barriers among member nations and to promote better cooperation.
11. The Netherlands consists of a large amount of land that is either at or below sea level. Very fertile land that has been reclaimed from the North Sea is called polders. It was once covered by the North Sea and there is a system of dams and dikes keeping the North Sea off of the land.
12. After World War II Eastern Europe consisted of mostly communist nations and command economies. These countries became democratic in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have capitalist economies.
13. Eastern Europe has developed industry slower than Western Europe because of the history of communism.
14. Europe is very developed (industrialized). Therefore, the region has commercial farming. Agriculture in Europe uses advanced farming techniques. This combined with the very fertile soil (called chernozem) of the black earth belt results in very high crop yields (output).
15. Much of the farming in Europe takes place in the North European Plain. 16. The work force (human resources) of Europe is very well-educated and trained. The region is
rich in industries, service industries and technology (capital resources). 17. Demographics typical of well-developed economies:
a. Commercial agriculture (cash crops) b. Service industry, technology (capital resources) c. Small percentage of the population below age 15 d. Low population growth rate e. Population pyramid shaped more like diamond (narrow base) f. Low infant mortality rate g. Well educated work force (human resources) h. High life expectancy i. High per capita (per person) GDP j. High literacy rate
Political Characteristics
1. The political map of this region has changed numerous times. Europe before World War II looked very different than post-‐World War II Europe. Additionally, the map of Europe has changed since the 1990s. West and East Germany have reunited and the political boundaries of the Balkan peninsula have changed as a result of conflicts.
2. Former Yugoslavia on the Balkan Peninsula was an area of conflict and disputes over territory during the 1990s. The conflict existed mainly between the Serbs, Croats, and Muslims.
3. Some of the European countries have governments that play a huge role in the daily life of citizens. Such countries are often called welfare states because the governments are very active in the welfare of the citizens. Examples include Sweden and Denmark.
4. The Commonwealth of Nations is an organization of 53 nations including the United Kingdom and some former British colonies which are now independent but maintain allegiance to the British.
5. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a political organization of 26 countries from North America and Europe that supports democracy and security for its members.
6. The United Nations is a political organization created in 1945 and made up of over 190 countries. The goal is to work for international peace. Most of the European countries belong to the UN. Switzerland was not a member until 2002.
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7. Examples of Site: a. Hilltop Sites – Rome, Italy and Athens, Greece b. Island Site – Paris, France (originally on island in the Seine) c. Rivers Narrow – London, England (on the Thames River)
Cultural Characteristics
1. Europe is considered the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. It actually began in England in the 1700s.
2. Europe is considered multicultural because of the multiple ethnic groups, languages, religions, and customs in existence there.
3. Switzerland has multiple languages and ethnic groups, but has enjoyed much peace and lack of conflict.
4. The Francophone World consists of French-‐speaking countries and regions of the world. 5. European culture has spread (diffused) to other parts of the world as a result of exploration,
colonization, and imperialism. 6. The birthplaces of western culture are Greece (Athens) and Rome. 7. Europe is one of the world’s most densely populated regions. 8. Europe is highly urbanized. Because of the high urbanization rate and the high population
density, Europe suffers from various forms of pollution, including acid rain pollution. 9. Europe has had recent conflicts, wars, and revolutions. These conflicts have been a result of
religious differences and/or ethnic differences. Examples include: a. Northern Ireland – conflict between the Roman Catholics and Protestants (both are
Christian religions). b. Yugoslavia – conflict between the Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, and Albanians on the Balkan
peninsula. 10. Examples of cultural landscape:
a. Castles b. Switzerland: Chalets c. Paris, France: Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Eiffel Tower d. Italy: Colosseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa e. Vatican (inside Rome, Italy): St. Peter’s Basilica f. Athens, Greece: The Parthenon g. London, England: Westminster Abbey, Big Ben h. The Netherlands: windmills