Northern Europe Chapter 14 Section1

Two regions make up Northern Europe- The British Isles and Scandinavia. The British Isles are a group of islands that are located across the English channel from the rest of Europe. Scandinavia is a region of islands and peninsulas in the far northern Europe.

Physical Features: Rough rocky hills and low mountains cover much of Iceland, Northern Scotland and Scandinavia. The rocky soil and uneven terrain in much of N. Europe make farming difficult, as a result, fewer people live in this region.

Fertile Farmland and flat plains stretch across the Southern parts of the British Isles and Scandinavia. Irelands rolling green hills provide rich farmland.

Glaciers (slow moving sheets of ice) have left their mark on Norway's coastline by cutting deep valleys into Norway's mountains, making it very jagged. When the glaciers melted the valleys filled with water, creating deep fjords. A fjord is a narrow inlet of the sea set between high rocky cliffs.

Natural Resources: Northern Europe's primary resources are its energy resources, forests and soils, and surrounding seas. Norway and the UK benefit from oil and gas deposits under the North Sea. Hydroelectric energy is produced by the regions many lakes and rivers. In Iceland, steam from hot springs produces geothermal energy- energy from the heat of Earths interior. Soil provides rich farmland for crops such as wheat and potato's. Fishing is a key industry in Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

Climate: Despite being close to the Arctic Circle much of Northern Europe has a mild climate due to the North Atlantic Drift- a current that brings moist, warm air across the Atlantic Ocean. Far to the north are subarctic regions, such as in Scandinavia. This causes long cold winters, short summers and freezing cold temperatures.

Section 1 Critical Thinking Q’s: (Write question and answer Section 1 Critical Thinking Q’s: (Write question and answer!) you may use your book if needed. 1. Why do you think more people live in the Southern region of Northern Europe, rather than the North? 2. Why are the seas and oceans of Northern Europe considered a natural resource? 3. How might the climates of Northern Europe be different without the North Atlantic Drift?