EUROPE

MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIES Western extremity of Eurasia Lingering world influence High degrees of specialization Manufacturing dominance Urbanized population High standards of living

REGIONS OF THE REALM Western Europe British Isles Northern (Nordic) Europe Mediterranean Europe Eastern Europe See pg 64

PHYSICAL LANDSCAPES Alpine System Western Uplands Central Uplands North European Lowland See pg 44

RELATIVE LOCATION At the heart of the land hemisphere Maximum efficiency for contact with the rest of the world Every part of Europe is close to the sea. Navigable waterways Moderate distances

RELATIVE LOCATION

AGRARIAN REVOLUTION Began in Europe in the 1750s Based on new agricultural innovations Enabled increased food production Enabled sustained population increase

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION Developed in the UK between 1750-1850 Led to Colonialism Evolved from technical innovations that occurred in British industry Proved to be a major catalyst towards increased urbanization

SPATIAL INTERACTION Movement across geographic space Involves contact of people in two or more places for the purposes of exchanging goods or ideas Principles Complementarity Transferability Intervening opportunity

COMPLEMENTARITY Germany Italy Two places, through an exchange of goods, can specifically satisfy each other’s demands. One area has a surplus of an item demanded by a second area. Germany Italy

COMPLEMENTARITY

TRANSFERABILITY The ease with which a commodity may be transported or the capacity to move a good at a bearable cost Rivers, mountain passes/tunnels, road networks are very good in Europe Advances in transportation technology Europe’s small size an advantage

into Italy than German beer? INTERVENING OPPORTUNITY The presence of a nearer source of supply or opportunity that acts to diminish the attractiveness of more distant sources and sites Would Austrian beer be cheaper to import into Italy than German beer?

URBAN TRADITION Urbanization – see world map (next slide) Related concepts Metropolis – central city & its suburban ring. See La Defense, pg 53. CBD – downtowns Europe, oldest parts and usually in the middle of the city; skyscrapers & most prestigious residences. Primate cities, see next slides

POPULATION DENSITY EUROPE Population Density: 256 persons per square mile Urbanization: 75% overall (when East & West are combined)

Older Core or Central City Outer Suburban City METROPOLITAN COMPLEXES Older Core or Central City Outer Suburban City A Metropolis is the central city and its suburban ring. Suburbs of Europe are more concentrated with population and people live more in apartments than in single family houses.

PRIMATE CITIES A country’s largest city Jefferson’s criteria: Always disproportionately larger than the second largest urban center -- more than twice the size In Europe, they are esp. expressive of the national culture Usually (but not always) the capital Examples: Paris, London, Athens, etc – many on list of cities on pg 53.

EUROPEAN versus AMERICAN CITIES Similarities: Central core Suburban ring But European has a Greenbelt

EUROPEAN versus AMERICAN CITIES Differences: High suburban density Apartments Public transportation Land scarcity Centralized urban planning

EUROPE’S POPULATION IMPLOSION Falling share of the world’s population Fertility at an all-time low e.g. Germany, Italy, etc. Fewer young people Smaller working age population Immigration partially offsetting losses

Supranationalism A venture involving three or more states Political, economic, and/or cultural cooperation to promote shared objectives. See next slide. New “Euro”Currency, adopted in 2002 (pg 57)

European Supranationalism EU – 1991, but actually dating back to 1958 (then called EEC). EU Members, pg 58. Non-members Prospective Members

Supranationalism Problems Loss of autonomy Disparities in levels of economic development, esp. btw East & West. Cultural barriers

What does the future hold for Europe? Unification? Instability? Especially in light of the creation of new States, see map, pg 58