Physical Geography of Europe SSWG6a. Describe the location of major physical features and their impact on Europe.

Mountains/Highlands Major features: Alps, Pyrenees, Balkan, Caucus, Ural Ural Mountains form the border between Asia & Europe Alps & Pyrenees are world renown for skiing & other winter sports

Mountains AlpsUral

Mountains Mt. Elbrus in the Caucus Mts.Balkan Mts.

Plateaus Major Feature: Central Siberian Plateau Takes up good part of central Russia Rocky in some places, green in others People here are primarily herders

Plateaus Central Siberian PlateauNative family

Rivers Seine River, Rhine River, Rhone River, Danube River, Volga River, Ob River Europe is made of rivers & have been primary shipping routes for centuries Danube River is the longest and connects eastern & western Europe—begins in the Black Forest of Germany Canals connected the Volga to the Baltic Sea

Rivers Danube RiverSeine River

Seas North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea, Caspian Sea, Black Sea, Aral Sea, Mediterranean waters are vital to the economies of 20 European countries, supporting tourism and other industries Aral Sea is shrinking at an alarming rate

Seas Mediterranean SeaBlack Sea Pollution

Additional Water Features Major Features: Strait of Gibraltar, English Channel, Lake Baikal Strait is close enough to see to the other side to Africa. English Channel separates the UK and the rest of mainland Europe Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world

Additional Water Features Strait of GibraltarEnglish Channel

Plains Major Feature: North European Plain (also called Great European Plain) Greatest uninterrupted expanses of plain on the Earth’s surface From France through Russia Lowest elevation on any continent

Plains GEP wind powerWheat harvest in Ukraine

Additional Land Features Major Features: – Iberian Peninsula (Spain & Portugal) – Scandinavian Peninsula (Norway & Sweden) – Italian Peninsula (Italy) – Jutland Peninsula (Denmark) – Balkan Peninsula (Greece)

Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo