Physical Geography of Europe

Study Notes

Europe is largely coastal, with most of the land within 300 miles (483 km) of a seacoast
25% of the Netherlands lies below sea level
The Dutch have built dikes to control water levels and reclaim land.

Many European countries and cities are located near the coast
The Scandinavian Peninsula is mountainous
Glaciers from the Ice Age carved out fjords along the coastline of the Scandinavian Peninsula, creating thousands of lakes
Denmark's Jutland peninsula is mostly flat
The Iberian Peninsula is primarily a plateau, located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea
The Pyrenees Mountains form a border between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe
The Apennine Peninsula in Italy is boot-shaped, with a mountain range, and includes Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano
The Balkan Peninsula has diverse mountain ranges and valleys, making travel difficult.
Iceland is south of the Arctic Circle, and has volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers.
The British Isles, including Ireland and Great Britain, are cool, hilly, and rainy.
Greece has over 2000 islands with a Mediterranean climate and a rugged landscape
Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Crete are Mediterranean islands with volcanic mountains and rugged terrain.

Northwestern Europe has old rock formations, with peaks eroded by glaciers
Southern Europe has younger, higher, and more jagged mountains.
Mont Blanc, in the Alps, is the highest peak in Europe (over 15,771 feet/4,807 m)
The Carpathian mountains are located in Eastern Europe.

The North European Plain is fertile land stretching from southeastern England to Western Russia and is an important agricultural region
Europe's largest cities are often located in the plains regions.
The Great Hungarian Plain is fertile, located from Hungary to Croatia and Serbia.

Rivers flow from inland mountains and highlands toward coastal areas.
Canals have been built for transportation and irrigation.
Scandinavian rivers are short
Iberian Peninsula rivers are shallow and narrow
The Rhine River flows through France and Germany to the Netherlands.
The Danube River flows from Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea. It's a major river in eastern Europe, and the Main-Danube Canal connects the North Sea to the Black Sea.
The Thames River is in Britain, and allows ships to enter London.

Peat is composed of mosses.
Natural resources in Europe include coal, gas, nuclear and hydroelectric power, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, gold, and silver.

The Danube River is the second longest river in Europe and flows through ten countries.
The Rhine River flows through four countries before emptying into the North Sea.
The Volga River is the longest river in Europe and flows entirely within Russia.
The Seine River flows through Paris.
The Thames River flows through southern England.

Climate in Europe is affected by distance from the sea
Areas closer to the Atlantic Ocean and warm currents tend to have milder temperatures

Western Europe has deciduous and evergreen trees in its forests.
Mountainous areas, like the Alps, experience a Highland's climate with colder temperatures and more precipitation.
Dry winds can cause avalanches in mountainous areas.
Most of Europe was once forested, but much of the forest was lost by the early 20th century. Ireland lost nearly all its forest cover by 1922
Governments have promoted forest reforestation.

Southern Europe has a Mediterranean climate; warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.
The Alps have less precipitation than other parts of Europe thanks to winds that carry moisture away from Southern Europe.
Winds like the Mistral can bring cold air into southern France.
Winds like the Sirocco can bring hot air from North Africa.

Eastern and Northern Europe has a continental climate with cold, snowy winters and hot summers.
Temperatures vary more widely than in Western Europe due to lack of proximity to warm ocean currents
This region has grasslands in Hungary and Romania, and deciduous and coniferous forests.