Southern Europe

Chapter 12

Iberian Peninsula

Italian Peninsula

Balkan Peninsula

Southern Europe is also called Mediterranean Europe

Physical Features• Islands such as Crete

and Sicily• Peninsulas• Rugged mountains

such as the Pyrenees and Alps

• Coastal plains• River valley plains• Seas such as the

Adriatic

• Mediterranean climate• Warm sunny days, mild nights• Rain in the winter, little rain in the summer

Industries of Southern Europe

• Agriculture– Crops such as citrus fruits,

olives, wheat, and many other products

• Fishing– Fish and shellfish

• Tourism– Sunny beaches, breathtaking

scenery

Greece: The Birthplace of Western Culture

• Ancient Greeks were pioneers in– Art– Building– Literature– Science– Developed democracy

• As a result of Alexander the Great, Greek culture spread through Egypt and much of Southeast Asia

• http://youtu.be/YpKlUIDf4oY

History of Greece

• Foreign Rulers– The Roman Empire conquered and ruled Greece– Around 400, Greece became part of the Byzantine

Empire– The Muslim Ottoman Turks invaded Greece in the

1300s and 1400s• Independence– 1800s Greece revolted and won their freedom– Became a monarchy– It is now a democracy

Culture

• Greek language: one of the oldest languages spoken in Europe

• Most Greeks belong to the Orthodox Church, a branch of Christianity

• Greek cuisine consists of olives and lamb

• Family is important to Greeks

Village life often centers around the villiage square where people gather to chat and make decisions.

The Greek Economy

• Main industries– Shipping– Tourism

• Challenges– Few mineral resources– Relatively little farmland– pollution

Italy

• Italian history can be divided into three periods– Ancient Rome– The Renaissance– Unified Italy

Ancient Rome

• Founded in the 700s BC• Formed and empire that

stretched from Britain to the Persian Gulf

• Famous for art, literature, and political ideas

• Helped spread Christianity• http://youtu.be/juWYhMo

DTN0

Unified Italy

• 1861: Italy is unified as a country

• 1920s, Mussolini takes power – Dictator– Leads Italy into WWI

• Italy becomes a democracy after the war

Italy’s Culture

• Roman Catholic• Pope, lives in Vatican City,

an independent state within the city of Rome

• Olives, tomatoes, and pasta are common

• Home to some of the worlds greatest painters, sculptors, fashion designers, composers

Italy’s Regions

Northern Italy• Strong economy• Fertile farmland• Major industrial cities:

– Milan, Turin, Genoa

• Tourist sites– Florence, Pisa, Venice

Southern Italy• Poorer than the North• Depends heavily on

agriculture• Beautiful beaches and ruins• Capital city: Rome

Spain and Portugal• Located on the Iberian peninsula• Once part of the Roman Empire• The Moors, Muslims from North Africa, invaded

Iberia after Rome fell• They ruled the area for 600 years

Spain and Portugal

• By the end of the 1400s Christian rulers from Spain and Portugal banded together to drive the Moors from Iberia

• Spain and Portugal built huge empires that included lands in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas

• http://youtu.be/rZQG2bTwIqY

Cultures of Spain and Portugal

• Language: Spanish or Portuguese– The Basque people of northern Spain have their

own language and customs– Many of them want independence

• Religion: Roman Catholic• Music and art: Spanish flamenco– Muslim influence in architecture

• http://youtu.be/XNhfV_53W7A

Spain and Portugal Today

• Once the wealthiest countries in Europe– Due to gold and silver from the Americas– Result: They did not develop industrial economies– As colonies became independent, their source of

wealth dried up– They were unable to compete and became poor

• Today their economies are growing rapidly

Portugal Today

• Republic with elected leaders

• Lisbon is the capitol and largest city

• Agriculture is still important to the economy

• Portuguese farmers are famous for growing grapes and cork

Spain Today

• Spain is a parliamentary monarchy• Manufacturing is a major economic activity• Madrid and Barcelona are centers of industry,

tourism, and commerce

Visual Summary