Europe

Statistics of Europe

•6th largest continent in land area (2nd smallest)▫France is largest country which is entirely

located in Europe•3rd most populated continent

▫Germany has most people

Physical Geography

ResourcesIndustrial Agricultural

Europe’s Resources

•Abundant coal▫Helped Europe to industrialize

•Agricultural land▫33% of continent is suitable for crops

Compared to 11% on other continents•Peat used as fuel in northern Europe

▫Similar to coal

Importance of Water

•A large network of rivers has provided resources and transportation for much of Europe▫Rhine and Danube in mainland▫Thames in England

•Most places in Europeare not far from a watersource

Human Environmental Interaction•In the Netherlands, people are creating

their own land▫Diking a small area of water and then

draining•Land reclaimed from the sea is called

polder

Polder’s good and bad results

•Very fertile land▫Used for growing many crops

•Much of the land is below sea level▫Strong storms can flood area with

saltwater

Venice – a city of canals

•Collection of over 100 islands connected by canals▫Located in a lagoon

•Weight of buildings is causing city to sink

European History and Culture

•You will receive an area of Europe (Mediterranean, Western, Northern, Eastern)▫Fill in that section of your chart▫Use chapter 13 in your book

•You have 15 minutes

European Group work

•In a group of 3, read your section and divide up the following tasks:▫What section do you have?

Summary of history Summary of culture Summary of modern life

•Each should be at least ½ page in length

EuropeRegion History Issues Industry Misc

Mediterranean

Ancient Rome and Greece, exploration

Economic downfall, infrastructure

Tourism, fishing, agriculture

Islam, Catholicism, E. Orthodox

Western Ruled by kingdoms, near constant warfare

Eastern resurgence, economic support for Greece, etc.

Agriculture, manufacturing, high-tech and service industries

Reformation, finding an identity

Northern Nordic conquerors, colonization

Recent diversity, taxation

Started revolution, tech jobs, aerospace, timber and agr.

Protestant, adapting to climate

Eastern Cultural crossroads, ancient empires

Powder keg, development from communism

Manufacturing, agriculture, oil

Balkanization, struggle with democracy

Russia and the Republics

•Refers to areas once a part of the Soviet Union▫Covers 2 continents and 11 time zones

•Much of the area is cold and uninhabited

Resources

•Chernozem, meaning black soil, is extremely fertile land in North European Plain

•Large oil and natural gas deposits

Economic challenges

•Due to political and economic transitions, many resources are unused

•Large distances and difficult terrain also contribute

Landforms

•Ural Mountains separate Europe and Asia•Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest lake

▫Contains 20% of world’s freshwater

The Shrinking Aral Sea• Read the article and fill in the cause and effect

graphic organizer on the back of the paper.

The Shrinking Aral Sea• Read the article and answer the following questions

in your notebook. Use complete sentences:1. How was the Aral Sea formed?2. What is causing the Aral Sea’s water supply to

dwindle?3. What are 2 environmental threats which have

resulted from the sea drying up?4. How has the sea’s shrinkage affected the

surrounding area?5. How have the people tried to save the sea?6. What additional steps could be taken to help the

sea recover? (opinion)

Early Russian History

•Civilizations began in western Russia▫Nordic invaders settled areas

•Mongols controlled until 1500’s▫Ivan the Great defeated them and began to

build empire

Russian advancement

•Peter the Great helped industrialize Russia in the late 1600’s▫Studied in Europe▫Established a new capital near Europe (St

Petersburg)•Catherine the Great helped expand

Russia’s boundaries

Russian Revolution

•Began in 1917 as Bolshevik Revolution▫Vladimir Lenin led Communist

Party and seized control of government

▫Executed Czar Nicholas and his family

•Josef Stalin took power after Lenin’s death

Communist Control

•USSR established in 1922▫Fought in WWII with allies after 1941

•After war, engaged in long Cold War with U.S.

After Communism

•Soviet Union crumbled during 1980’s due in large part to arms race with U.S.▫Officially ended in 1991