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EUROPE REVIEW. Environmental Issues . Acid rain in Germany Damages forests, buildings, statues, rivers, wildlife from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) in factories/cars Problem – polluted air blows in from other countries like U.K.
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Environmental Issues • Acid rain in Germany • Damages forests, buildings, statues, rivers, wildlife • from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) in factories/cars • Problem – polluted air blows in from other countries like U.K. • solution: burn less fossil fuel – use wind and solar power
Environmental Issues • Air pollutionin England (smog – air mixed with smoke particles from coal fire) • Asthma, pneumonia, blackens buildings, harms wildlife • From burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) • Great Smog of 1952 – 4 days when people couldn’t see – crime and deaths increased • Solution: smokeless zones, cleaner coal, increased use of electricity and gas, government limits, laws, and air quality checks
Environmental Issues • Nuclear disasterin Ukraine • 1986 in town called Chernobyl – nuclear reactor exploded • Radioactive fallout polluted air, soil, and water for 1000s of miles • Radiation sickness killed many – area is still not safe • Debate – nuclear power does not use fossil fuel but radiation can be very dangerous – should we stop using it?
Location, Climate, and Natural Resources of the U.K. • Location has helped U.K. become international banking and insurance center • Climate is mild because of warm Gulf Stream water; rainfall throughout year – ports are ice free for trade – good climate and land for farming • Natural resources – many - good for industry BUT resources are being used up and there’s competition from other countries • U.K. produces 60% of its food
Location, Climate, and Natural Resources of the U.K.Compared with Russia U.K. Russia large country with cold climate and ports ice-locked most of year has fossil fuels which are mostly untouched Moscow (capital) is center of transportation but St. Petersburg is center for trade • smallisland with mild climate and open ports • has fossil fuels which are dwindling • London (capital) is center for trade
Location, Climate, and Natural Resources of Germany • Location in center of Europe – crossroads of travel and trade; Rhine River important for trade; excellent highways good for transportation; 8 major seaports, 14 major airports; 85% of people live inurban (city) areas • Climate – marine – good crops in western part; cold in Alps Mts.; cold winters and hot, dry summers in eastern part • Natural resources: iron ore, potash, coal, uranium, nickel, natural gas, copper, timber, arable farmland
Location, Climate, and Natural Resources of Russia • Location – spans 2 continents; borders many countries; most open port is Murmansk • Climate – 2 seasons (winter & summer); very cold much of year; most people live in warmer section of European Russia. • Natural resources: timber, oil, gas, gold, aluminum ore, coal, iron, rivers – large size & cold climate make it difficult to use resources
Location, Climate, and Natural Resources of Italy • Location – peninsula with mountains in north – most people live cities in northern part; mountains are like backbone in Italy & affect travel and where people live. Because it sticks into the Mediterranean Sea, it is in an ideal spot for trade • Climate: mostly Mediterranean climate – mild winters & warm summers – colder in mountains & drier in south • Natural resources: few mineral resources; has natural gas, marble, granite, coal, mercury, zinc, potash, arable land – 1 of top wine making countries in world, sea – lots of fishing ports
Culture:Languages of Europe • 3 main categories: • Germanic – English & German – largest language group • Romance – Italian, French, Spanish – from Latin • Slavic – Russian – different alphabet called Cyrillic
Culture:Languages of Europe • Problems • hard to communicate with each other • documents only written inofficial languages • students may learn language in school that their parents don’t speak
Culture:Languages of Europe • Solutions • kids learn more than 1 language • many official languages so laws can be understood by all • special laws to protect languages English is considered the worldwide language of business
Culture:Religions of EuropeJudaism, Christianity, Islam • Judaism: • founder is Abraham • holy book is Torah • monotheistic (1 God) • believe in laws of God and words of prophets • 3 types • Orthodox (most traditional) • Conservative • Reform (least traditional)
Culture:Religions of EuropeJudaism, Christianity, Islam • Christianity: • founder is Jesus • holy book is Bible • monotheistic • believe in teachings of Jesus • 3 major groups • Eastern Orthodox • Roman Catholic • Protestant
Culture: Religions of EuropeJudaism, Christianity, Islam • Islam • Founder is Muhammad • Holy book is Koran (Quran) • Monotheistic • Believe in teachings of Muhammad – last of the prophets • 2 largest groups • Sunni • Shia
Culture:Literacy Rate and Standard of Living: Usually the higher the literacy rate, the higher the standard of living • Industrialized countries (more manufacturing than farming) – higher standard of living • Third world countries (more farming than manufacturing) – lowerstandard of living • Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – value of goods and services produced by a country in a year
Government:3 Ways Governments Share Power • Unitary – central gov’t has all the power • Confederation – local gov’ts have all the power • Federal – power is shared by local and central gov’t – central has more power
Government:3 Types of Citizen Participation • Autocratic– 1 ruler; no citizen participation • Oligarchic – small group of rulers; no citizen participation • Democratic – citizens of country rule; all citizens participate
Government: 2 Types of Government • Parliamentary– people vote for legislature (parliament); parliament votes for chief executive (prime minister); head of state is separate – like queen or king • Presidential – people vote separately for legislature and for president; president is both chief executive and head of state
U. K.’s Government: Parliamentary, Constitutional Monarchy, Unitary • Parliament • House of Lords • House of Commons (more powerful) • Prime minister is chief executive – elected by political party with most members in House of Commons • Monarch (Queen Elizabeth) – head of state – role is mostly ceremonial • Citizens have personal freedoms
Germany’s Government: Federal; Parliamentary (representative democracy) • Parliament • Bundestag (more powerful) • Budesrat • Chancellor is chief executive – elected by Bundestag • President – head of state – mostly ceremonial • Constitution is called Basic Law- operates Welfare State (benefits for those who cannot work) • Citizens have personal freedoms
Russian Federation’s Government: Federation; Presidential • Federal Assembly • Federation Council – approves president’s choices • State Duma – controls budget and makes laws • President is head of state – elected by people – chooses prime minister • Citizens have personal freedoms
Purpose of European Union (EU) & Relation of its Members • 27 countries • Work together for advantages they couldn’t get individually • Euro is currency (money) • Each country makes its own laws, has its own military, and elects its own leaders • No tariffs among EU countries, citizens can move from one EU country to another, work in another EU country, and vote in another EU country (FREE TRADE ZONE)
Economics • 3 questions all systems answer: • What goods & services will be produced? • How will goods & services be produced? • Who will consume goods & services?
3 Economic Systems • Traditional –custom & habit determine what, how, & who; no country today has this; • Command - government planning group determines what, how, & who; Russia is somewhat command • Market – changes in prices between buyers & sellers determine what, how, & who…also called free enterprise, capitalism, and laissez-faire • Most of Europe is market economy (U.K. is most market) All modern economies are mixed economies
Economics:3 Types of Trade Barriers • tariff (tax) • quota (limit on amount) • embargo (government order stopping trade)
Economics • Currency = money; most of EU has euro as currency • GDP (total value of goods produced in a country in 1 year) – higher GDP can = higher standard of living • Natural resources – help countries produce goods • Entrepreneurs (people who risk personal money to start business) help GDP by • opening businesses • giving people jobs • making products to sell • providing tax money to government
Economics: Investment in human (training & education) and physical (buildings, equipment, technology)capital raises GDP
Economics • Supply: goods • Demand: buyers’ desire for goods • Scarcity = limited supply • Law of supply & demand determines price people pay