Today’s Standard SS6G8 The student will locate selected features of Europe. a. Locate on a world and regional political- physical map: the Danube River, Rhine River, English Channel, Mediterranean Sea, European Plain, the Alps, Pyrenees, Ural Mountains, Iberian Peninsula, and Scandinavian Peninsula.

Intro to our Essential Question…… What are the major physical features of Europe, and where are they located on a map?

Europe: “A Land of Varied Riches”

The Geography of Europe Before the 1900’s, the easiest way to travel around Europe was by water. This is because some parts of Europe are very mountainous. Many rivers and seas make Europe ideal for waterway travel.

The Geography of Europe Today, Europe is full of railways, airports, and roads. These man-made transportation corridors allow people to move throughout Europe without waterways.

The Geography of Europe Before the advent of modern transportation, the many waterways were vital to the growth of Europe. Water surrounds almost the entire continent. The southern coast of Europe borders the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Geography of Europe Europe has an extensive river system. Major Rivers Rhine River Danube River Volga River These rivers allowed for movement of goods, people, & ideas throughout the continent in the past.

Rhine River

Danube River

Volga River

Europe is sometimes called a “continent of peninsula’s.” Landforms of Europe Europe is sometimes called a “continent of peninsula’s.” This is because several large peninsula’s, or bodies of land surrounded by water on three sides, form the European continent.

Includes: Spain & Portugal Iberian Peninsula Includes: Spain & Portugal

Italian Peninsula

Scandinavian Peninsula Includes: Norway & Sweden

Balkan Peninsula Includes: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Macedonia, & Serbia

Landforms of Europe Along the jagged shorelines of the Scandinavian Peninsula are fjords. A fjord is a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea located between steep cliffs. These were carved by glaciers during the last ice age.

Much of Europe is covered with mountains. Landforms of Europe Much of Europe is covered with mountains. All of the peninsula’s we just saw contain mountain ranges. The highest mountains in Europe are the Alps.

Landforms of Europe Along Europe’s eastern border, the Ural Mountains divide the continent of Europe from Asia. The people on the western side of the Urals have more of a European culture, whereas those on the eastern side have a more Asiatic culture.

Landforms of Europe Not all of Europe is mountainous. A large region called the Great or North European Plain stretches from the coast of France to the Ural Mountains. This land is good for farming.

Landforms of Europe The North European Plain is home to some of the world’s best farmland. It also contains many rivers, which made it a great place to live in the days before modern transportation & grocery stores. A plain is a large, flat area of land, usually with few or little forest cover.

Europe usually experiences cold winters in the northern regions. Climate of Europe Europe usually experiences cold winters in the northern regions. Overall, western Europe is warmer than other places in the world at the same latitude, like Canada. This is because the gulf stream brings warm water to the continent which makes warm weather.

Climate of Europe

Natural Resources of Europe Europe had an abundance of natural resources. It still has a lot, but it has so many people that they go quickly. Europe has a good bit of coal, ores, & mineral resources. Most of the forests have been cleared for timber.