Europe is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on Europe is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the south by the the west by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the south by the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Caucasus Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Caucasus Mountains, and the Caspian Sea; the eastern boundary Mountains, and the Caspian Sea; the eastern boundary runs along the Ural Mts.runs along the Ural Mts.

Mediterranean Sea

Europe is a Europe is a well-watered well-watered continent with continent with many rivers. many rivers. Most of the Most of the continent's continent's drainage finds drainage finds its way to the its way to the Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean via a number via a number of master river of master river systems, systems, whose whose watersheds watersheds interlock in a interlock in a most complex most complex manner. manner. Europe’s rivers

Rhine River

• One of the longest in Europe. Important for trade and transportation. Historically important, many castles along it where river traffic could be stopped to collect taxes and tolls

Rhine River shippingRhine River shipping

Danube RiverDanube RiverDanube River

Danube RiverThe second longest The second longest river in Europe, it is river in Europe, it is one of the major one of the major methods of methods of transportation. It is transportation. It is the only major the only major European river to flow European river to flow west to east, going west to east, going through eight through eight countries and three countries and three capitals including: capitals including: Budapest, Hungary; Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; and Vienna, Austria; and Belgrade, Serbia.Belgrade, Serbia.

Danube River

Volga RiverThe The Volga Volga RiverRiver in in Western Western Russia, Russia, Europe's Europe's longest river, longest river, with a length with a length of 3,690 km, of 3,690 km, provides the provides the core of the core of the largest river largest river system in system in Europe.Europe.

Po River

• Longest river in Italy, flows through Turin, Piacenza, Ferrara, and is connected to Milan by canal.

• Po Valley main industrial area of Italy.

Seine and Rhone

• Seine-Paris• Rhone-South of

France

Seine

Rhone

European Peninsulas

Scandinavian

Jutland

Balkan

Italian

Iberian

Crimean

In the 17th Century, In the 17th Century, the Swedish empire the Swedish empire consisted of most of consisted of most of Scandanavia.Scandanavia.

Scandanavian Peninsula

The The Swedish Empire in 1658 (orange) overlaid by present overlaid by present day Swedenday Sweden (dark orange).

Fjord -Fjord - A long, narrow arm of the sea, usually formed A long, narrow arm of the sea, usually formed

by entrance of the sea into a deep glacial trough.by entrance of the sea into a deep glacial trough.

The Balkan Peninsula

The Balkans is The Balkans is the historic and the historic and geographic geographic name used to name used to describe describe southeastern southeastern Europe. Europe.

Italian BootThe Italian The Italian peninsula or the peninsula or the Apennine Apennine peninsula is one of peninsula is one of the greatest the greatest peninsulas of peninsulas of Europe, spanning Europe, spanning 1000 km from the 1000 km from the Alps in the north, to Alps in the north, to the central the central Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea in the south.in the south.

.

Sicily

The Strait of MessinaThe Strait of Messina

is between the island of Sicily and the is between the island of Sicily and the Italian peninsulaItalian peninsula ItalItal

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Mediterranean SeaMediterranean SeaStr

ait

of

Mess

ina

Str

ait

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Mt. Etna on the island of Sicily is one of the world’s most active volcanoes.

RomeRome grew along the banks of the Tiber River into a grew along the banks of the Tiber River into a major major city under the rule of the Etruscans in the centuries city under the rule of the Etruscans in the centuries before Christbefore Christ..

Vatican City

The Vatican City, The Vatican City, officially the State officially the State of the Vatican City of the Vatican City is a landlocked is a landlocked enclave surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy, and the smallest independent state in the world.

Nearly a billion Catholics worldwide mourned the death of Pope John Paul II this month.

Raised walkways have been installed in places where the flooding is worst. These people are queueing to enter the Basilica di San Marco

A combination of man’s A combination of man’s activities and natural changes activities and natural changes threaten the very existence of threaten the very existence of this historical Italian city.this historical Italian city.

Sinking Venice

Venice flooding

High water regularly floods St. Mark's Square and High water regularly floods St. Mark's Square and other parts of Venice, forcing people to tread on other parts of Venice, forcing people to tread on raised walkways. The city itself is sinking, the level raised walkways. The city itself is sinking, the level of the Adriatic is rising and high tides are becoming of the Adriatic is rising and high tides are becoming more frequentmore frequent.

Venice LagoonThe Venice Lagoon has a surface area The Venice Lagoon has a surface area of 55,000 sq, meters has and was of 55,000 sq, meters has and was formed nearly 6,000 years ago. In order formed nearly 6,000 years ago. In order to preserve the lagoon and adapt it to to preserve the lagoon and adapt it to existing needs - port, fish farms, land existing needs - port, fish farms, land reclamation, transport and industry – reclamation, transport and industry – for the past 5 centuries man has for the past 5 centuries man has undertaken increasingly consistent undertaken increasingly consistent works to achieve hydraulic regulation, mainly by works to achieve hydraulic regulation, mainly by diverting the principal rivers from the Lagoon into diverting the principal rivers from the Lagoon into the Adriatic Sea, and building numerous the Adriatic Sea, and building numerous reclamation systems on the lower lands to use reclamation systems on the lower lands to use them for agricultural purposes; in the last 50 them for agricultural purposes; in the last 50 years the wetlands have been significantly years the wetlands have been significantly reduced and the pollution load discharged into reduced and the pollution load discharged into the lagoon has been increased. the lagoon has been increased.

Industrial Industrial pollution in the pollution in the Venice lagoon, Venice lagoon, 19981998

After more After more than a than a decade of decade of scrutiny, the scrutiny, the colossal $2.6 colossal $2.6 billion Moses billion Moses project, a project, a flexible flexible seawall with seawall with a series of a series of flap gates flap gates that would that would stretch along stretch along the lagoon the lagoon and block and block tides from tides from flooding the flooding the city, is readycity, is ready

Moses Project

Iberian Peninsula

Climatically, the Iberian Peninsula has hot summers, cold winters, and limited precipitation.

Westernmost Westernmost European European peninsula peninsula containing containing Portugal, Portugal, Spain, and Spain, and Andorra.Andorra.

MesetaThe middle of Spain The middle of Spain is a high, dry, flat is a high, dry, flat plateau called the plateau called the MesetaMeseta. In the . In the Meseta Meseta it can be it can be very hot in the very hot in the summer and cold in and cold in the the winter..

Strait of Gibraltar

Located at the western entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, this narrow sea-

level passage is

about 15

kilometers wide and 55 kilometers

long.

The Rock of Gibraltar

Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored referendums held in 1967 and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.British dependency.

– Urals– Carpathians– Caucasus– Apennines– Alps– Pyrenees

Major Mountains of Europe

The mountain range The mountain range that runs roughly that runs roughly north and south north and south through western through western Russia marks the Russia marks the northern part of the northern part of the (arbitrary) border (arbitrary) border between the between the continents of continents of Europe and Asia.Europe and Asia.

The Ural Mountains

CarpathianMountains

The Fagaras Massif in central The Fagaras Massif in central Romania's Transylvanian Alps forms Romania's Transylvanian Alps forms the most spectacular range of the the most spectacular range of the Carpathian MountainsCarpathian Mountains

Located in six Located in six countries of countries of East and East and Central Europe: Central Europe: Czech Czech Republic, Republic, Hungary, Hungary, Poland, Poland, Romania, Romania, Slovak Republic Slovak Republic and Ukraine.and Ukraine.

Carpathians

(left) Apuseni Apuseni Mountains in Mountains in Romania’s part Romania’s part of the of the CarpathiansCarpathians

The geologic The geologic structure of the structure of the inner part of inner part of the Western the Western Carpathians Carpathians is marked by a is marked by a break running break running from the from the east and the east and the south along south along a line of a line of dislocation dislocation in the Earth's in the Earth's crust.crust.

Balkan Mts.

This is an extension of This is an extension of the Carpathian the Carpathian mountain range, mountain range, separated from it by separated from it by the Danube River.the Danube River.

AlpsThe Alps is the The Alps is the collective name collective name for one of the for one of the great mountain great mountain range systems of range systems of Europe, stretching Europe, stretching from Austria in the from Austria in the east, Slovenia, east, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Liechtenstein and Germany, through Germany, through to France in the to France in the west. The word west. The word Alps means Alps means mountains.mountains.

IbexAn An ibex challenges intruders in the Alps

Caucasus Mountains

The Caucasus Mountains form part of the Euro-Asian border between Russia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.

PyreneesStretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Mediterranean in the East, a distance of some 250 miles (402.5km), the mountains of the Pyrenees form a natural barrier between Spain and the Iberian Peninsula in the south and France in the north.

StraitsStraits The Bosphorus and the Dardanelles are the The Bosphorus and the Dardanelles are the straits between the European and Southwest straits between the European and Southwest Asian sections of Turkey.Asian sections of Turkey.

KarstLandscapes Landscapes that show the that show the result of result of limestone limestone dissolution are dissolution are called karst. called karst. Most Most limestones are limestones are formed by the formed by the deposition and deposition and consolidation consolidation of the of the skeletons of skeletons of marine marine invertebratesinvertebrates .

Lake BalatonLake Balaton is the largest lake of Central EuropeLake Balaton is the largest lake of Central Europe

SiroccoThis satellite image This satellite image shows a dust storm shows a dust storm over the over the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Sea. The north African The north African winds, known as winds, known as SiroccoSirocco, blow dust , blow dust north-west out over north-west out over the Mediterranean Sea the Mediterranean Sea from the Libyan desert from the Libyan desert to the Italian mainland to the Italian mainland crossing the island of crossing the island of Sicily and part of Sicily and part of Sardinia island to the Sardinia island to the west. west.

The Zuiderzee The Zuiderzee Works is a man-Works is a man-made system of made system of dams, land dams, land reclamation and reclamation and water drainage water drainage works, and the works, and the largest hydraulic largest hydraulic engineering engineering project project undertaken by undertaken by the Netherlands the Netherlands during the during the twentieth twentieth century.century.

Zuiderzee

The project involved the damming off of the The project involved the damming off of the Zuiderzee,, a large, shallow inlet of the a large, shallow inlet of the North Sea, , and the reclamation of land in the newly enclosed and the reclamation of land in the newly enclosed water body by means of water body by means of polders..

Polder

Polder:Polder: An area of low-lying land, especially in An area of low-lying land, especially in the Netherlands, that has been reclaimed from a the Netherlands, that has been reclaimed from a body of water and is protected by dikes.body of water and is protected by dikes.

Terpen

These high earthen These high earthen platforms provide platforms provide safe places during safe places during floods and high tidesfloods and high tides

ZuiderZee

On the left side is the salty North Sea, and on the On the left side is the salty North Sea, and on the right side the freshwater lake created by the right side the freshwater lake created by the 'Afsluitdijk‘ dam.'Afsluitdijk‘ dam.

Zuider ZeeZuider Zee

EnglishEnglish Channel

ChannelSt

rait

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Stra

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The The United KingdomUnited Kingdom

FranceFrance

PeatPeat is an is an accumulation of accumulation of partially partially decayed vegetation matter. Soft and easily compressed, water is forced out under pressure. Upon drying, peat can be used as a fuel, and is traditionally used for cooking and domestic heating in many countries including Ireland and Scotland, where trees are often scarce.

Most of Europe Most of Europe was once was once covered by a covered by a hardwood hardwood forest. forest. Overgrazing, Overgrazing, bad soil bad soil management, management, inappropriate land-use, droughts, fires, and inappropriate land-use, droughts, fires, and political turmoil, caused considerable political turmoil, caused considerable deforestation, however, most of the forests of deforestation, however, most of the forests of Europe and were reduced to charcoal to supply Europe and were reduced to charcoal to supply heat for manufacturing processesheat for manufacturing processes.

Deforestation

The weather in this The weather in this otherwise cold climate otherwise cold climate zone, is moderated by zone, is moderated by the effects of The North the effects of The North Atlantic Drift which Atlantic Drift which originates from originates from the Gulf Stream along the Gulf Stream along North America and North America and from the northern from the northern Sargasso Sea. These Sargasso Sea. These waters then slowly flow waters then slowly flow northward into the northward into the Labrador and European Labrador and European Basins eventually Basins eventually becoming the NADC as it enters the Iceland Basin. becoming the NADC as it enters the Iceland Basin.

False-color image of the temperature of the Gulf Stream

North Atlantic DriftNorth Atlantic Drift

The effect of The effect of the Gulf Stream the Gulf Stream is sufficient to is sufficient to cause certain cause certain parts of the parts of the west of Britain west of Britain and Ireland to and Ireland to be an average of several degrees warmer than be an average of several degrees warmer than most other parts of those countries. most other parts of those countries.

Gulf Stream

MistralThe mistral/maestral is a cold, northerly katabatic wind flowing into the Gulf of Lion from the southern coast of France. Mistrals are most common during winter and spring, although gale-force events can occur year-round. The wind is characterized by the sinking of cold air generated over the mountains and then funneled through the Garone Valley between the Pyrenees and the Massif Central.

North Sea Oil FieldNorth Sea oil and North Sea oil and natural gas were natural gas were first discovered in the first discovered in the 1960s. The North Sea, 1960s. The North Sea, however, did not however, did not emerge immediately emerge immediately as a key non-OPEC oil as a key non-OPEC oil producing area until producing area until the 1980s and 1990s, the 1980s and 1990s, when major discoveries when major discoveries began coming online. Oil and natural gas began coming online. Oil and natural gas extraction in the North Sea's inhospitable climate extraction in the North Sea's inhospitable climate - cold and windy - and at great depths requires - cold and windy - and at great depths requires sophisticated offshore technology.sophisticated offshore technology.

Four countries Four countries make up the United make up the United Kingdom (also Kingdom (also known as Great known as Great Britain): Scotland, Britain): Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Wales, and England.England.

United United KingdomKingdom

North Sea oil rig

While primary oil demand in European Union (EU) While primary oil demand in European Union (EU) countries is projected to increase by 0.4% per year from countries is projected to increase by 0.4% per year from now to 2030, North Sea output peaked in 1999 and has now to 2030, North Sea output peaked in 1999 and has been on the decline ever since. been on the decline ever since.

The global ocean circulation system transports heat throughout the planet. White The global ocean circulation system transports heat throughout the planet. White sections represent warm surface currents. Purple sections represent deep cold currentssections represent warm surface currents. Purple sections represent deep cold currents.

Great ocean conveyor

What What factors factors contribute contribute to the to the patterns of patterns of heavy and heavy and light light rainfall on rainfall on this map?this map?

European Geography Links• Castles.org/castles/Germany• http://trumpeter.athabascau.ca/content/v9.1/morse.html• http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/world/A0824815.html• http://www.whoi.edu/administration/president/news_030127.htm

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gi.htmlhttp://www.pamalam.ch/switzerland%20pics%20lucerne.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco-Prussian_Warhttp://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpainGgermanicandslavic.uwaterloo.ca/http://www.istrianet.org/istria/meteorology/winds-maestral1.htmhttp://www.grazianoarici.it/photo/poll.htmlhttp://www.dhi.dk/softcon/papers/042/042/042.htmhttp://www.npl.co.uk/optical_radiation/dti/theme1g.htmlhttp://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/northsea.html