Europe and Russia: Physical Geography Section 3: Resources and Land Use Resources of Western Europe Western Europe has many natural resources such as fertile soil, water, and fuels. European farmers enjoy rich, fertile soil that has been created by winds depositing loess throughout the North European Plain. Water is an important source of energy, as water-driven turbines generate hydroelectric power, which countries throughout Europe use to operate their factories. Fossil fuels, including natural gas, oil, and coal, also provide energy for Western European industries. MapMaster: Europe: Natural Resources 1 of 4

Hydroelectric power

Europe and Russia: Physical Geography Section 3: Resources and Land Use Resources of Eastern Europe Eastern Europe has many of the same resources as Western Europe. An area called Silesia—in southern Poland on the border of the Czech Republic—is home to large deposits of coal. Ukraine’s most important resource is its soil, as the land is very fertile, making farming an important occupation. 2 of 4

Europe and Russia: Physical Geography Section 3: Resources and Land Use Resources of Russia Russia has plentiful natural resources but faces challenges in turning these resources into wealth. Russia has the largest reserves of natural gas in the world, an estimated one third of the world’s coal reserves, and the largest reserves of iron ore. The nation’s huge amounts of fossil fuels and minerals are used to produce automobiles, machinery, and chemicals. Russia’s large forest reserves supply wood for paper, houses, and furniture. Russia is also able to generate large amounts of electricity using its fossil fuels and hydroelectric plants, while its location on the Pacific Ocean and near the Black and Caspian seas make fishing an important industry. However, many of Russia’s resources are located in remote areas of Siberia, which makes transportation to major cities difficult. Extracting the resources has created pollution and restoring polluted areas is a big challenge for Russia. MapMaster: Russia: Natural Resources Section Reading Support Transparency Examview QuickTake Presenter Chapter Test 3 of 4

Europe and Russia: Physical Geography: Section 3 Section Reading Support Transparency 4 of 4