European Geographical Regions

 Europe compromises a diverse range of terrain and climate, spread over nearly 4 million square miles (10 million square kilometers).  The region is rich in natural resources, and navigable rivers in the heartland provide transportation routes throughout Europe.  The mountain regions of the Pyrenees, the Alps, and the Carpathians form a climate barrier between southern Europe and the plains regions in western and eastern Europe.  Climate regions range from Mediterranean in the south to subarctic and tundra in the far north.

Europe is a large peninsula made up of smaller peninsuals.  Its irregular coastline means that most of Europe is within 300 miles of a seacoast.  The northern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula is mountainous, with fjords cut into the coastline by glaciers, while the souther part of Sweden and most of Denmark ahve lowlands or plains.  The Iberan, the Apennine, and the Balkan peninsulas make up the southern parts of Europe along the Mediterranean.  Europe includes many islands, from Iceland and Greenland in the North Atlantic Oean to the thousands of islands that make up the British Isle and the thousands in the Mediterranean Sea.

While rivers in Scandinavia and southern Europe often are short or not navigable, those in the heartland of Europe, along with canals, provide major transportation routes and links to inland areas.  Europe's rivers are major historic, scenic, and commercial waterways.  The Rhine River, for example, flows 820 miles (1,319 km) from Switzerland through Germany and the Netherlands before entering the North Sea near Rotterdam, one of the world's busiest ports.  Large barges and ocean freighters can navigate the Rhine, and a network of canals links this major waterway to various other European rivers, such as the Danube and the Elbe.  Freshwater resources abound--Finland alone has over 180,000 lakes!

Latitude, mountain barriers, and the distance from large bodies of water all affect the climate in Europe.  The climate in western Europe is largely determined by the prevailing westerly winds blowing over the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift.  These winds bring warm, moist air and foster lush vegetation with deciduous and coniferous trees.  Most of southern Europe has a Mediterranean climate, with the Alps blocking moist Atlantic winds from the west.  The vegetation found here is mostly chaparral, although some small areas support a humid subtropical climate.  Humid continental climate is generally foudn in eastern and some northern areas of Europe, with a mix of deciduouis and coniferous forests.  Parts of eastern Europe are covered by grasslands, while subarctic and tundra climates with permafrost predominate in the far north.

Learning:

• Read Glencoe World Geography pages 254-281
• Read about the Natural Wonders of Europe
• Read about Europe's Alps
• Read about the Mediterranean Sea
• Read about Islands of the Mediterranean

Mapping:

1. On a map of Europe, label the major geographical features.  Identify major mountain ranges, rivers, and lakes.
2. Label major bays, channels, gulfs and seas of Europe.
3. Make sure your map includes the island nations of Greenland, Iceland, and Cyprus, labeled accurately.