Mediterranean Europe Geography PDF

# Lesson 2.17 MEDITERRANEAN EUROPE ## Key words * The geographical location * Natural conditions * Population and economy ## We discuss: * In Mediterranean Europe, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta, Andorra, San Marino and the Vatican participate. * Based on the geophysical map of Europe, de...

# Lesson 2.17 MEDITERRANEAN EUROPE ## Key words * The geographical location * Natural conditions * Population and economy ## We discuss: * In Mediterranean Europe, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta, Andorra, San Marino and the Vatican participate. * Based on the geophysical map of Europe, determine the geographical location of this subregion and describe its topographic features. ## Geographical location Mediterranean Europe extends to the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, including the Iberian Peninsula and the Apennine Peninsula, as well as the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The sub-region has a favorable geographical position, due to the wide access to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Europe is separated from the region of North Africa and Southwest Asia by the Straits of Gibraltar, which is a strategic maritime corridor not only for the subregion, but for all of Europe. The geographical position of this subregion allows not only for optimal living conditions, but also the development of many branches of the economy, especially tourism. This is distinguished for the cultivation of Mediterranean plants (mainly citrus fruits and olives), as well as for the production of wine and olive oil. Mediterranean Europe is the cradle of the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, which greatly influenced the subsequent developments in the Mediterranean and European countries. During the great geographical discoveries and the period that followed, the countries of this region such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, left their traces on the culture of the peoples of other regions of the world. ## Natural conditions Mediterranean Europe has a fragmented coastline, where large peninsulas (mainly the Apennines and the Balkans) are elongated into smaller peninsulas and islands. The main forms of the relief are the mountains, which extend almost to the center of the peninsulas, and the plains which extend along the coasts and river valleys. The highest relief points are the Pyrenees Mountains, the Apennines, the Pindus Mountains, the mountainous islands of Sicily and Sardinia, the Central Meseta Plateau (Spain), etc., consisting of poor rocky soils. Among the points with low relief is the valley of the Po River in the Apennine Peninsula, as well as that along the western and southwestern sides of the Iberian Peninsula. ## The climate of the sub-region is influenced by the air masses of the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean. It is typical Mediterranean, with mild and wet winter and hot and dry summer. This climate has also determined the Mediterranean status of rivers and living beings. In the dense river network of Mediterranean Europe, the Po rivers (the largest of the subregion), the Ebro, the Guadalquivir, the Tagus, the Douro) can be distinguished. ## Population and economy Mediterranean Europe has a population of around 128 million inhabitants, with a high average density of around 117 inhabitants per square meter. The areas with the highest population density are the regions of the peninsulas, mainly the coastal areas and those along the river valleys, while the areas with the lowest density are the mountainous areas. Thus, the valley of the Po River, the coasts of the Apennine Peninsula (from Genoa to Sicily), Athens, the western side of the Iberian Peninsula (from the city of Madrid), the areas along the rivers Ebro, Guadalquivir and Tagus have a high population density. In the mountainous areas in terms of the highest population density, its plateau is distinguished Mesetas. The urban population of Mediterranean Europe reaches 72.6% of the total population. The urban centers of this sub-region, as well as the countries of Western and Island Europe, have to deal with waves of immigrants mainly from the region of North Africa and South-West Asia, as well as Eastern Europe. Also, the sub-region is characterized by a decrease in natural population growth, leading to a continuous aging of the population. ## The main branches of the economy of this sub-region are: the light and food industry, the car manufacturing industry, the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, the equipment and household appliances industry. Also important sectors of the economy are: agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, tourism, transport, etc. ## Your turn 1. Evaluate the importance of the geographical location of Mediterranean Europe. 2. Analyze the natural conditions of Mediterranean Europe. 3. Describe the peculiarities of the population and the economy of this subregion.