Landforms - Peninsulas and Islands

1. Landforms - Peninsulas and Islands • Europe is a large peninsula of Asia - The peninsula also has 5 smaller peninsulas The Five Peninsulas • Scandinavian Peninsula - Norway and Sweden - bounded by Norwegian, North, and Baltic Seas • Jutland Peninsula - Denmark - gentle, rolling hills and swampy low areas • Iberian Peninsula: - Spain, Portugal • Italian Peninsula - Italy, goes into Mediterranean Sea - boot-shaped, with 4,700 miles of coastline • Balkan Peninsula - Greece, Albania Continued . . . NEXT

2. Islands • Larger: Great Britain Ireland Iceland Greenland • Smaller: Corsica Sardinia Sicily Crete NEXT

3. Mountains • The Alps is Europe’s most famous mountain chain - crosses France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Balkans - cuts Italy off from rest of Europe • Pyrenees go between France to Spain • Apennine Mountains divide Italy in half • Balkan Mountains block off peninsula from rest of Europe Continued . . . NEXT

4. Rivers • Network of rivers bring people, and allows goods inland from coastal harbors, aids economic growth • Two major rivers - Rhine flows north 820 miles from interior to North Sea - Danube flows east 1,771 miles, to Black Sea NEXT

5. Fertile Plains The Northern European Plain • One of the most fertile agricultural regions in world • Curves across France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Poland -flat agricultural land produces vast quantities of food • Flatness also has given invaders an open route into Europe Resources • Coal and iron ore are needed to create steel for industrialization • Oil, natural gas in North Sea • 33% of Europe is used for farming NEXT

6. Climate A Mild Climate – West Coast • North Atlantic Drift—warm-water tropical current flows by west coast - prevailing westerlies carry current’s warmth, moisture inland Forests to Farms • Original mixed forests cleared for farming Continued . . . NEXT

7. Harsher Conditions Inland Northern and Eastern Europe • Tundra and Humid continental climate: cold, snowy winters; warm or hot summers • Adequate rainfall for agriculture • Heavy deforestation; surviving trees are mostly coniferous Mediterranean Climate • Mediterranean climate: hot, dry summers; mild, wet winters - mountains block cold north winds NEXT

8. Creating Holland - to hold growing population, the Dutch reclaimed land from the sea - 40% of the Netherlands was once under water - dikes—earthen banks that hold back the sea • In 1400s windmills were used to power pumps that drained land Continued . . . NEXT

9. Venice’s Canals An Island City Grows • City of Venice is made up of 120 underwater islands • People, goods are moved by boat over 150 canals • City forms when people escaping invaders - location in Adriatic makes it a good trading port Continued . . . NEXT

10. Deforestation The Demand for Wood • Wood used for fuel, building material for ships, houses Acid Rain Strips Forests • In 1960s Germans notice Black Forest trees are discolored, dying - cause is acid rain • Factories produce sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide emissions - combine with water vapor, create acid rain or snow • Scandinavia suffers heavily due to prevailing winds Continued . . . NEXT