MODULE 3

EUROPE: GENRAL GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES,PHYSIOGRAPHY,CLIMATE,

VEGETATION

MAP OF EUROPE

FAST FACTS

Namesake: The name "Europe" comes from Greek mythology.

Major Languages: Languages vary greatly across the entire European continent. French, Italian and Spanish are the most prevalent. English and Germanic languages are used in many places.

Population: 731,000,000 It is the third most populous continent, after Asia and Africa

Population Density: 70 per sq km (181 per sq mi)

LOCATIONEurope is the World's second-smallest continent covering approximately 6.7% of the Earth's land and 2% of the Earth's surface

It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Arctic Ocean to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The Ural mountains in Russia mark the eastern extreme.

The longest river in Europe is the Volga (2,850 km) in Russia.

The highest mountain is Elbrus (5,642 m) in Russia.

REGIONS AND SEASONS

SEASONS Europe lies entirely in the Northern hemisphere and has four distinct seasons1. Spring - March, April, May2. Summer - June, July, August3. Autumn - September, October, November4. Winter - December, January, February

REGIONS

DEMOGRAPHY Europe is the third most populated continent with a total population about 11% of the World's population.

Southern England, western Germany, the Netherlands and northern Italy are the most populated areas while Iceland, northern Scandinavia and northern Russia are the least populated.

The countries with the highest populations (to the nearest million) are:

Germany - 83 millionUnited Kingdom - 60 millionFrance - 60 millionItaly - 60 million

Europe has the largest economy of the world with Germany and the United Kingdom being the most economically developed countries.

GENERAL PHYSIOGRAPHYEurope extends from the island nation of Iceland in the west to the Ural Mountains of Russia in the east.

Europe’s northernmost point is the Svalbard archipelago of Norway, and it reaches as far south as the islands of Greece and Malta.

Europe is sometimes described as a “peninsula of peninsulas.”

Europe is a peninsula of the Eurasian supercontinent and is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas to the south.

Europe’s main peninsulas are the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan, located in southern Europe, and the Scandinavian and Jutland, located in northern Europe.

PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS

Europe can be divided into four major physical regions:

1) Western Uplands

2) North European Plain

3) Central Uplands

4) Alpine Mountains

The Western Uplands, also known as the Northern Highlands, curve up the western edge of Europe and define the physical landscape of Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, and Denmark), Finland, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, the Brittany region of France, Spain, and Portugal.

The Western Uplands is defined by hard, ancient rock that was shaped by glaciation.

As glaciers receded from the area, they left a number of distinct physical features, including abundant marshlands, lakes, and fjords.

A fjord is a long and narrow inlet of the sea that is surrounded by high, rugged cliffs. Many of Europe’s fjords are located in Iceland and Scandinavia.

WESTERN UPLANDS

NORTH EUROPEAN PLAIN Most of the “Great European Plain” lies (500 feet) in elevation. It is home to many navigable rivers, including the Rhine, Elbe and Oder.

The climate supports a wide variety of seasonal crops. These physical features allowed for early communication, travel, and agricultural development.

The North European Plain remains the most densely populated region of Europe.

The North European Plain extends from the southern United Kingdom east to Russia.

It includes parts of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Poland.

CENTRAL UPLANDS The Central Uplands extend east-west across central Europe and include western France and Belgium, southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

The Central Uplands are lower in altitude and less rugged than the Alpine region and are heavily wooded.

This region is sparsely populated except in the Rhine, Elbe, and Danube river valleys.

ALPINE MOUNTAINSThe Alpine Mountains include ranges in the Italian and Balkan peninsulas, northern Spain, and southern France.

The region includes the mountains of the Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Dinaric Alps, Balkans, and Carpathians.

High elevations, rugged plateaus, and steeply sloping land define the region.

Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus (5,642 meters/18,510 feet), is in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia.

The Alpine region also includes active volcanoes, such as Mount Etna and Mount Vesuvius in Italy.

CLIMATEEurope has a variety of climates, but most of the continent has mild weather.

mild climate is caused by winds that blow across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean. The winds are warmed by the Gulf Stream, a powerful ocean current that carries warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to the western coast of Europe.

The winds affect most of the continent because no mountain barrier is large enough to block them and because much of Europe is located within 300 miles (480 kilometers) of the Atlantic Ocean.

In general, northern Europe has longer, colder winters and shorter, cooler summers than southern Europe.

In addition, winters are longer and colder, and summers shorter and hotter, in the east than in the west.

Most of Europe receives from 50 to 150 centimeters of precipitation each year. The greatest annual precipitation--usually more than 200 centimeters--occurs in areas just west of mountains.

Such regions include parts of western Britain and western Norway.

FLORAThe plant life of Europe is characterised according to climatic region.

The deciduous forest region has a wealth of plant life and includes tall and short trees, shrubs, small plants and mosses.

The coniferous forest region contains trees such as pine, fir and spruce.

Due to the cold during the winter months, only short grasses and shrubs can survive in the tundra region.

The grassland region is characterised by large open areas of tall or short grass.

Plants found in the Mediterranean region have adapted to the differences in rainfall and temperature between winter and summer and include, palm trees, citrus trees, forest and scrub

FAUNA Due to the density of population in Europe there are few areas of natural habitat remaining and many indigenous animals are now extinct or in danger of extinction.

Brown bears and wolves can be found in the northern coniferous forest regions.

Deer, foxes, snakes and wild cats can be found in the deciduous forest regions.