Journey to European Countries

Virtual Field Trip

Southern Europe

Spain

Physical Characteristics

Economic CharacteristicsCultural Characteristics

Click to hear the national anthem

• The Pyrenees Mountains is a mountain chain that forms a border between France and Spain.

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Spain is located in the Iberian Peninsula along with Portugal.

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• The Tagus River is the longest river in Spain.

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• The Guadalquivir River is one of the few navigable rivers in Spain. NEXT

• Navigation in the Guadalquivir River up to the Port of Seville also leads to a serious environmental problem due to the erosion this causes to the riverbanks within the National Park and to the dredging carried out in order to deepen the navigation canal. NEXT

• Agriculture is important to Spain’s economy.

• Spain is one of the world’s leading producer of olive oil.

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• Madrid is the center of culture and trade.

Capital City Madrid

Language Castilian

Religion Catholic

TOITALY

Southern Europe

Italy

Physical Characteristics

Economic Characteristics

Cultural Characteristics

Click to hear the national anthem

• Alps are the largest mountain system in Europe.

• The Alps form a towering wall across northern Italy. The tallest of these mountains have only rocks and glaciers at their peaks. Melting snows from the Alps feed many of Italy's rivers.

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• Two small countries are within Italy

San Marino

Vatican City

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• The Apennines the name of a mountain range in Italy that extends from the Gulf of Genoa to the Strait of Messina, about 840 miles.

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• Mount Etna is Europe’s tallest active volcano.

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• The Po Valley, also called the North Italian Plain, is a broad plain that stretches between the Alps in the north and the Apennine mountains in the south. NEXT

• The city of Venice has been threatened by air and water pollution.

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The Po River Valley

• Industrial and transportation centers near mineral deposits, coal and iron ore

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• Canals and rivers form an

important transportation

system in many parts of Europe. Boats

called gondolas

carry people throughout the city of

Venice, Italy.

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• Rome is the birthplace of western democracy. Rome ruled the ancient Western world as the capital of the mighty Roman Empire. For hundreds of years, Rome was the supreme power of Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. and the center of culture and trade.

Capital City Rome

Language Italian

Religion Catholic

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• Rome is the center of culture and trade.

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• The Colosseum, also called the Flavian Amphitheater, was the largest outdoor theater of ancient Rome. The Colosseum still ranks among the finest examples of Roman architecture and engineering, even though it survives only as a ruin. It stands near the center of modern Rome. NEXT

• Leaning Tower of Pisa

is a bell tower at Pisa, Italy. It is

famous for leaning 14 1/2 feet out of line when measured from the seventh story. It inclines because its foundation was built

on unstable soil.

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• Saint Peter's Basilica, also called St. Peter's Church, in Vatican City, is the world's largest Christian church. It is the second church to stand above the crypt (tomb) believed to hold the body of Saint Peter, the first pope. It is built in the shape of a cross.

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• Pope is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. The church regards the pope as its visible head and Jesus Christ as its invisible and supreme head.

TOGREECE

Southern Europe

Greece

Physical Characteristics

Economic Characteristics

Cultural Characteristics

Click to hear the national anthem

• The central mountain range, the rugged Pindus Mountains, forms the core of mainland Greece.

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• Most of Greece is located on the

Balkan Peninsula. The Balkan

Peninsula covers about 184,000 square miles.

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Plain of Attica

• Attica is a peninsula of continental Greece. The area of the region of Attica is 3,808 sq. km and its population (1991) is more than 3,500,000 inhabitants, which is 34% of the whole population of Greece.

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• Greece is a land of mountains and sea. Greece's mainland, the Peloponnesus Peninsula, is connected to the Isthmus of Corinth.

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• Crete is the largest island in Greece -

the fifth largest in the

Mediterranean

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• The Aegean Sea is located between the Greek peninsula on the west, and Turkey to the east. NEXT

• Greece is one of the least developed economies in Europe.

• The industry which contributes the most to the economy is the tourism industry and the shipping. Greece welcomes every year a number of tourists greater than the country’s total population and its shipping sector is the most important in the world.

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• Greece is the birthplace of western democracy.

• Greece is the center of culture and trade.

Capital City Athens

Language Greek

Religion Greek Orthodox

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• The Parthenon is the most important and characteristic monument of the ancient Greek civilization and still remains its international symbol. It was dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the patron goddess of Athens.

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Next Stop…

Northern Europe