EUROPE
EUROPE IS LOCATED IN NORTHERN PART OF GLOBE, COVERING 6.8% OF LAND AREA OF THE EARTH(6th largest) . Eurasia is a massive tectonic plate, so determining where exactly Europe ends and Asia begins is difficult. Europe is bordered by the Arctic Ocean in the North, the Atlantic Ocean and its seas to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea to the south. Europe’s eastern boundary is typically given as the Ural Mountains, which run north to south from the Arctic Ocean down through Russia to Kazakhstan. Western Russia is strikingly similar to Eastern Europe. These two regions share a common history as well with Russian influence extending throughout this transition zone.
EUROPE IS SEPARATED FROM ASIA BY URAL MOUNTAINS, URAL RIVER, CASPIAN SEA, CACUSIAN MOUNTAIN, BLACK SEA, TURKISH STRAIT, MEDITERRIAN SEA. EUROPE AND ASIA IS JOINED BY RUSSIA AND TURKEY.
Europe is the world's second smallest continent after Australia occupying the western tip of Eurasian landmass. Europe mainly lies in northern hemisphere and mostly in eastern hemisphere except some countries like UK,ireland,iceland,spain, portugal,france. Europe constitute the 11% of world population and 6.8% of total land area of the earth surface. politically consist of 50 countries and 6 dependencies , divide europe into four regions:
1) northern or nordic
2) western europe
3) eastern europe
4) southern europe
Europe can be divided into seven geographic regions :
1) SCANDINAVIA : ICELAND, NORWAY,SWEDEN,FINLAND & DENMARK
2) BRITISH ISLES : THE UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND
3) WESTERN EUROPE : FRANCE, BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS, LUXEMBOURG, MONACO,
4) SOUTHERN EUROPE : PORTUGAL, SPAIN, ANDORRA, ITALY, MALTA, SAN MARINO, VATICAN CITY;
5) CENTRAL EUROPE : GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, LIECHTENSTEIN, AUSTRIA, POLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC, & HUNGRY.
6) SOUTH EAST EUROPE : SLOVENIA; CROTIA, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, SERBIA, MONTEGERO, ALBANIA, MACEDONIA, ROMANIA, BULGARIA, GREECE & EASTERN PART OF TURKEY.
7) EASTERN EUROPE : ESTONIA, LATVIA, LITHUANIA, BELARUS, UKRAINE, MOLDOVA, EUROPEAN -RUSSIA; TRANSCAUSIAN COUNTRIES OF GEORGIA, ARMENIA & AZERBAIJAN.
THERE ARE 6 DEPENDENCY REGION/TERRITORY IN EUROPE :
1) CHANNEL ISLANDS : JERSEY & GUERNSEY (U.K.)
2) FAEROE ISLANDS (Denmark)
3) GIBRALTER (U.K.)
4) ISLE OF MAN (U.K.)
5) JAN MAYEN(NORWAY)
6) SVALBARD (NORWAY).
EUROPE BOUNDARIES :
1) IT IS SEPERATED FROM ASIA BY THE URALS MOUNTAIN AND URAL RIVER IN THE EAST;
2) BY CASPIAN SEA, CACUSIAN MOUNTAINS IN THE SOUTH EAST
3) BY THE BLACK SEA, THE BOSPORUS STARIT, THE SEA OF MARMARA, THE DARDANELLES STRAIT IN THE SOUTH.
4) THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA AND STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR SEPARATE IT FROM AFRICA.
5) EUROPE IS WASHED IN THE NORTH BY THE ARCTIC OCEAN AND
6) IN THE WEST BY THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, WITH WHICH NORTH SEA AND BALTIC SEA IS CONNECTED.
ORIGIN OF EUROPE :
THE GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF EUROPE IS WELL DEVELOPED ( HOW EUROPE AS A CONTINENT GROWS OVER TIME ) . EUROPE CONSIST OF ANCIENT ROCKS OF PRECAMBARIAN (3.8BILLION TO 541MILLION) TO PALEOZOIC, MESOZOIC AND CENZOIC EPOCH. CHRONOLOGICALLY FEATURES DEVELOPED FROM ANCIENT TO RECENT ROCKS ARE :
1) BALTIC SHIELD OR SCANDINAVIAN SHIELD FORMING THE BASEMENT ROCK OF EUROPE ; HERE ARCHEAN ROCKS FORMED THE NORTH BALTIC SHIELD ,UKRANIAN MASSIF, & NORTHWEST SCOTLAND MORE THAN 3000 OLD.
2) LATER ON BALTIC SHIELD UNDERWENT TECTONIC AND GLACIAL PROCESS LEADS TWO OROGENY i) caaledonian orogeny(2.5billion to 1.6billion years ago) & ii) hercynian orogeny (1.2 billion to 850 million years ago). LATER 850 MILLION TO 541 MILLION THIS BALTIC SHIELD REGION EXPERIENCED FIRST GLACIATION AND BIOLGICAL DEPOSITS IN THE BASINS.
3) The Precambrian rocks of Europe provide a rich source of economic minerals that sustain human activities, such as major deposits of iron ore at Kiruna in northern Sweden and Kryvyy Rih in Ukraine; tin deposits associated with granites in Finland; extensive copper–nickel sulfide ores across Finland, especially at Outokumpu, and in Sweden; and magnetite ores containing vanadium and titanium in northern Finland.
4) the Caledonian orogenic belt that extends from Ireland and Wales through northern England and Scotland to western Norway and northward to Finnmark in northern Norway.
5) The Hercynian, or Variscan, orogenic belt evolved during the Devonian and Carboniferous periods, from about 419 to 299 million years ago. The belt extends from Portugal and western Spain, southwestern Ireland, and southwestern England in the west through the Ardennes, France (Brittany, Massif Central, Vosges, and Corsica), Sardinia, and Germany (Odenwald, Black Forest, and Harz Mountains) to the Czech Republic (Bohemian Massif). The orogeny was formed by plate-tectonic processes that included seafloor spreading, continental drift, and the collision of plates.
6) the varied tectonic development of the Hercynian orogeny gave rise to widespread mineral deposits in many environments, which have been exploited in the economic development of many countries. Lead and zinc deposits occur in shelf carbonate sediments in Ireland and the Pennines of England; there are deposits of copper, lead, and zinc sulfides that formed in rifts in Silesia (Poland and eastern Germany) and at the Riotinto Mines in southwestern Spain; and important mineral deposits of tin, tungsten, and uranium are associated with crustal melt granites in Cornwall, the Massif Central, and Spain and Portugal.
7) The Uralian orogenic belt, which forms the traditional eastern boundary of Europe, extends for about 2,175 miles (3,500 km) from the Aral Sea in the south to the northeasternmost tip of Severny Island, one of the two large islands that constitute most of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. IT IS FORMED BETWEEN 500-300 MILLION YEARS AGO.
8) THE FORMATION OF SOUTHERN EUROPE AND ALPINE OROGENY : During the Mesozoic Era the Tethys Sea evolved in what is now southern Europe, and during the Cenozoic Era that ocean was destroyed by subduction as many small plates collided. Those events gave rise to the present-day tectonic mosaic that extends eastward from the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, the Baetic Cordillera of southern Spain, and the Pyrenees via the Alps of maritime France, Switzerland, and Austria to the Carpathians, the Apennines, the Dinaric Alps, the Balkan Mountains, and the Taurus and Pontic mountains of Turkey and finally to the Caucasus. Within those belts also must be included the Pannonian Basin of southeastern Europe and the Algerian (or Balearic), Alborán, Tyrrhenian, and Adriatic basins of the Mediterranean Sea. The main cause of the Alpine orogeny during the Cenozoic was the northward compression of Africa into Europe.
9) RUSSIAN AND NORTH EUROPEAN PLATFORM :
The approximately triangular area between the Caledonian orogeny in the west, the Hercynian orogeny and the Alps in the south, and the Urals in the east includes the Russian and North European platforms, as well as the North Sea ( Submerged during last ice age). Within this area sedimentary rocks formed not deformed over russian platform but little deformation south east england and northern france close to orogeny belt. It preserved Phanerozoic fossils is in the central triangular area of Europe. Moreover, under the North Sea there are gas reserves in Permian and Triassic sediments, and there are major oil reservoirs in Jurassic sediments.
10) CENZOIC IGNEOUS PROVINCE :
BASALTIC LAVA FLOWS FROM 60-50 MILLION YEARS AGO FORMING DYKES FROM NORTH-WEST TO SOUTH-EAST DIRECTION CROSSING NORTH IRELAND TO NORTH SEA. Related lavas occur in the Faroe Islands. Those igneous rocks formed in the faulted and thinned continental margin of northwestern Europe contemporaneously with the rifting and seafloor spreading that gave rise to the Atlantic Ocean.
PHYSICAL LANDFORMS OF EUROPE :
1) ALL COASTAL AND INTERIOR LOWLANDS BELOW 600m,
2) CENTRAL UPLANDS AND PLATEAUS
3) NORTH-WESTERN HIGHLANDS
4) SOUTHERN EUROPE
5) ALPS MOUNTAIN SYSTEM IN CENTRAL EUROPE
6) RIVER VALLEYS OF EUROPE LIKE VOLGA(LONGEST); DANUBE, DON,RHINE,RHONE, etc.,
SEE THE MAJOR SITES IN EUROPE IN THE VIDEO LINK MAKE NOTES OF IT ..
EXTREME POINTS OF EUROPE ?
BORDERS OF MAJOR COUNTRIES
BALTIC REGION ?
ALPINE REGION ?
SCANDINAVIAN REGION?
NORDIC REGION ?
BALTIC REGION ?
ARRANGE THE COUNTRIES AND AND CAPITAL OF MAJOR COUNTRIES EAST TO WEST OR NORTH TO SOUTH ?
ARRANGE THE COUNTRIES ON THE BASIS OF ECONOMIC POWER ?
MAJOR MINES OF IRON ORE, COALFIELDS, NICKEL,MANGANESE, etc.,
major transporting networks
major industrial regions of europe ?
major cultural centres or region in europe ?
major crops or agricultural regions in europe ?
major fishing zones and countries why ?
demographically analyse the europe : population size,growth rate, net migration ratio, density, sex ratio, urbanisation ratio, literacy ratio, etc., ??
euro zone and EU COUNTRIES ?
North Europe:
Landscape
The Northern Europe consists of the coun- tries like Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. Den- mark, Sweden and Norway are together known as Scandinavia. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are known as "Baltic States". The Scandinavia is extremely rugged and mountainous with landscape eroded by ice. In the South of Scandinavia, the land is flatter, with fertile soil deposited by glaciers. Much of Finland, Norway and Sweden is covered by dense forest. The Baltic States are much lower with rounded hills and many lakes and marshes. Iceland is one of world's most active volcanic areas. There are about 200 volcanoes on the islands, along with bubbling hot springs,mud-holes and geysers which spurt boiling water and steam high into the air. Norway has many Fjords, deep, wide valley drowned by seawater when the ice melted at the end of the last Ice Age. Ships from Finland, Sweden and Baltic states use the Baltic Sea as their route to the North Atlantic Ocean. In winter, much of the sea is frozen. The Finland and Sweden have many thousands of lakes. During the last Ice- Age, glacier scoured hollows which filled with water when the ice melted. The wide Courland Spit runs for 100 km. along the Baltic coast at Lithuania and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. It encloses a huge lagoon.
Climate, industry, population and agriculture
The warm ocean currents flowing north along the coast of Norway and Iceland make the climate mild and wet. Away from the sea, the climate is generally colder and drier. In Scandinavia, many natural resources are used in industry; timber for paper and furni-
ture, iron for steel and cars. Fish and natural gas are sourced from the seas. Hydro-electric power is generated by waters flowing down steep mountain slopes. The Baltic States still rely on Russia to supply their raw material and energy. The population is distributed mainly along the warmer and flatter southern and coastal areas. The total population and its densities are Low for all the countries, and Iceland has the lowest population density in the Europe, with just three people per 59 sq (square) km. Many Scandinavian have holiday homes in the is-lands, along the lake shores. The southern Denmark and Sweden are most productive areas, with pig farming, dairy farming and crops such as wheat, barley and ern Norway and Iceland. In the Baltic States cereal, potatoes and sugar beet are main crops and cattle graze on dump pasture.
The Low Countries
It consists of Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands. These are called Low Countries because most of their land is flat and low-lying. Much of the Netherland lies below sea level. The low countries of Europe are most densely populated countries, but most of their people have a high living standard. The Low Countries are largely flat and low lying. The two major rivers- the Meuse and the Rhine flow across the low countries of their mouth in the North Sea. At the coast of river Rhine deposit large quantities of sediments to form delta. In the Netherland land has been reclaimed from the sea since the Middle age by building dykes and drainage ditches. These areas of land are called 'Polders'. They are very fertile. The River Rhine erodes and carries large amount of sediments along its course When it reaches the Netherlands it divides into three rivers. As they approach the North Sea, the rivers slow down depositing the sediments to form delta. The plain of Flanders in western Belgium has fertile soil which was deposited by glaciers during the last Ice Age. They provide excellent land for growing crops. The heartlands on the Dutch-Belgium border have thin sandy soils. The only plants which grow here are heathers and gorse. The hill of Ardennes was formed over 300 million years ago. They have many deep valleys, which have been eroded by rivers like Meuse.Climate, industry, agriculture and population
The Low Countries share a similar climate
with mild winters and warm summers. Only in the upland Ardennes region does rainfall
increase and temperature decrease. The low-countries are an important centre for the hi-tech and electronic industries. Good transport links to the rest of the Europe allow them to sell their product in other coun- tries. The built up area stretching from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Antwerp in Belgium has large number of factories while Luxembourg is important banking centre and iron and steel . Demographically nine out of every ten people live in town or city. The largest urban area-known as the 'Randstad Holland' is in the Netherlands. It runs in an unbroken line from Rotterdam in the south to Amsterdam in the west. Even most rural areas in the Low Countries are densely populated. The fertile soil and flat plain of Low Countries provides excellent condition for farming. The main crops grown are barely potatoes, and
flax for making linen. In the Netherlands much farmland is used for dairy-farming. The country is also famous for growing flowers.
The British Isles
Landscape
The British Isles consists of the countries of United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It lies off the Northwest coast of mainland Europe. They are made up of two large islands and 500 smaller ones. Politically, the region is divided into two countries: the United King- dom-England, Wales, Scotland and Northern islands and Republic of Ireland. Geographically, the British Isles are divided between highlands to the north and west, and lowlands to the south and east. The Ben Nevis Mountain is the highest point in the British Isles. It is 1,343 m above the sea level. The Lake District National Park has England's highest peak. Scafell Pike, at 978 m is deepest lake. Wastwater (80 m) is its largest lake. The Pennines are a chain of high hills topped by Moorland. They run for over 400 km and are known as the 'backbone of En- gland'. The Fens is the flattest area in England. Much of the land here has been reclaimed from the sea. Rias are rivers valley that have been drowned by rising sea level. The southern coast of southwest England has many good examples. The Burren is a large area of limestone rock in the west of Ireland. Its flat surfaces are known as limestone pavements.
Climate, industry, population
'The British Isles' climate is moderated by the warm Atlantic ocean current called 'Gulf-Stream'. The west is generally wetter than the east and the south warmer than the north.The United Kingdom's traditional industries such are coal-mining, iron and steel-making and textiles have declined in recent years. Today, newer industries make cars, chemicals, electronics and high-tech goods. Service industries especially banking and insurance have grown in importance. The country's most valuable natural resources are its large North Sea oil and fields. The United Kingdom is densely populated with most of the people living in urban areas. The Southeast is the most crowded part of the country. The Scottish highlands are populated today than they were 200 years ago. Ireland is still mainly rural, with many Irish people making their living from farming.
France
LandscapeAndorra, France and Monaco are the chief countries in these zones. The north and west of France is made up of mainly flat, grassy plains and low hills. Wooded mountain line the country border in the south and east and much of central France is taken up by Massif Central, an enormous plateau, cut by deep riviver valley and scattered with extinct volcanoes. Three major rivers. The Loire, Seine and Garonne drain the low land basins. The Paris Basin is a saucer-shaped hollow made up of layers at hard and soft rock covered with very fertile soil. It runs across about 100,000 sq. km. of Northern France. The Western end of the European Alpine Mountain chain stretches into southeast France. The French Alps can be crossed by several passes, which give access to Italy and Switzerland. The coast of Normandy is lined with high chalk cliff. The Mount Blanc in the French Alps is the tallest in Eastern Europe. It is 4,807 m. high. Pyrenees Mountain forms a natural barrier between France and Spain. Several of their peaks reach heights of over 3,000 meter. The Pyrenees are difficult to cross, due to their height and because they have few low passes. The vast granite plateau of Massif Central was formed over 200 million years ago. Volcanic activity here only stopped within the last 10,000 years and regions rounded hills are the worn down remains of the volcanic mountain. The Camargue is an area of marshes, pastures, sand dunes and salt flats at the mouth of the river Rhone. Rare animal and plant are found there.
Climate, industry, agriculture and population
In winter, the coldest areas of France are mountain of the Massif Central and the Alps.
Summer is the hottest on Mediterranean coast. France is one of world's top manufactur- ing nations, with a variety of both traditional and high tech industries. Cars, machinery and electronic products are exported worldwide, Along the luxury goods such as perfumes, fash- ion and fine wines. Fossil fuel provides some energy, but France is currently the world's sec- ond biggest producer of Nuclear power. In the past 50 years, most people have moved from the countryside into the urban areas. Paris
and its suburb, the industrial cities, and the Cote d'Azur in the southeast are parts of France now have highest population. France is able to produce a variety of crops because of its rich soil and mild climate. Wheat is grown in many parts of north, along with potatoes and other vegetables. Fields of maize and sunflower and fruit orchards are found in the south, while grapes for the famous wine industry grown across the country. Beef and dairy cattle are grazed on low-lying pasture.
Spain And Portugal
Landscape
Spain and Portugal occupy the Iberian Peninsula which is cut off from the rest of the Europe by the Pyrenees. Over the centuries, Iberia has been invaded and settled by many different peoples. The most of the inland in Spain is taken up by Meseta, a dry almost tree- less plateau surrounded by steep mountain ranges. The only lowlands apart from narrow stripes along the Mediterranean coast are the valleys of the Ebro, Tagus, Guadiana and Guadalquivir rivers. Portugal coast is lined by wide plains. Inland, the river Tagus divides the country in two. To the north, the land is hilly and wooded; to the south it is low-lying and drier. The river Ebro carries vital irrigation water to Spain's northeastern plains before flow- ing into the Mediterranean Sea. The westward flowing rivers- Duero, Tagus, and Guadalquivir- flow across the Meseta on their courses to the Atlantic Ocean. The Southern end of Mesta is marked by Sierra Morena mountain range. Mulhacen is the snow capped Sierra Nevada range in southern Spain is 3,481 m high. It is Iberia's tallest mountain.
Climate, industry, agriculture and population
The Northern Spain is wetter and cooler than the South. On the central plateau, summers are very hot and dry, and winter often- freezing. The North of Portugal is cooled by winds blowing off Atlantic Ocean. The south is warmer with dry mild winter. Madrid Barcelona and the northern parts are Spain's chief industrial centres. Here, Iron ore from Spanish mines is used to make steel, and factories produce cars, machinery and chemicals. Portugal exports textiles clothing and footwear, along with fish such as sardines and tuna caught off the Atlantic coast. In both countries tourism is very important to the economy. In the first half of the 20th century most Spaniards lived in villages or small towns, scattered around the countries. Today tourism and industry have drawn most of the population to the cities and coastal areas. Most Portuguese still live in rural areas along the coast or in the river valley, but the cities are growing fast. Cereals especially wheat and Barley are Iberia's chief crops. In the dry south of Spain, the land is irrigated to grow citrus fruits espe- cially orange and vegetable. In both countries olive trees and vineyard occupy large area of land. Olive oil and wine are important export. Cork oak trees from Iberia forest supply 80 per cent of the world cork.
Germany And Alpine States Landscape :
It consists of Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Slovenia and Switzerland. Germany is the biggest power in the continent. To the north, flat plains and heathlands surround the North Sea coast. Further south are Germany's central uplands which are lower and older than the jagged peaks of the Alps, which began to form about 65 million years ago. From its source in the Black forest, the River Danube flows eastward across Germany and Austria on its course to the Black Sea. The other major river, the Rhine, flows northward. The Rhine is Germany's main waterway. It is an important transport route to and from Northern ports. It twists and turns across 1,320 km of Europe from its source in southeast Switzerland to the North Sea. The Danube is Europe's second longest river flowing 2,840 km. Lake Constance covers 54 sq km and is Germany's largest lake, although its water are shared by Austria and Switzerland. The Alps were formed when African plate collided with the Eurasian plate, pushing up and crushing huge amount of rock, to form mountain. The Harz Mountains are much older than the Alps. They were formed over 300 million years ago.Most of the water of the limestone Karst region of Slovenia flows underground through huge caves and caverns.
Climate, industry, agriculture and population
Winter temperature decreases eastwards and the high alpine region is coldest. Climate variations in the Alps are common due to tur- bulent airflows. Germany is a leading manufacturer of cars, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment. Switzerland and Liechtenstein with few raw materials make high value products such as watches and pharmaceuticals and provide ser- vices such as banking. The Alpine states are popular tourist locations all year round. Western and central Germany are the most densely populated areas in the region- particularly in and around the Rhine and Ruhr valleys, where there are many industries. In the south, the steep slopes of the Alps and permanent snow cover on the higher peaks means that most large towns and cities are in scattered lowland area. Germany produces three quarters of its own food. Crop farming is widespread, with cereals and root grown in flat fertile areas. Cattle and Pig rearing supply meat and dairy products. Across the Alps, the mountains limit farming, although vines are grown on the warmer south facing slopes. The rich pastures of the lower slopes are used to graze beef and dairy cattle.
Italy :
LandscapeItaly is a type of peninsula jutting south from mainland Europe into Mediterranean Sea. In Northern and Central Italy the land is mainly mountainous. Most of the flat land is in Po Valley and along the eastern coast. Italy lies within an earthquake zone which makes the land unstable and there are also a number of active volcanoes. The basins of the river Po has the best soils in Italy. Rich alluvium is washed from the mountains by the rivers to form a wide plain. The great lakes like Garda and Como fill several south-facing valleys once occupied by glaciers. The Dolomites are high mountains are parts of same range as the Alps. They were formed 65 million years ago. The Apennines mountain, range formed the back- bone of the Italy dividing the rock west coast from the flatter sandy east coast. The earth
Sardinia Island is made from very old rocks which were up -thrusted to form mountains. The Tyrrhenian Sea divides the Italian mainland from Sardinia is gradually filling with sediments from the rivers, which flows into it. Sicily is the largest islands in Mediterranean. It has a famous active volcano called 'Mount Etna' and often experiences earth quakes.
Climate, industry and population
The Alpine North has cold winters often with snow. Further south temperature are higher. Sicily has Italy's highest temperature due to warm African wind. Italian Industry is located mainly in the north. Design is extremely important to Ital- ians and they are proud of the elegant design of their furniture, clothes and shoe. Though many firms are small, they are very efficient. Italy has few minerals resources so it needs to import new materials to make cars, engine and other high-tech products. Most of the Italy's population lives in the North, mainly in and around the Po Valley, which is home to over 25 million people. Most people here have high standard of living. Soutern Italy is much more rural towns are smaller and life is often much harder.
Central Europe
LandscapeIt consists of Czech Republic, Hungry, Poland and Slovakia. The high Carpathian Mountains sweep across the northern Slovakia. The lower Sudeten Mountain lies on the border of the Czech Republic and Poland. Together these mountains form a barrier which divides
the Great Hungarian plain and the Dannbe river basin in the South from Poland and the vast rolling lowlands of the North European plain.
Pomeriania is a sandy coastal area with lakes formed by glaciers. It stretches west from the
River Vistula to just beyond the German bor- der; Poland's largest river is the river Vistula. It flows northwards passing through the capital, Warsaw on the way to the Baltic Sea. The Sudeten Mountains are famous for their hot minerals springs. These occur where water heated deep within the Earth's crust finds its way to the surface along fracture in the rock. The River Danube forms the border between Slovakia and Hungary for over 162 km. It then turns south to flow across the Great Hungar- ian plains. The Great Hungarian Plains covers almost half of Hungary's land area. It is a mixture of farmland and Steppe. The Tatra Mountains are a small range at northern end of the Carpathian Mountains. They include Geriachousky which is central Europe's highest point at 2,655 m.
Climate, industry, agriculture and population
The Carpathian Mountains are both the coldest and the wettest part of Central Europe. Temperature plunges below zero across the whole region during winter. In summer, east- ern Hungary is the hottest place.Brown coal or lignite is central Europe's main fuel and one of Poland's major exports. A variety of minerals are mined in the moun- tains of Czech Republic and Slovakia. Hungary has a wide range of industries producing vehicles, metals and chemicals as well as tex- tile and electrical goods. The Czech Republic is famous for its breweries and glass making. Central Europe's main crops are cereals such as maize, wheat and rye, along with sugar beet and potatoes. In Hungary, sweet pepper grows, helped by the warm summers and mild winters. They are used to make paprika. Grapes are also grown, to make wine. Large areas of the plains of Hungary and Poland are used for rearing pigs and cattle. Trees for timber grow in the mountain of Slovakia and Czech Republic. Most people in central Europe live in low laying areas, for example, along the River Vistula in Poland and in the lowlands of the Czech Republic. In mountainous Slovakia many people still live in rural towns and villages. The industrial areas and capital cities have the highest population density.
South East Europe: —
It consists of Albania, Bosnia and Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). The Southeast Europe is largely mountainous with range running from north- west to southeast. The Dinaric Alps runs par- allel to the Dalmatian coast, and the Pindus Mountain continue this line into Greece. In the Aegean Sea the drowned peaks of an old mountain chain form thousands of islands. The Vojvodina region of Yugoslavia is the southern part of the great Hungarian plains. The plain is flat and fertile soil allows grain crops like corn and wheat to be grown.
The Balkan Mountains forms a spur running east to west through Bulgaria and sepa-
rate the two main rivers the Danube and the Maritsa. Dalmatian coast has many long, nar- row islands near the shore. These were formed as the Atlantic Sea flooded the river valley which ran parallel to the coast. The Peloponnese is a mountainous peninsula linked to the Greek mainland only by a narrow strip of land called an isthmus. There are two groups of Greek islands-the Ionian island of the west of main- land Greece, and the more numerous islands to the east in Aegean Sea.
Climate ,industry ,population
The Southern Europe's climate varies from north to south. Continental climates are found in the north; winters are cold and dry while towards the south, winters are milder and summers much hotter. Europe's wettest place is found in the mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The mainland Greece and the many islands in the Aegean Sea are centre of a thriving tour-
ist trade, while tourism on the Black Sea coast continues to grow. The Dalmatian coast had a
small, but growing tourist industry until the civil war in former Yugoslavia disrupted that and other industries. Heavy industries like chemicals, engineering and ship-building remain an important source of income in Bulgaria.Greece population is mostly urban; over 50 per cent live in the capital Athens and in Salonica. In Bulgaria, most people live in cities. About half of Albania's and Macedonia's people are still rural. Since the civil war, the different ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia and Croatia have lived from one another.
Eastern Europe
LandscapeIt consists of Belorussia, Moldavia, Roma- nia and Ukraine. The flat and rolling grass- land, marshes and rivers, flood plains covers almost all of Ukraine and Belorussia. The Carpathian Mountains cross the southwestern corner of Ukraine and continue a large arc shaped chain of high peaks at the heart of Romania. Along the southern part of this chain the Carpathians are called the Transylvanian Alps. The Pripet Marshes in Belorussia and Ukraine form the longest area of marshland in Europe. The Steppes are great wide grassland, which are found across Eastern Europe and central Asia. Over 70% of the Ukrainian land- scape is Steppe. The Crimea Peninsula divides the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea. The steep mountain of Krymsk Hory runs along the south-eastern coast of Crimea.
Climate, Industry and population
The climate is continental with warm drysummers and very cold dry winters. Temperatures are higher along the fringe of the Black Sea while the Carpathian Mountains are colder and wetter all year round. In Ukraine, most industry is based on the country's minerals reserve. The Donbas region has Europe's largest coalfield and is an impor- tant centre for iron and steel production. Belorussia's main industries are chemicals; ma- chine building and food processing. Romania's manufacturing industries are growing with the help of foreign investment. The Black soils found across much of Ukraine are very fertile and the country is a big producer of cereals sugar beet and sun- flowers, which are grown for their oil. In Moldavia and southern Romania the warm summers are ideal for growing grapes for wine, along with sunflowers and variety of vegetables. Cattle and Pigs are farmed throughout Eastern Europe. Most Romanians live in Bucharest, the capi- tal or in other cities and towns. In Ukraine, two third of the population lived in the cities in the Donbas industrial area. Most of the Belorussian people are city dwellers. Moldova is the most rural country in Eastern Europe; half its people live in the countryside and make their living from farming.
The Mediterranean
of Tunisia and also the Adriatic Sea are shal- lower than the rest of the Mediterranean. The rugged Atlas Mountain runs through the most of Morocco and Algeria. They form a barrier
between the Mediterranean and the Sahara, which lies south to them. Greek Islands has thousands of islands, which lie, both in the Mediterranean and in the smaller Aegean Sea.
Some of them are the remains of old volcanoes which has left black sand on the beaches. Suez
Canal links the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea. Before it was built ship had to sail around the whole of Africa to reach Asia.
The tourism industry in and around the Mediterranean is one of the most highly devel- oped in the world. More than half of the world's have grown up along the northwest coast of Africa, and in Egypt, in southern Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey, tourism brings huge economic benefit. The Mediterranean has a large fishing in- dustry, although most of the fishing is smallscale. Tuna and Sardines are caught through- out the region and mussels are found off the coast of Italy. Fish canning and packing takes place at most of the larger ports. Small oil and gas reserves are extracted off the coast of North Africa and near Greece, Spain and Italy.
Points to Remember :
1. Europe is the sixth largest continent with an area of 10,360,000 sq km.
2. The highest point in Europe is Mont Blanc (4807 m) in the Alps and Mt Elbrus (5633 m) in the Caucasus.
3. Belgium and Netherlands are the two small low lands countries very thickly populated.
4. Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark are collectively known as Scandinavia.
5. The Seine and Rhine are the important rivers that join the English Channel and the North Sea.
6. The Volga, which is the largest river of Europe, joins a landlocked Sea named the Caspian.
7. Elbrus is the highest mountain peak in Europe, which lies in the Caucasus.
8. Lombardy in Italy and the lowlands of Andalusia in Spain and the plains of Hungry are the lowlands.
9. More than 800 million people live in Europe and its population is highly urbanized.
10. Rotterdam, in the Netherlands is a part of conurbation, a large built up are with several towns and cities.
11. Temperate type of climate is found in Europe.
12. North European plain is the Europe's agricultural heart.
13. The Alps were formed when after can plate collided with the Eurasian Plate.
14. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are together called 'Baltic State.'
15. Belgium, Luxemberg and Netherlands are called 'Low countries.'
16. The plain of Flanders in Western Germany has fertile soil.
17. The Burren is a large area of limestone rock in the west of Ireland. Its flat surfaces are known as limestones pavements.
18. The coast of Normandy is lined with high chalk cliffs.
19. The Duero, Tagus and Guadalquivir rivers flow across the Meseta on their courses to Atlantic Ocean.
20. Germany is a leading manufacturer of cars, machinery and transport equipment.
21. Sicily is the largest islands in Mediterranean. It has a famous active volcano called Mount Etna.
22. The Po Valley is a broad flat plain in North of Italy.
23. Sicily has Italy's highest temperature, due to warm African winds.
24. The Poland's largest river is Vistula. It flows northwards, passing through the capital Warsaw on its way to the Baltic Sea.
25. TheTatra Mountains are small range at the northern end of the Carpathian Mountains.
26. The Balkan Mountains forms a spur running east to west through Bulgaria and separate
the two main rivers, the Danube and the Maritsa.
27. Carpathian Mountain Range is the largest mountain range in Eastern Europe. They are rich source of timber and minerals.
28. Suez Canal links the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea. Before it was built, ship had to sail around the whole of Africa to reach Asia.
29. The Atlas Mountains runs through most of Morocco and Algeria. They form barrier between the Mediterranean coast and the Sahara, which lies south of them.
30. The Carpathian Mountains are both the coldest and the wettest parts of central
Europe.
31. Tyrrhenian Sea divides the Italian mainland from Sardinia is gradually filling with sediments from the rivers, which flow into it.
32. Poland's largest river is the Vistula. It flows northwards passing through the Capital
Warsaw.
33. Central Europe's main crops are cereals such as maize, wheat and rye, along with sugar beet and potatoes.
34. The worst nuclear incident in history happened at Chernobyl's nuclear power station in Northern Ukraine.
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