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physical geography europe geography physical features

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This document provides an overview of the physical geography of Europe, covering various aspects such as seas, peninsulas, islands, mountains, plains, water systems, and natural resources. The information is presented in a clear and concise manner, making it suitable for educational purposes. It is a good resource for learning about the geographic features that shape the European landscape.

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# **Physical Geography of Europe** ## **Seas, Peninsulas and Islands** * The majority of Europe lies within 300 miles (483 km) of a seacoast. * The sea is part of the lifestyle of Europe. * The Netherlands - 25% lies below the sea level * The Dutch built dikes to hold back the water, which hel...

# **Physical Geography of Europe** ## **Seas, Peninsulas and Islands** * The majority of Europe lies within 300 miles (483 km) of a seacoast. * The sea is part of the lifestyle of Europe. * The Netherlands - 25% lies below the sea level * The Dutch built dikes to hold back the water, which helps drain lakes and flood areas, to get new land. ## **The Northern Peninsulas** * Scandinavian Peninsula - mountains * Ice age glaciers melted creating thousands of lakes. * Glaciers carved out fjords along the coastline. * Denmark's mainland, Jutland, is mostly flat. ## **The Southern Peninsulas** * **Iberian Peninsula** - Southwestern Europe, Spain and Portugal. It is located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Mostly a plateau. * **Pyrenees Mountains** - form a barrier between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. * **Apennine Peninsula** - Italy, boot shaped land. Apennines mountain range, active volcano Mount Vesuvius, 30% plains. * **Balkan Peninsula** - Southeastern Europe, mountain ranges and valleys, terrain makes travel difficult. ## **Europe's Islands** * **Iceland** - South of the Arctic Circle in the North Atlantic Ocean. Features include volcanoes, hot springs and geysers. * **The British Isles** - Includes Ireland and Great Britain, cool, hilly, and rainy. * **Greece** - 2,000 islands in the Aegean Sea, sunny climate, rugged landscape. * **Mediterranean** - 5 major islands: Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, Cyprus, Crete. Rugged terrain, volcanic mountains. * **Emerald Isle** ## **Mountains and Plains** * **Northwestern mountains** - Oldest rock formations. Peaks low from erosion and glaciation. * **Southern Europe** - Younger mountains, high and jagged. * **Mont Blanc** - Highest peak in the Alps. Over 15,771 feet (4,807 m) high. * **Carpathians** - Eastern Europe ## **Plains Regions** * **North European Plain** - Fertile, Southeastern England and Western France to Russia. * Major agricultural region, location of Europe's largest cities. * **Great Hungarian Plain** - Fertile * Hungary to Croatia, Serbia and Romania. ## **Water Systems** * **Flow** - from inland mountains and highlands to the coasts. * **Networks of canals** - built for transportation and irrigation. * **Scandinavian rivers** - short * **Iberian Peninsula rivers** - shallow and narrow, difficult for large ships. ### The Rhine River Flows through France and Germany into the Netherlands, Western Europe. It connects cities with the North Sea. ### The Danube River Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea, major river of Eastern Europe. * **Main-Danube Canal** - 1992, link between North Sea and Black Sea. ### The Thames River Located in Britain, allows ships into London. ## **Canals** ## **Natural Resources** * Peat (veggie) composed of mosses, coal, gas, nuclear and hydroelectric power, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, gold, and silver. ## **Rivers in Europe Reading** Europe is home to some of the world's most famous and important rivers. Here are a few of the most significant ones: * **Danube River** - The second largest river in Europe. The Danube flows through ten countries and is a major transportation route. It runs from Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea, passing through cities such as Vienna, Budapest, and Belgrade. * **Rhine River** - The longest river in Germany. The Rhine flows through four other countries before emptying into the North Sea. It is an important transportation route for goods and people and is also known for its scenic beauty. * **Volga River** - The longest river in Europe. The Volga flows entirely within Russia and is a vital transportation route for goods and people. It flows from the Valdai Hills to the Caspian Sea. * **Seine River** - A major river in northern France. The Seine flows through Paris and empties into the English Channel. It is famous for its scenic beauty and is an important cultural landmark in France. * **Thames River** - The Thames flows through southern England and is the longest river entirely in England. It is an important transportation route and is also a cultural icon, with landmarks such as the Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament located along its banks. ## **Water and Land** * **Climate** - depends on distance from sea. * **Closer to the Atlantic ocean and warm currents** - Milder temperatures. ## **Western Europe** * **Forests** - Deciduous and evergreen trees. * **Mountains** - Have conifers, cooler climate. * **The Alps** - Highland's climate, colder temperatures, more precipitation * **Dry Winds** - can trigger avalanches. * **Europe** - Was mostly forest, but people have cut down trees. * **1922 Ireland** - 99% of forest was cut. * **Government** - Pushed reforestation to increase forests. ## **Southern Europe** * **Mediterranean climate** - Warm, dry * **Summers & mild, rainy winters** * **Alps** - Less precipitation in southern area due to blocking the moist Atlantic winds. * **Mistral** - An Alpine wind, sometime blows cold air into southern France. * **Siroccos** - High, dry winds from North Africa. Will bring hot weather to Europe. ## **Eastern and Northern Europe** * **Humid continental climate** - Cold, snowy winters and hot summers . * **Farther from warm Atlantic currents** - Summer and winter temperatures vary. * **Covered by grasslands** - Hungary and Romania. * **Forests** - Deciduous and coniferous. ## **Scandinavia** * **Subarctic and tundra climates** - Winters are bitterly cold, summers are short and cool. * **Soil** - Is frozen below the surface. Only some vegetation can survive.

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