Ural Mountains: “The Great Divide”

Alpine Mountain System The Alps… France, Switzerland, Italy, & Austria NOT a barrier to trade as mtn passages are low.

Apennines Mountainous spine of the Italian boot, volcanic activity Vesuvius, Pompeii Mt. Etna, Sicily

Fjords Narrow deep inlets of the sea between high rocky cliffs. Carved out by glaciers at the last ice age as the ice retreated Coast of Norway & IcelandFjords

Why are most of the capitals of Europe on major rivers??

Q: Why are most of the capitals of Europe on major rivers? Capitals on the Rivers Paris, right bank of the Seine London on the Thames Prague on the Vltava Budapest on the Danube Rome on the Tiber A:They are Europe’s lifeline!

The Volga River Longest river in Europe = 2,300 miles long. Extremely polluted!!

2 nd longest river in Europe. Important for trade & hydroelectric power. The Danube River

Lake Baikal, Siberia e The oldest and deepest lake in the world. e 20% of the world’s total UN-frozen water supply.

Transylvania in the Carpathian Mountains e Home of Vlad Tepeš, the Drakul (“Count Dracula”)

The BeNeLux Countries * Belgium * Netherlands * Luxembourg * Belgium * Netherlands * Luxembourg

Reykjavik, Iceland: e Volcanoes e Hot Springs e Geysers

Mediterranean Islands eMountainous e Mediterranean Sea is polluted eEstimated it will take 1,000 years to clean up. Sardinia Cyprus Malta

English Channel: Body of water between England & France. "Chunnel" links the UK & France. Chunnel Tunnel: beneath the English Channel. Travel by train or take car on ferry boat.

POLDERS

Europe’s Latitude v. US

North Atlantic Drift The Northern part of Western Europe has a marine west coast climate with mild cool summers and warm winters due to the NAD and prevailing westerly winds.

Siberia --> Permafrost e Temperatures range from about 32 winter & 77 summer. Not many people live here, can you guess why?? e A former “gulag” Soviet prison camp.

Acid Rain = rain + pollution

Air Pollution/Smog Smog = Fog + pollution

CHERNOBYL: Reactor overheated (4/26/86) Winds carried radioactive material into N & Central Europe. Soviet leaders concealed this for 2 days, refused outside help. Health problems for people & their unborn children continue in this area.

Economic Systems 5 of the top 10 wealthiest nations in the world - European. Still a lot of very poor countries in Europe. W. Europe is Free Market E. Europe is Socialist Countries in color (Green, yellow & red) are socialist.

European Union Economic & political union of 27 countries located primarily in Europe. Eliminates Trade Barriers among members (NAFTA, ASEAN).

US & Europe: constitutional democracies with elected representation. European monarchies are limited in power. Red: Monarchy Blue: Republic Political Systems

Genocide Definition: The deliberate & systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group. Bosnian Genocide: during Bosnian War, target - Bosnian Muslims & Croations. Over 50,000 men, women & children murdered during this time. The Holocaust: murder of over 11 million people: Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Communists/political dissidents, Slavs, Jehovah's Witnesses, some Protestant pastors & Catholic priests, black people, mentally & physically disabled, as well as others : 2 out of every 3 European Jews murdered.

Ireland & the IRA IRA wanted independence from England to create an independent Irish republic Post WWI British army sent over former World War I soldiers to fight; many settled in the N. part of Ireland England gave Ireland freedom (1921), kept the Northern part is still a part of the UK today.