Western Europe• 1/3 of Europe

• 2.3 million square miles

• 4% of the Earth

• 18 countries with a variety of environments and people.

• Most people enjoy a high standard of living

• Industrial areas crowded and polluted

Peninsula of Peninsulas

EUROPE

What is a peninsula?•A piece of land surrounded on three sides by water.

• Ex.---Florida

Peninsula of Peninsulas• Part of large landmass:

Eurasia

• Iberian Peninsula: Spain, Portugal; Italian: Italy

• Balkan: Greece

• Scandinavian: Norway; Sweden

• Jutland: Denmark

Western Europe

Sub regions:1.The British Isles2.Northern

(Scandinavia)3.Continental4.Mediterranean

Land• Seas and coast: Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea, and Arctic Ocean.

• Many bays, seas, and gulfs.

• Closeness to the sea has helped with trade.

• Europeans depend on sea for food.

Mountains and Plains

• Rugged mountains: Pyrenees (Fr and Sp); Alps (central Europe); Apennines (It); Sierra Nevada (Sp)

• Northern European Plains: stretch from Br. to Russia; other plains on southern peninsula.

• Plateau: Meseta (Sp)

Water Features• The Rhine (Major river) Begins in Alps

empties into North Sea.• Danube River (flows eastward) begins

is Central Europe empties into Black Sea

• Seine, Rhone (Fr); Thames (GB) and Po (It)

• Strait of Gibraltar

Fjords: long narrow water inlets (Norway) carved by glaciers

Fjord – a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea

between steep slopes. (carved by glaciers)

The British Isles and Nordic Nations

Fun Facts

• Great Britain = largest island in Europe

• Great Britain = England + Wales + Scotland

• United Kingdom (UK) = Great Britain + Northern Ireland

• England = Former independent country

• England = most densely populated are in British Isles

England

Questions to Consider

• What major physical characteristics can be found in different regions of England, and how do they affect the economy?

• Why did London become one of the greatest commercial and shipping centers in the world?

• How did the Industrial Revolution change and expand economic activities in the United Kingdom?

England’s Physical GeographyEngland is divided into three different areas: the Highlands, Midlands, and

Lowlands.The Highlands

- Rocky band of hills along west coast- Difficult to farm

The Midlands - to SE of Highlands- Coal fueled England’s Industrial Revolution- center of industry today- high population density

The Lowlands - SE- Low Elevation- Fertile Soil = productive farms (crops & livestock- Marine West Coast climate ( warm summer, cool winter,

cloudy, foggy , damp year round).

One of greatest commercial & shipping cities in the world! How’d that happen?

• London lies only 70 miles (110 km) from the continent of Europe.• London is located on the Thames River estuary.• Built powerful navy to take advantage of sea• In the late 1400s, improvements in ships and navigational devices

allowed Europeans to cross the Atlantic Ocean.• By the 1500s, London had become a bustling sea port.• 1600s & 1700s, Brit settlers founded colonies around the world• Britain has a strategic, central location for Atlantic trade, and as trade

across the Atlantic increased, Britain’s relative location improved.• During 1800s, more than ¼ of the world’s land was ruled by the British

Empire. “The sun never sets on the British Empire”

Economic Activities• In the 1500s, Britain shipped

mostly agricultural products.• Some of the earliest technological

advances of the Industrial Revolution were used in the textile industry, using first water and then coal to power machines.

• Britain possessed large amounts of coal and iron ore, or rocky material containing a valuable mineral.

Iron

Coal

The Industrial Revolution brought wealth, but it also changed the English landscape.

Much of the region’s coal supply has been used up, and since the 1970s Britain

began using oil and natural gas taken from under the North Sea as sources of

fuel.

To offset the loss of heavy industry, the government has fostered the growth of tertiary economic

activities such as finance and tourism & insurance

“The Chunnel”

• In 1994, France & England completed building a tunnel beneath the English Channel.

• It connects the two nations with a 31 mile underwater rail link

In which region are most English coal deposits found?

a) Highlandsb) Midlandsc) Lowlandsd) Uplands

To what sort of economic activities has Britain turned in recent years?

a) farming and herdingb) heavy manufacturingc) finance, insurance, and tourismd) information processing and research

Questions to Consider

• What are the major physical characteristics of Scotland?

• How have Scotland and Wales prevented their cultural identities from being completely replaced by English culture?

• How have technological changes affected economic activities in Wales?

The Highlands• The Highlands

region is a large, high plateau with many lochs, or lakes.

• Moors, or broad, treeless rolling plains, cover much of the Highlands and are dotted with bogs, areas of wet, spongy ground.

• The Highlands are well suited to fishing and sheep herding

• Scottish home industry – tweed production

Rannoch Moor, Scotland

Bog

Tweed

The Central Lowlands• Stretches from

Edinburgh to Glasgow

• home to 75 % of Scotland’s people.

• Glasgow was a huge shipbuilding center in the 1800s and early 1900s.

• Heavy industry in the Lowlands hit hard times in the mid-1900s. 1/3 of residents have left since 1960

The Southern Uplands• primarily a sheep-

raising region• Woolen Mills• near the English

border.• The Cheviot Hills

give way to rolling plateaus that have been worn down by glaciers.

Scottish CultureChanging economy

- new industry- Oil in North Sea- Computers

Politically united with England in 1707, but many differences- trading rights- Religion

- England = Church of Eng.- Scotland = Presbyterian

- Politics – new Scottish parliament in 1999 – allowed Scots to make decisions regarding education, health, ag & justice

Independence Mov’t- minority of Scots favor Scotland becoming a separate country

Wales• Wales possesses a distinct culture, but it has been

strongly influenced since being conquered by England in 1284.

• As a Peninsula of Great Britain, the landscape of Wales is similar to that of Scotland, and it receives more rain than England. (Marine West Coast Climate)

• About 20 % of the Welsh population speaks Welsh as their first language, and Welsh patriots have won the right to broadcast television programs entirely in Welsh.

• Industry and coal mining have changed the landscape and economy of southern Wales, but by the 1980s most of the coal mines had closed.

• In the 1990s, high-tech industries provided new jobs in Wales

In the 1800s, Glasgow was the center of which industry?

a) textile manufacturingb) steel makingc) shipbuildingd) trade and finance

In Wales, high-tech industries helped economic growth after the closure of

a) coal minesb) hydroelectric plantsc) shipyardsd) television studios

Questions to Consider

• How would you describe Ireland’s physical characteristics?

• What geographic processes caused cooperation and conflict in Ireland?

• What initiatives has the Republic of Ireland pursued in order to encourage economic activity?

Ireland’s Physical Characteristics

• Ireland is shaped like a huge bowl, with hills ringing most of the coastline.

• Ireland’s moist climate keeps vegetation a brilliant green, making its nickname “The Emerald Isle.”

• About one sixth of the island is covered by peat, a spongy material containing waterlogged mosses and plants that can be used as fuel.

• The Republic of Ireland has recently developed a method of using peat in power plants, which now produce almost one quarter of the nation’s electricity.

Ireland’s history has been shaped by invasions and wars.

Religious Conflicts• In the early 1500s, Protestants broke from the

Catholic Church in the Reformation.• The Protestant minority controlled much of the

wealth, and Irish Catholics were poor.• Conflict between Irish Protestants and Irish

Catholics led to cultural divergence, or deliberate efforts to keep the cultures separate.

• Many poor Irish died in the Potato Famine of the 1840s, inflaming anti-British feelings and causing many Irish to emigrate.

Government and Citizenship• Irish rebellions in 1916 and 1921 led to free

state status under British supervision, with the exception of six counties in the northeast that remained part of the U.K.

• The free state declared total independence in 1949 as the Republic of Ireland.

• Catholics in Northern Ireland favor reunification, while Protestants oppose it.

• Protestant and Catholic extremists in Northern Ireland have used violence to try to win control of Northern Ireland.

Economic Activities• In the 1990s, the Republic of Ireland invested in

education and modern telecommunications.• Foreign high-tech companies were persuaded to

locate administrative offices in Ireland.• Irish economic growth became the highest in

Europe in the late 1990s, and per capita income increased dramatically as unemployment fell.

• The new economic climate pulled immigrants to Ireland and lured back many emigrants in the United States.

• After Ireland adopted the Euro in 1999, inflation rose at triple the European average, housing costs soared, and some worried about a growing income gap.

What is the Republic of Ireland using to generate nearly one quarter of its electricity?

a) natural gasb) geothermal heatc) peatd) solar energy

Irish investment in education and telecommunications have resulted in

a) rapid economic growth and higher per capita income.

b) an economic recession.c) a stagnant economy and a rise in unemployment.d) higher employment but lower per capita income.

Norway

Iceland

Denmark

Sweden

Finland

Questions to Consider

• What physical characteristics define the Nordic nations as a region?

• What kind of historical, cultural, and economic bonds do the Nordic nations share?

• How have the people of the Nordic nations used natural resources to successfully pursue a variety of economic activities?

A Varied Landscape

The region is a collection of islands and peninsulas separated by water, and the landscape varies from very flat to very mountainous.

Natural Resources

Icelanders have learned to produce geothermal energy from the heat of the earth’s interior.

The Ocean and the ClimateDespite the long winter, the climate is very mild due to warm ocean currents.

Environmental Change

• The landscape of the Scandinavian Peninsula is the product of the last Ice Age.

• The fjords of Scandinavia were carved out by glaciers and later filled with water.

Long Winters, Short Summers

• The aurora borealis shine most brightly in the Nordic regions in winter.

• In midsummer, the sun never really sets for several weeks.

The Nordic countries possess strong cultural ties.

Understanding the Past• Between A.D. 800 and A.D.

1050, Vikings set out from Scandinavia to raid and later colonize parts of Western Europe.

• The Nordic nations were united at times.

• Most Nordic peoples belong to the Lutheran Church, established during the Reformation.

• Nordic languages, except Finnish, have common roots, and students are required to learn English as well..

Economic Systems

• Nordic countries share certain political and economic beliefs.

• All Nordic countries practice a mixture of free enterprise and socialism in mixed economies, or systems combining different degrees of government regulation.

• Nordic countries guarantee certain goods and services to everyone and operate some industries that are private in the United States.

• Nordic countries tend to be politically neutral in foreign affairs.

Economic Activities

• The Nordic countries have sound economies that derive their wealth from varied sources.

• Denmark and Sweden have flat land and a climate suitable for agriculture.

• Fishing is important to the Nordic countries, particularly Norway.

The region also profits from oil and gas production, high-grade ores, and expanses of forest.

Iceland produces much of its electricity and heat from what source?

a) oil and natural gasb) solar energyc) geothermal energyd) coal

Shared political and economic beliefs have led Nordic countries to

a) practice laissez-faire capitalism.b) practice pure socialism.c) mix free enterprise and socialism.d) embrace communist governments.

Questions to Consider

• What are the main physical and economic regions of France?

• How have changes in government affected the extent of French territory?

• How is language related to culture in France?

• What economic and social uncertainties are part of French life today?

France is divided into several historic, cultural, and economic regions• In the north, Paris is the political,

economic, and cultural capital, and it is a center of industry.

• Southwestern France is known for its wine production. (Bordeaux)

• The Alps hindered movement between Italy and France until a tunnel was built under Mont Blanc.

• The French Riviera is renowned for its beaches and international film festival.

• The Rhine Valley provinces in the east are rich in natural resources.

Understanding the Past• Gaul was conquered by the Romans and adopted the Latin

language and later the Christian religion.• The Franks later conquered Gaul and gave their name to the

region.• Charlemagne, the greatest Frankish ruler, set up an efficient

administration, but his empire fell apart after his death.• Hugh Capet became the ruler of Paris and its surrounding

lands in A.D. 987, and under his heirs the monarchy grew strong and expanded the country until its borders were almost the same as those of modern France.

• In 1789, the monarchy came to a bloody and violent end in the French Revolution.

• Since the revolution, France has had several different forms of government, including republics, empires, and a constitutional monarchy.

One Country, One Language

• Before the 1500s, French was only spoken around Paris.

• As French kings expanded their control, they decreed that the language of Paris become the language of all the lands they ruled.

• Other languages such as German and Breton are still spoken, as are several dialects, or variations of a language unique to a region.

• French is the national language.• The French Academy, established in 1635, works to

preserve the purity of the French language.

Cultural Identity

• French heroes include philosophers, such as Rene Descartes and Voltaire.

• French artists were leaders in the painting style known as Impressionism.

• Paris has been the cultural center of France for centuries.

• Museums such as the Louvre celebrate French artistic achievements.

• Paris is known for its theaters, ballets, operas, orchestras, and cinemas.

Voltaire Descarte

Notre Dame Cathedral

Champs Elysee

The Louvre

Impressionism

Renoir

Degas

Moulin Rouge

France Today• After World War II, the French

government established programs to modernize the economy and balance growth among France’s regions.

• France also nationalized, or brought under state control, some businesses considered vital to national interests.

• France is a wealthy nation, but in the 1990s it struggled to recover from an economic recession, when unemployment was high.

• Immigrants, many from North Africa, were the focus of racial tensions.

Nov. 2005: Riots in the Streets of France. WHY?

Under whom did the Franks control most of Western Europe?

a) Julius Caesarb) Charlemagnec) Hugh Capetd) Napoleon Bonaparte

What organization was established to preserve the purity of the French language?

a) the National Assemblyb) the French Academyc) the Louvred) the European Union

Questions to Consider

• How did Germany achieve unification in the 1800s and the 1900s?

• How do physical characteristics affect economic activities and patterns of settlement in Germany?

• What challenges does Germany face in the world today?

Divided German States

• Once part of Charlemagne’s empire, Germany broke up into many small states after his death.

• The Protestant Reformation begun in 1517 divided Germany further.

• Prussia merged many German states into a confederation, and after defeating France in war, the new German Empire was forged.

United Germany’s Defeats

• Defeated in World War I, Germany was forced to pay reparations, which caused inflation and economic collapse.

• Adolph Hitler and the Nazis rose to power during the 1930s, promising to restore German glory.

• Germany was defeated again in World War II by Allied countries.

Berlin, 1945

One People, Two Countries

• Germany was divided during the Cold War into West and East Germany.

• In 1989, a wave of protests overturned the Communist East German government, opening the borders and leading to a reunited Germany.

Germany’s land can be divided into three bands.

• Northern Germany is covered by the North German Plain, with important industries, Germany’s largest cities, and access to the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

• Central Germany is one of the most important industrial areas in the world, and it is also home to Germany’s banking center at Frankfurt.

• Southern Germany borders the Bavarian Alps, and its largest city, Munich, became Germany’s cultural center after World War II.

Hamburg

Frankfurt

Munich

Germany in the World Today

• Germany is Western Europe’s leading industrial power and the third most technologically powerful economy after the United States and Japan.

• Germany retains strong economic ties with Eastern Europe and Northern Eurasia, and it is a leading member in the European Union.

• An aging population has pushed social security outlays to exceed contributions from workers.

• About $100 billion is spend every year to upgrade the economy of the eastern lands once under Communist control.

• Unemployment, violence against foreign workers, and environmental pollution are other problems Germany faces.

The Good

The

Bad

Tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies resulted in

a) Germany paying heavy reparations to the Allies.b) the division of Germany into East and West.c) the rapid reconstruction of Germany.d) the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Where are the most important German industries located?

a) on the North German Plainb) in central Germanyc) in southern Germanyd) in Prussia

Questions to Consider

• In what major way have the Dutch changed their physical environment?

• How has language affected culture in Belgium?

• How have economic activities changed in Luxembourg?

The Netherlands

• When the Romans conquered the area, they built dikes, or embankments of rock and earth, to hold back the sea water.

• The Dutch became more skillful at creating new land, building dikes, pumping out water, and creating polders, land reclaimed from the sea.

• Beginning in the 1200s, the Dutch used windmills to power the pumps.

• Almost one third of the country is below sea level.

Netherlands, Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder)

The Beemster polder was drained between 1608 and 1612, and is the oldest large area reclaimed from the sea in the Netherlands. The layout of the land was designed according to the principles of classical planning, as a rectangular grid.

Randstad

• The Netherlands has an extremely high population density, and almost half of the land is used for agriculture.

• The Dutch government devotes special attention to preserving rural land and preventing the densely populated area from expanding into it. Randstad

The Port of Rotterdam

• Situated at the mouth of the Rhine, Rotterdam serves as a link between much of Europe and the world. – busiest port in the world