Europe
Europe is one of the seven continents of the world. It is the second smallest continent in the world after Australia, with a total land area of about 10,180,000 square kilometers or 2% of the earth land surface.
Boundary
The European Continent is bordered by numerous bodies of water. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, to the southeast by the Caucasus Mountains and the black sea, and to the east by the black sea. Europe is divided from Asia by the Ural Mountain, the Ural River and the Caspian Sea. Europe is the third largest in population after Asia and Africa. The estimated population is about 729 million people or 11% of the world population.
Countries
Europe is the origin of Western culture. 48 countries in Europe can be divided into 7 regions.
Boundary
The European Continent is bordered by numerous bodies of water. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, to the southeast by the Caucasus Mountains and the black sea, and to the east by the black sea. Europe is divided from Asia by the Ural Mountain, the Ural River and the Caspian Sea. Europe is the third largest in population after Asia and Africa. The estimated population is about 729 million people or 11% of the world population.
Europe is the origin of Western culture. 48 countries in Europe can be divided into 7 regions.
- Scandinavia includes Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark
- The British Islesincludes United Kingdom and Ireland
- Western Europeincludes France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Monaco
- Southern Europe includes Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Italy, Malta, San Marino, and Vatican City
- Central Europe includes Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary
- South Eastern Europe includes Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and the European part of Turkey;
- Eastern Europe includes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, and the European portion of Russia;
- The British Islesincludes United Kingdom and Ireland
- Western Europeincludes France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Monaco
- Southern Europe includes Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Italy, Malta, San Marino, and Vatican City
- Central Europe includes Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary
- South Eastern Europe includes Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and the European part of Turkey;
- Eastern Europe includes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, and the European portion of Russia;
Europe has a great variation within small areas. The southern regions are more mountainous. The central parts are relatively hilly, while the northern parts are broad, low plains. Let’s have closer look at major landforms of Europe.
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| Kjolen Mountains |
Atlantic Highlands
The Atlantic Highlands are formed in the last many million years. The Highlands have important mountains such as the Kjolen Mountains which runs through Norway, Sweden and through central United Kingdom.
The Scandinavian Shield
The Scandinavian Shield
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| Fjords of Norway |
Fjords in Norway
A Fjord is a narrow, steep sided inlet that connects to the sea. It is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley of the surrounding bedrock.
North European Plain
The fertile North European Plain runs from the north to the northeast. The land is largely flat with smaller areas of hills, including the Central Russian Uplands. Farming is popular here and there are agricultural communities in this plain.
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| The Ural |
The Urals are 2,640 kilometers in length and extend from the north of Russia down through Kazakhstan. They form a natural border between Asia and Europe.
The Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains extend from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. The Mountains have been formed by volcanic action with the highest point located in Elbrus mountain is about 5,633 meters tall.
Meseta
Meseta is the central plateau covering nearly half of the entire country of Spain. It is about 650 meters above sea level.
The Pyrenees
The Pyrenees are a series of mountain running between France and Spain. The highest point is Pico de Aneto. It’s about 3,404 meters tall.
The Alps
The Alps are located in the central area of the southern region, stretching about 1,260 kilometers long. The Alps continue through many countries, for example, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Alps have beautiful vies, glaciers, lakes and valleys and the best skiing conditions in the World. The highest point is Mont Blanc at 4,807 meters above sea level.The Apennines
The Apennines are the source of almost all rivers in Italy. The mountains are 1,350 kilometers long. They form the backbone of Italy. The highest point is Corno Mountain at 2,914 meters.
The Great Hungarian Plain
The Great Hungarian Plain is located in southeastern Europe, and surrounded by mountains. The Plain is covered with several small forests and large areas of grassland. It is only 100 meters above sea level and has dry conditions. This plain receives snow that flows from the Alps and Carpathian Mountains.
The Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains are located in Eastern Europe. They are the source of many rivers in Eastern Europe.
The Balkan Mountains
The Balkan Mountains extend from Yugoslavia across Bulgaria, Albania, Greece and Macedonia. The most famous mountain is Mt. Olympus, the highest and most amazing peak in all of Greece.
Climate
Europe has a variety of climate, but most of the continent has warm weather. Europe has generally warmer weather comparing with parts of Asia and North America in the same latitude. This is because of the effect of the Gulf Stream and strong westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean. Much of Norway’s coast lies in the Arctic region; most of it is covered in ice and snow in winter. In general, winters are longer and colder, and summers are shorter and hotter.
Human Characteristics
About 857 million people live in Europe. That makes it the most crowded of all the continents. Europe is the home of many major cities, such as Athens, Berlin, Budapest, Madrid, Moscow, Prague, Rome and Vienna as well as the cities that have existed since the ancient times such as London and Paris.
Languages
Europeans speak more than 60 languages. The important language groups are the Slavic, the Germanic and the Romance.
The Slavic includes Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Polish, Slovenian, Macedonian, and Serbo-Croatian
The Germanic includes English, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Icelandic
The Romance includes Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian.
Many Europeans use English or French as a second language.
Religions
In the early 2000s the great majority of Europeans were Christians. Roman Catholics, the largest single religious group, lived mainly in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, southern Germany, and Poland. Another large group was Protestants. They concentrated in England, Scotland, northern Germany, the Netherlands, and the Scandinavian nations. A third major Christian group was Orthodox group. They lived mainly in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro. In addition, there were Jewish communities in most European countries. The largest of them live in Russia, The people of Albania and Turkey were mostly Muslim.
Vegetation
The largest vegetation zone in Europe is in the middle part of the continent from the Atlantic to the Urals. It covers with mixed deciduous and coniferous trees, for example oak, maple, and elm mixed together with pine and fir. The Arctic coastal regions of northern Europe have tundra vegetation, which consists mostly of lichens, mosses, shrubs, and wild flowers. The inland northern Europe covers with coniferous trees, especially spruce and pine. The Great European Plain is covered with prairies, or areas of tall grasses. Ukraine is covered with steppe, or a flat and comparatively dry region with short grasses. Lands bordering the Mediterranean are famous for their fruits, such as olives, citrus fruit, figs, apricots, and grapes.
Animals
At one time Europe was home to large numbers of a wide variety of animals, such as deer, moose, bison, boar, wolf, and bear. Today, deer, moose, wolf, and bear can be found in the wild state in significant numbers only in northern Scandinavia and Russia and in the Balkan Peninsula.
Reindeer are in the far north. Chamois and ibex are found in the higher elevations of the Pyrenees. Swans live in many European rivers and lakes. Scottish, Irish, and Rhine salmon are found, and in the coastal marine waters are found a large variety of fish, including the commercially important cod, mackerel, herring, and tuna. The Black and Caspian seas have sturgeon, the source of caviar.
Agriculture
Farming in Europe is generally of the mixed type. This means a variety of crops and animal products are produced in the same region. Countries surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea grow wheat, olives, grapes, and citrus fruit. Countries in Western Europe produce lots of dairy and meat products. Europe as a whole produces a great amount of wheat, barley, oats, rye, corn, potatoes, beans, peas, and sugar beets.
Fishing
All of the coastal European countries engage in commercial fishing. However, fishing industry is very important in the northern countries, particularly Norway and Denmark. Spain, Russia, Britain, and Poland are also major fishing nations.
Mineral Resources
Europe has a variety of mineral resources. Coal is found in great quantity in Britain, Germany and Ukraine. In addition, important coal resources are found in Poland, Belgium and the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France and Spain. Iron ore are found in Sweden, France, and Ukraine. Europe has a number of small petroleum and natural-gas producing areas, but the two major regions are the North Sea and Russia.
The largest vegetation zone in Europe is in the middle part of the continent from the Atlantic to the Urals. It covers with mixed deciduous and coniferous trees, for example oak, maple, and elm mixed together with pine and fir. The Arctic coastal regions of northern Europe have tundra vegetation, which consists mostly of lichens, mosses, shrubs, and wild flowers. The inland northern Europe covers with coniferous trees, especially spruce and pine. The Great European Plain is covered with prairies, or areas of tall grasses. Ukraine is covered with steppe, or a flat and comparatively dry region with short grasses. Lands bordering the Mediterranean are famous for their fruits, such as olives, citrus fruit, figs, apricots, and grapes.
Animals
At one time Europe was home to large numbers of a wide variety of animals, such as deer, moose, bison, boar, wolf, and bear. Today, deer, moose, wolf, and bear can be found in the wild state in significant numbers only in northern Scandinavia and Russia and in the Balkan Peninsula.
Reindeer are in the far north. Chamois and ibex are found in the higher elevations of the Pyrenees. Swans live in many European rivers and lakes. Scottish, Irish, and Rhine salmon are found, and in the coastal marine waters are found a large variety of fish, including the commercially important cod, mackerel, herring, and tuna. The Black and Caspian seas have sturgeon, the source of caviar.
Agriculture
Farming in Europe is generally of the mixed type. This means a variety of crops and animal products are produced in the same region. Countries surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea grow wheat, olives, grapes, and citrus fruit. Countries in Western Europe produce lots of dairy and meat products. Europe as a whole produces a great amount of wheat, barley, oats, rye, corn, potatoes, beans, peas, and sugar beets.
Fishing
All of the coastal European countries engage in commercial fishing. However, fishing industry is very important in the northern countries, particularly Norway and Denmark. Spain, Russia, Britain, and Poland are also major fishing nations.
Mineral Resources
Europe has a variety of mineral resources. Coal is found in great quantity in Britain, Germany and Ukraine. In addition, important coal resources are found in Poland, Belgium and the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France and Spain. Iron ore are found in Sweden, France, and Ukraine. Europe has a number of small petroleum and natural-gas producing areas, but the two major regions are the North Sea and Russia.
