Northern Europe

 Physical geography of Northern Europe changes greatly from one location to another.  Two regions make up Northern Europe.  British Isles—a group of islands located across the English Channel from the rest of Europe  Scandinavia—a region of islands and peninsulas in far northern Europe, including Iceland to the west

Hills and Mountains  Rugged hills stretch across Iceland, northern Scotland, and Scandinavia.  The Kjolen Mountains divide Norway from Sweden.  Rocky soil and uneven terrain make farming difficult, and few people live there.

Effects of Glaciers  Jagged coastlines cut by glaciers  Fjords, narrow inlets of the sea set between high, rocky cliffs, formed as glaciers melted.  Thousands of lakes carved out by glaciers

Energy  Oil and natural gas deposits under the North Sea  Hydroelectric energy produced by lakes and rivers  Geothermal energy, or energy from the heat of Earth’s interior, from Iceland’s hot springs

Other Resources  Large areas of timber-producing forests stretch across Finland and Scandinavian Peninsula.  Fertile soils provide rich farmland for crops.  Livestock like sheep and dairy cattle are common.  North Sea, Norwegian Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean provide rich stocks of fish.  Fishing is key industry in Norway, Denmark, and Iceland.

Climate  Much of Northern Europe lies near Arctic Circle.  North Atlantic Drift, an ocean current that brings warm, moist air across the Atlantic Ocean, results in Northern Europe’s mild climates.

 Much of Northern Europe has a marine west coast climate.  Denmark, the British Isles, and western Norway  Other parts have a humid continental climate.  Central Norway, Sweden, and southern Finland  Far north are colder climates.  Northern Scandinavia has a subarctic climate.  Iceland has tundra and ice cap climates.

Volcanoes  Iceland has the most active volcanoes in all of Europe.  It is known as the “land of fire and ice”