Northwestern Europe

1. Northwestern Europe

3. Countries Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland

4. Introduction The countries of Northwestern Europe have long been at crossroads of many different cultures. There you will see a colorful mix of the old and the new. People in the subregion enjoy a higher standard of living than many other subregions. This is reflected in the high levels of education, long life experiences, and industrialized economies. The people of Northwestern Europe include an ethnic mix. Some countries are made up of two or more ethnicities that have blended over the centuries. Switzerland, for example, has three official languages.

5. FRANCE It is shaped like a hexagon. The French have a strong sense of national identity.

6. Vineyards of the Southwest Bordeaux Country WINE!!!!

7. Champagne Region Champagne

8. The Alps Mont Blanc the tallest peak in the Alps, rising 15,771 feet above Sea level

9. The Massif Central Tourism is an important economic activity. Also, cattle, cheese, and cereal are grown here.

10. The Rhone River Divides the Alps and the Massif Central mountain region

11. The French Riviera Cote d'Azur – The Azure Coast magnificent scenery Formed by the sky, the sea, and local lavender flower.

12. French Riviera Lavender Fields

13. Strong sense of national identity One country, One language Several dialects French Academy – established in 1635 To preserve the purity of the French language

14. Philosophers: René Descartes, Jean Paul Sartre, and Voltaire • Painters: Claude Monet and Pierre Auguste Renoir. These painters were known as Impressionists – they sought to capture fleeting visual impressions made by color, light, and shadows. • Famous French clothes designers • Paris is the cultural center of France

15. 11.1 Physical Geography of Northwestern Europe

16. Landforms Within these countries lie some of Europe’s most iconic landscapes, from the banks of the Seine River that runs through Paris to the jagged awe-inspiring Alps

17. Landforms • Northern European Plain • Also known as, the Great European plain • Relatively flat and low lying land • Stretches from southeastern England and western France to central France and across Germany • It is fertile because of Loess which is a fine, rich, wind-borne sediment left by Glaciers

18. Landforms • The Alps • High jagged mountain range that lies to the south of the Great Northern Plain. • They form a crescent shape that runs from Southern France through Switzerland and Austria to the Balkan Peninsula • Mont Blanc is the highest peak at 15,771 ft. • The Best of the Alps

19. Landforms • The Central Uplands • Lies between The Alps and the Northern European Plain. • Made up of low rounded mountains, hills, and high plateaus with scattered forests • Rich in natural resources

20. Landforms • The British Isles • Consist of 2 large islands - Great Britain and Ireland - and thousands of smaller islands • Mountains, plateaus, and valleys make up the most northern and western part of Great Britain • Low hills and rolling plains dominate in the south and in Ireland.

21. Water Systems • Water plays a crucial role in the lives and economic activity of the people in this region. • Most of northwestern Europe lies within 300 miles of a sea or coast • Many people depend on the many rivers for transportation, trade, and recreational activities.

22. Water Systems • The Alps • Have eleven significant European lakes • They are long, narrow, deep lakes and have provided good places for people to settle because of water power and water route transportation • The Netherlands • Approx. 25% of the country lies below sea level • Since the middle ages, the Dutch have built dikes, large bank of earth and stone that holds back water. With the dikes as protection they have claimed back land from the sea. • These reclaimed land, called polders, low-lying area from which seawater has been drained to create new land, provides hundreds of thousands of acres of land for farming and settlement. Polders. What are they?

23. Water Systems • The Rhone • Is in the Swiss Alps and flows through Switzerland and France • The majority of the river flows directly into the Mediterranean Sea • It is important for hydro electric power • The Danube • It is historically and economically important • Runs from southern Germany’s Black Forest through Austria and into eastern Europe. • It is 1770 miles and empties into the Black Sea

24. Water Systems • The Thames • Allows ocean going ships to reach London ports • The Rhine • The most important river in NW Europe, flows from the Swiss ALps through France and Germany and into The Netherlands. • It connects many industrial cities to the Port of Rotterdam in The Netherlands • The Seine • Flows northwest through Paris and empties into the English channel • It carries most of France’s inland water traffic • The Loire • Longest river in France, canals connect it to the Seine and the Rhone river systems • It is an important conservationist and environmental system

25. Climate, Biomes, and Resources Several factors affect climate in NW Europe. These factors include the presence of The Alps and the location of the subregion near or along bodies of water. The winter storms that originate in the North Atlantic Ocean also affect NW Europe's climate

26. Climate, Biomes, and Resources • This region generally has a mild climate compared to other regions in the same latitude • Most of the subregion has a marine west coast climate with mild winters, cool summers, and abundant rainfall • Very fertile soil from Hummus • Mediterranean climate is found in Monaco which enjoys an average annual temperature of 61 and only has 60 days of rain a year

27. Climate, Biomes, and Resources • The Alps • When the moist Atlantic winds reach the Alps, the winds rise up the slopes and the temperatures of the air cools. This cooling produces snow that covers the mountains in winter. • The mistral, a strong north wind from the Alps can bring cold air to France. • At other times dry winter winds or foehns, a dry wind that blows from the leeward sides of the mountains, sometimes melting snow and causing avalanches; this term is mainly used in Europe. • Avalanches are a large mass of ice, snow, and rock that slides down a mountainside • Avalanche

28. Climate, Biomes, and Resources It has a variety of Deciduous and Coniferous trees • Deciduous trees, lose their leaves seasonally • Example: ash, beech, oak, pecan • Coniferous is cone bearing • Example: fir, pine and spruce

29. Climate, Biomes, and Resources • The wildlife in this region • Deer • Brown bear • Badgers • Squirrels • Numerous song birds

30. Climate, Biomes, and Resources • Natural resources • Coal and iron that fueled the industrial revolution • Vast oil and natural gas deposits • Hydroelectricity • Sustainable timber resources • Peat bogs • Germany has very few natural resources and must import most everything

31. Human geography of Northwestern Europe

32. History and Government Northwestern Europe was shaped by thousands of years of migration and invasions. Over the centuries, a variety of ethnic groups came into contact in this subregion. Additionally, NW Europe was profoundly influenced by Christianity, beginning with the arrival of Romans and its inclusion in their empire.

33. History and Government • Most of NW Europe was once part of the Roman Empire, one of the largest empires in history

34. History and Government • The Romans built towns, roads and cities throughout Europe and brought stability and general prosperity to the subregion. • The fall of the Roman empire during the A.D. 400s left the subregion vulnerable to invading Germanic groups • During Roman times Christianity was established as the official religion. • Beginning in A.D. 1000s, the armies that consisted primarily of NW Europeans fought the Crusades • The Crusades are a series of religious wars against Islamic states. The goal was to regain the Holy Land, birthplace of Christianity from Muslim rule. • The Crusades - a youtube report

35. History and Government • The crusades opened trade routes to the eastern Mediterranean. These routes later resulted in the exchange of cultural ideas • Late 1400’s there is the Renaissance period • This inspired major changes in arts, politics, culture, and religion • 1500’s is the protestant reformation • A religious movement that began in Germany • Started by Martin Luther • Decreased the power of the Catholic church

36. History and Government • 1700’s • Many people in this region embraced enlightenment, a movement that valued reason and question tradition • The belief in the idea of progress • Belief that government and society could change to benefit ALL people • French Revolution in 1792 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXsZbkt0yqo • Industrial revolution - the rapid, major change in the economy with the introduction of power driven machinery. • Mid 1700’s • Great Britain became the epicenter of the industrial revolution, it spread to Belgium, France, Germany, and ultimately the United States.

37. History and Government • Industrial capitalism - an economic system in which business leaders use profits to expand their companies. • Negative impact: factory workers were poorly paid and lived in crowded unhealthy conditions. These conditions led to………. • Communism - the idea that society should be based on public ownership and communal control of property

38. History and Government Rivalries and alliances • Central powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, The Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria) • Allied Powers (Britain France and Russia) • Led to WWI (1914-1918) • The Treaty of Versailles ended the war and Germany was blamed for the start of the war and demanded that it make reparations. • WWII (1939-1945) • Germany and his Nazi party planned and carried out the Holocaust, the mass murder of 6 million jews by Germany’s Nazi regime

39. History and Government Rivalries and alliances • Cold War led to the division of Europe and began a struggle between the communist world, led by the Soviet Union and the non-communist world, led by the United States • Germany was divided into communist East Germany and democratic West Germany. • Germany was reunited in 1990 and the Soviet Union collapsed the following year • The fall of The Berlin Wall • The result has been high unemployment and the migration of their youngest and most skilled workers to other countries.

40. History and Government In the 1950’s some European countries experienced devolution, the granting of self-rule to local end regional authorities These countries are France, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The last 3 did not get this granted until 1977.

41. History and Government Population Patterns • The Netherlands and Belgium are the most densely populated, • 1945, at the end of WWII, Great Britain welcomed a large number of immigrants from South Asia and West Indies • 1950, Germany began inviting guest workers, a foreign laborer living and working temporarily in another country, to encourage economic growth. Low birth rates and higher life expectancies have led to an aging population. This means the number of working age people is shrinking and retirees are growing.

42. History and Government Society and culture today • Have one or more official language • Christianity is the primary religion • Compulsory education for children • Comprehensive healthcare • Social services • 98-100 % are literate

43. History and Government • The Status of Women • Support equal opportunities • Promote policies to balance work and family life • Equal number of men and women have degrees

44. History and Government The ARTS • Leading force in literature, architecture, music and visual arts. • 1800’s, Romanticism. Poetry works by Lord Byron and music by Ludwig Beethoven • Mid 1800’s Realism • Later french painters, , the impressionists, moved outdoors to capture immediate experiences of the natural world

45. Economic Activities Resources, Power and Industry The industrial revolution made Europe the birthplace of modern industry. The development is linked to the availability of raw materials. • 1800’s large deposits of coal and iron ore in Germany and France sparked the growth of heavy industries. Today this region produces everything from computers to transportation equipment. • More than 70% of workers in NW Europe are employed by the service industries. The top being international banking and insurance. Switzerland is the leader in these fields. • Tourism is large in Great Britain and France • NW Europe also has fertile farm land. Olives, citrus fruits, and grapes are grown along the Mediterranean. Farther north wheat, rye, other grains, and livestock. The Netherlands are major dairy producers

46. Economic Activities Resources, Power and Industry • The 20th century saw people flock to cities. This left a shrinking population of farmers who struggled to keep up with the demand for food. This led to Agribusiness, an industry engaged in agriculture on a large scale, sometimes including the manufacture and distribution of farm supplies • Many countries have made the switch from coal to natural gas, wind and solar collection

47. Economic Activities The European Union (EU) The movement for European Unity arose from the ashes of WWII, as western European countries struggled to rebuild their ruined economies. • 1957 Belgium, West Germany, Luxembourg, France, Italy and The Netherlands created the European Economic Community • 1992 the Maastricht Treaty which set up the EU • This aimed to make Europe’s economies more competitive with the rest of the world by getting rid of the restrictions on the movements of goods, services and people across member borders. • Paved the way for a single European currency, a central bank, and common foreign policy

48. Economic Activities The European Union (EU) • The Lisbon Treaty, signed in Lisbon, Portugal in December 2007. It was intended to address where the establishment of the EU presidency and consolidation of foreign policy representation for the EU would be located. • It also required a majority, instead of an unanimous approval on all decisions. • EU accounts for ⅙ of the world's trade in goods

49. People and their Environment: Northwestern Europe

50. Managing Resources Humans have been changing the environment of NW Europe for thousands of years. Today, very little of the region has escaped substantial alteration from its natural condition. Nevertheless, a healthy and beautiful environment is important to the region's people. They have been successful in finding ways to reverse the environmental damage. But water quality and pollution are still major issues facing NW Europe.