THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE Peninsula of Peninsulas Europe is one big peninsula, with many smaller peninsulas within its area.

PHYSICAL EUROPE

THE NORTHERN PENINSULAS The Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe is mountainous Ice age glaciers melted here, leaving thousands of lakes. Other glaciers carved out fjords along the coastline. Fjords—steep U-shaped valleys that connect to the sea. The Jutland Peninsula makes up the largest part of Denmark. This peninsula is much more flat than the Scandinavian Peninsula.

The Southern Peninsulas Southwestern Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, home to Spain and Portugal, separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. The Pyrenees Mountains form a barrier between it and the rest of Europe. The Apennine Peninsula is a long thin boot-shaped piece of land on which the country of Italy lies. The Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe is a tangle of mountain ranges and valley.

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

EUROPE’S ISLANDS Iceland, an island south of the Arctic Circle in the North Atlantic Ocean features volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers.

THE BRITISH ISLES The British Isles—primarily Ireland and Great Britain/United Kingdon—are cool, hilly, and rainy

GREAT BRITAIN

THE MEDITERRANEAN ISLANDS ISLAND OF SARDINIA ISLAND OF CORSICA ISLAND OF CYPRUS In the Mediterranean, 5 large islands-Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Crete—all have rugged terrain and volcanic mountains. Greece’s nearly 2,000 islands in the Aegean Sea have rugged landscapes and a sunny climate that attracts many tourists. ISLAND OF CRETE

EUROPE’S MOUNTAINS Alps during summer Matterhorn Peak found in the Alps on the Swiss/Italian border Alps during summer EUROPE’S MOUNTAINS Europe’s mountains have acted as a natural barrier between different groups of people. The Alps are Europe’s most famous mountain range. The run across parts of Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France and Germany. The Pyrenees Mnts. Separate Spain and Portugal from the rest of Europe.

The Apennine Mnts. run down the middle of Italian peninsula. The Carpathian Mnts are the largest mountain range in Europe. Balkan Mnts. isolate the Balkan peninsula from Europe and Asia.

Uplands Uplands are not quite as high in elevation as mountains are. Examples of Uplands would be: Meseta the central plateau in Spain Massif Central —the uplands that make up 1/6th of France. France Spain

THE PLAINS REGIONS The fertile North European Plain stretches from GREAT HUNGARIAN PLAINS THE PLAINS REGIONS The fertile North European Plain stretches from southeastern England and western France to Russia. It consists of a major agricultural region, the plain is home to some of Europe’s largest cities. The Great Hungarian Plain, another fertile region, extends from Hungary to Croatia, Serbia and Romania. N. EUROPEAN PLAINS

Europe's Waterways The rivers of Europe flow from inland mountains and highlands to the coasts. Europeans have built networks of canals that aid transportation and irrigation. Two major rivers are the Danube and the Rhine.

EUROPE’S RIVERS AND BODIES OF WATER Scandinavian rivers tend to be short. Rivers on the Iberian Peninsula are generally too shallow and narrow for large ships. England’s Thames River allows ships easy access to the inland city of London.

EUROPE’S MAJOR RIVERS The Rhine River, Western Europe’s major river, runs through France and Germany into the Netherlands, connecting inland industrial cities to the North Sea. The Danube River, Eastern Europe’s major river, flows from Germany’s Black Forest to the Black Sea. The Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, completed in 1992, links the North Sea through the Rhine and Danube Rivers to the Black Sea. NORTH SEA DANUBE RIVER RHINE RIVER BLACK SEA MAIN-DANUBE CANAL

Strait of Gibraltar—Connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. One of the worlds most important waterways!

EUROPE’S NATURAL RESOURCES: COAL AND IRON ORE ENGLISH COAL MINE GERMAN STEEL MILL Europe’s abundant supply of coal and iron supported the development of modern industry. Today, many European coalfields are depleted. In places where other fuels are scarce, Europeans burn peat, a dense mossy substance dug up in swamps and dried for fuel. Most Europeans rely on coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear and hydroelectric power.

SOUTHERN EUROPE Most of southern Europe has a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The Alps block moist Atlantic winds, so less precipitation falls in southern Europe than in northwestern Europe The mistral, an Alpine wind, occasionally blows bitter cold air into southern France. Siroccos—high, dry winds from North Africa—sometimes bring hot weather to Europe.

EASTERN AND NORTHERN EUROPE Eastern and northern areas of Europe have a humid continental climate—cold, snowy winters and hot summers. Warm Atlantic currents have less influences on climates in these areas farther from the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, summer and winter temperatures vary more widely in eastern and northern Europe than in the rest of Europe.

EASTERN EUROPE

FAR NORTH SCANDINAVIA Far northern parts of Scandinavia feature sub-arctic and tundra climates. Much of the soil is permanently frozen below the surface. Winters are bitterly cold, and summers are short and cool. This region is often called the Land of the Midnight Sun because in the summer the sun never sets.

SCANDINAVIA

The Struggle with the Sea Most of Europe lies within 300 miles of seacoast. This closeness to the sea has shaped the lifestyles of Europeans. About 25% of the Netherlands lies below sea level. The Dutch have built dikes, earthen (dirt) banks to hold back the waters of the North Sea. They have gained new land by draining lakes and flooded areas. The new claimed land is called a polder. An arm of the North sea was transformed into a large fresh water lake Zuider Zee now known as Ljsselmeer. At one point 40% of the Netherlands was under water.

BELGIUM AND THE NETHERLANDS

Venice, Italy Approximately 120 Islands make up the city of Venice. Because the area consisted mainly of swamps, builders had to use wooden pilings to support building structures above water. The weight of the buildings is one of the reasons that Venice is sinking along with rising sea levels. Pollution is a constant threat to the city. Venice, Italy