Unit #4: Europe

Chp 12: Physical Geography of Europe

Take Five…

What is the main type of physical landform that is predominant in Europe?

? How can a little tiny country BE a country?

What makes a country? Common DEFENDABLE borders Military Stable Political system Stable Economic system

17 of the world’s smallest countries each contain less than 200 square miles in area. If we combined the land area of these 17 countries, we would have a country just a bit larger than the state Rhode Island.

Vatican City - 0.2 square miles - The world's smallest state, the Vatican has a population of 770, none of whom are permanent residents. The tiny country which surrounds St. Peter's Basilica is the spiritual center for the world's Roman Catholics (over 1 billion strong). Also known as the Holy See, Vatican City is surrounded by Rome, Italy.

Monaco - 0.7 square miles - The tiny state of Monaco lies along the French Riviera on the French Mediterranean coast near Nice. An impressive 32,000 people live in this state known for its Monte Carlo casinos and Princess Grace. It has been independent off-and-on since the 13th century.

Nauru - 8.5 square miles - The 13,000 residents of the Pacific island Nauru rely on diminishing phosphate deposits. The state became independent in 1968 and was formerly known as Pleasant Island.

Tuvalu - 9 square miles - Tuvalu is composed of 9 coral atolls along a 360 mile chain in Polynesia. They gained independence in 1978. The former Ellice Islands are home to 12,000.

San Marino - 24 square miles - Located on Mt. Titano in north central Italy, San Marino has 29,000 residents. The country claims to be the oldest state in Europe, having been founded in the fourth century.

Liechtenstein - 62 square miles - This microstate of 34,000 is located on the Rhine River between Switzerland and Austria in the Alps.

Marshall Islands - 70 square miles - The atolls (including the world's largest, Kwajalein), reefs, and 34 islands (population 58,000) gained independence in 1986; they were formerly part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (and administered by the United States).

Saint Kitts and Nevis - 104 square miles - This Caribbean country of 39,000 gained independence in 1983. Nevis is the smaller island of the two and is guaranteed the right to secede.

Seychelles - 107 square miles - The 81,000 residents of this Indian Ocean island group have been independent of the United Kingdom since 1976.

Maldives - 115 square miles - Only 200 of the 2000 Indian Ocean islands which make up this country are occupied by 340,000 residents. The islands gained independence from the U.K. in 1965.

Malta - 122 square miles - This island is just south of the Italian island of Sicily. It became independent from the United Kingdom in 1964 and the British military were completely gone by 1979. The population is 400,000.

Grenada - 133 square miles - This Caribbean country (population 90,000) became independent of the U.K. in 1974. It's located quite close to Venezuela.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 150 square miles - 117,000 people live on these Windward Caribbean islands which gained independence from Britain in 1979.

Barbados - 166 square miles - About 280,000 people live on this Caribbean island, the farthest east of the Lesser Antilles. Barbados obtained independence from the U.K. in 1966.

Antigua and Barbuda - 171 square miles - This Caribbean nation of 69,000 has been independent from the United Kingdom since 1981. The three islands which compose this country rely on tourism (as do many of the Caribbean countries and territories).

Andorra - 180 square miles - The independent Principality of Andorra is co-governed by the President of France and the Spain's Bishop of Urgel. With just over 70,000 people, this mountainous tourist destination tucked in the Pyrenees between France and Spain has been independent since 1278.

Palau - 191 square miles - Palau (also known as Belau) was a Trust Territory of Pacific Islands. It was formerly known as the Carolines and is composed of more than 200 islands in the Pacific; the population is about 20,000. It became independent in 1994.

Say What???

6 of the world’s 17 smallest countries are located in Europe

Sec 1: Landforms and Resources

What is a peninsula? Land that is surrounded by water on 3

sides Europe is essentially a series of

large peninsulas

Northern Peninsula—Scandinavian Peninsula

Norway & Sweden Bordered by Norwegian Sea, North

Sea and Baltic Sea Fjords—U shaped valleys that connect

to the sea and filled with seawater after the glaciers melted

Provide harbors

Scandinavian Peninsula--Norway and Sweden

Jutland Peninsula

Forms part of Denmark and Germany

It is surrounded by the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

JutlandPeninsula

Iberian Peninsula

Spain and Portugal Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean,

the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterrean Sea

The Pyrenees Mountains separate the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe

Iberian Peninsula

Italian Peninsula—The Boot…

Italy & Vatican City Surrounded by Tyrrhenian Sea, Ionia

Sea and Adriatic Sea

Italian Peninsula

Vatican City

Home to the Pope Home to the Pope’s staff Home to the Sistine Chapel

Vatican City

Vatican City

Sistine Chapel

Vatican Guards—Swiss Guards

Soooo…why Swiss Guards you say?

"The Helvetians (Swiss soldiers) are a people of warriors, famous for the valour of their soldiers."

1506 protected Pope Julius II Pope Julius II granted them the title

of "Defenders of the Church's freedom"

The rest is history…

Balkan Peninsula

The Balkan States Surrounded by the Adriatic Sea, the

Mediterrean Sea and the Aegean Sea

Balkan Peninsula

Take Five…

Which mountain range cuts Italy off from the rest of Europe?

Which mountain range restricts movement between France to Spain and Portugal?

Which mountain range divides the eastern and western portions of Italy?

Mountain ranges

Mountains in Europe act as walls separating different groups of people and ultimately different countries

Alps (Spreading across France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria & the northern Balkan Peninsula)

Pyrenees (Between France and Spain) Apennine (Italy) Balkan Mountains (Balkan States)

Alps

Wally Points…

What’s the difference between mountains and uplands?

Uplands

Lower mountains or hills Kjolen in Scandinavia Brittany in France Meseta in Spain (plateau) Central Uplands in Germany Massif Central in France

Rivers

Danube (Dan u bu)—longest river in Europe-beginning in Black Forest (Germany) flowing to the Black Sea

Rhine (Germany) Seine (Sign)—(France) Elbe (Denmark-Czech Republic) Po (Italy)

Danube

Rhine

Seine River

Elbe

Po

Take Five…

Name one pro and one con for the European plains landforms.

Fertile Plains

Pro Flatland has fertile soil and is ideal for farming

Con Plains make for easy invasion

Northern European Plain France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark,

Germany & Poland Other plains regions

Sweden, Hungary, N. Italy

Take Five…

Complete the Skill Builder questions on page 276.

Natural Resources

Abundant natural resources including coal and iron

Oil and natural gas Agriculture—grains, grapes, olives

etc Timber

Disparity of natural resources

Not all countries in Europe have abundant or even the same natural resources

Example: oil and natural gasses are available in some areas, but others, such as Ireland use peat as an energy resource

Take Five…

Sec #2: Climate and vegetation

European Union