Geography of Western Europe
Terms and Places
Population density describes how crowded an area is.
High population density
Low population density
Tributaries are rivers that flow into other rivers.
A waterway that is navigable can be traveled by ships.
Hydroelectric power is electricity made from in dams.
The Gulf Stream brings warm water from the south to northern Europe.
Objectives
• Identify two landforms that give Western Europe a lot of shoreline.
• Explain how lots of shoreline affected Western Europe’s history and culture.
• Name the four regions of Western Europe.
• Explain how both climate and terrain affects population in each of the four regions of Western Europe.
• Explain why the plains of Western Europe are warmer than the plains of Eastern Europe, even though they are at the same latitude.
Physical Geography of Europe
Part 1: Location and Borders
Where is Europe?
The
Atla
ntic
Oce
an
The Mediterranean Sea
The Arctic Ocean
The Caspian
SeaThe Black Sea
The Ural M
ountainsEurope
Africa
Asia
Where are Europe’s borders?
Africa
Asia
Caucasus Mts.
Part 2: Natural Features
Europe has many peninsulas.
Scand
inav
ian
Penin
sula
Iberian Peninsula
Italian Peninsula
JutlandCornwall
Normandy
Brittany
Crimean Peninsula
What are Europe’s Outstanding
Features?
The Balkan Peninsula
Europe has many Islands
Iceland
Great
Britain Ireland
Madeira
Corsica
Sardinia
SicilyCrete
The Greek Islands
Faroe
Hebrides
Shetlands
Many islands and many peninsulas mean lots of
coastline. This affects the people in many ways.
Economy
Diet
Military History
Part 3: The Four Regions and
Their Climates
The Far North
Alpine
Mediterranean
Northern Plains
The Far North Region
It has the least population. It is very cold up here.
The land is rugged.
The population is low.
cropland
croplandpasturecroplandcropland
pasturepasture
pasture
forest
forestforest
tundratundra
pasturetundra
tundra
forest
croplandpasture
pasture tundra
cropland
Unlike the rest of
Europe, the Far North is
mostly forest.
These provide recreation such as skiing and hiking, but fewer people
live here.
High mountains cut across Europe.
This is called the Alpine region.
siro
cco
siro
cco
siro
cco
South of the mountains is warm, because warm, dry air comes from Africa.
This is called the Mediterranean region.
cold
cold
cold
Instead, the northerners get cool moist wind from the arctic! This makes their winters cold.
cold
However, the mountains stop the warm air from reaching northern Europe.
The western parts of northern Europe get
warmth from the Gulf Stream waters.
The eastern part isn’t warmed by the Gulf
Stream.
Note that the northern plains also have more
rivers.
Plains
What do the colors and patterns on this map mean?
Highlands
Mountains
Which region has the most land for producing food?
So even though the south is warmer,
more people live in the north.
If much of the south looks rocky to you –
you’re right!
Review
Alpine
Mediterranean What is the name of
the mountainous region that separates the north and south of
mainland Europe?
What is the name of the warm region south
of the Alps?
What is the name of the most fertile and populated region on the other side of the
Alps?
Northern Plains
Alpine
Mediterranean
Northern Plains
The Far North Region
Which European region is able to grow the most food?
Alpine Far North Northern European PlainThe Mediterranean
Which European region has the fewest people?
Alpine Far North Northern European PlainThe Mediterranean
Which European region is the warmest?
Alpine Far North Northern European PlainThe Mediterranean
What landforms make Western Europe different from other areas?
Vast deserts make travel through Europe difficult.
Many islands and peninsulas increase the amount of Europe’s shoreline.
Europe has few rivers to transport goods and water crops
What does it mean that Europe’s rivers are navigable?
Boats can move up and down on them.
What are some reasons a river might not be navigable?
Shallowness, ice, sand bars, bridges.
Why is Western Europe warmer in the north than Eastern Europe is?
Western Europe is further south than Eastern Europe is.
Desert winds travel from Africa to Western Europe, but not Eastern.
The Gulf stream brings warmth from the south.
In recent years, many European countries are giving
up the currency they have used for centuries and are
now using the Euro.
European believe that if they all use the same currency [type of money], then their economies will do better.
Please read “The European Union”. World Studies: Europe and Russia. Pearson-Prentice-Hall, 2005. pgs. 70-74. About 3½-4 pages.
Please read "Land and Water." pgs. 11-12. & "Major Rivers" pg. 15.
and"Climate and Vegetation." pgs. 17-23.
and"Resources of Western Europe." pgs. 26-28.
World Studies: Europe and Russia. Pearson-Prentice-Hall, 2005.
and“Cultures of Western Europe.” World Studies: Europe and Russia. Pearson-Prentice-Hall, 2005. pg. 84-90. About 6 pages
Terms and Places
The European Union is a
Single market is
A foreign minister is
Urbanization is
An immigrant is
The Euro is the money used by most of Western Europe.
Objectives
• Describe the main goals of the European Union.
• What is a Euro?
On this map, the darker an area is, the
more people live there.
This is a population
map.