Western Europe

1. Western Europe Chapter 7

2. Western Europe • Western Europe is made up of seven countries: France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. • They are located in the middle latitudes, between 43° and 55° north.

3. Western Europe • The North Sea and the English Channel lie to the north of western Europe. • The countries of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary lie to the east of western Europe. • The Mediterranean Sea and the countries of southern Europe lie to the south of western Europe. • The Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean lie to the west of western Europe.

4. Western Europe • Western Europe's location has helped it influence the world. • It is near both Africa and some parts of Asia. • For hundreds of years, people and goods have traveled to North and South America from western Europe's many ports. • Explorers and settlers left these ports on long sea voyages around the world. • These voyages spread European beliefs, cultures, and languages.

5. Western Europe • World War I, which was fought between 1914 and 1918, took place in western Europe. • About 20 years later, World War II, which took place between 1939 and 1945, was also fought partly in western Europe. • These two wars were the largest ones people have ever fought. • Millions of people died.

6. Western Europe • Western Europe has three physical regions. • The largest region is the Central Lowlands. • Geographers call it the Northern European Plain. • This fairly flat area extends from southern England to the Ural Mountains in Russia.

7. Western Europe • The region is almost totally flat in the Netherlands, but somewhat hilly everywhere else. • Most Europeans live in this region. • It has Europe's biggest cities and most of the industry. • It also has the biggest transportation system, such as roads, highways, and railways.

8. Western Europe • The second physical region of western Europe is the Central Uplands. • It lies between the Central Lowlands and the Alps Mountains. • This region stretches from the Atlantic coast of Spain to Poland. • It includes central and eastern France. • It also includes the Black Forest and the Bohemian Forest areas of southern Germany.

9. Western Europe • The third physical region of western Europe is the Alps. • These mountains stretch far beyond western Europe. • When people think of the Alps, they think of Switzerland. • However, the Alps also cover parts of southeastern France, northern Italy, southwestern Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. • The region that contains the Alps has a low population density, except for some of its larger valleys.

10. Western Europe • Geography has played a big role in the history of western Europe. • For example, Switzerland has mountains. • These high mountains allowed Switzerland to stay out of wars. • People who lived in mountain valleys developed their own culture because they were away from other people.

11. Western Europe • The cultures often differed from that of the other people in their country. • They often developed a different language. • In fact, these people became more loyal to their region than to their country. • That is one reason why Germany did not become one country until the late 1800s.

12. Western Europe • Having no mountains can also shape history. • For example, invaders, or soldiers from other places, have often marched into the plains of the Central Lowlands. • They took over the land from the people who lived there. • These invaders used the many lowland rivers as highways. • Of course, the people in the Central Lowlands have always used these rivers to ship goods and to travel.

13. Western Europe • World War I is a good example of how geography influences history. • In 1914, Germany declared war against France. • However, the border between the two countries kept German soldiers from attacking France directly. • Thick forests covered much of the border; the rugged Vosges Mountains formed the rest of the border.

14. Western Europe • Belgium, a small neighbor of the two countries, wanted to stay out of the war. • This was impossible, however, because of the French-German dispute. • To reach the French capital of Paris, German generals decided that the best way to reach Paris was to go through Belgium. • They quickly took over nearly all of Belgium and the industrial area of northeastern France.

15. Physical Features and Climate • The biggest physical feature of western Europe is the Alps. • This range of young mountains is about 700 miles long and stretches across several countries. • Mont Blanc, which stands 15,771 feet tall, is the highest of all the Alps. • It is also the tallest mountain in western Europe.

16. Physical Features and Climate • Snow covers many of the peaks, or tops, of the Alps. • Tourists can see huge glaciers, large waterfalls, and many streams in these mountains. • They contain many passes, or openings.

17. Physical Features and Climate • France has other large upland areas. • The Massif Central is located in the southeast-central part of France. • This area of low, worn-down mountains and newer peaks covers about one-sixth of the country. • France's other mountain ranges are the Vosges in the northeast; the Jura in the east; and the Pyrenees in the south on the Spanish border.

18. Physical Features and Climate • Huge, sandy plains cover northern France and northern Germany. • They stretch for hundreds of miles. • In the Netherlands, the Dutch people have created polders by taking back land from the sea.

19. Physical Features and Climate • For hundreds of years, the people of the Netherlands have built dikes, or walls, to prevent floods. • They use huge electric pumps to keep the seawater from returning to the polders. • Half of the Netherlands is made up of polder land.

20. Physical Features and Climate • Some people describe Europe as a giant peninsula because water surrounds it on three sides. • The peninsula is on the western part of Eurasia, which is the world's largest piece of land. • Eurasia includes the continents of Europe and Asia. • Water surrounds western Europe on the north, the south, and the west.

21. Physical Features and Climate • The North Sea to the north is somewhat shallow. • The Mediterranean Sea touches the southern coast of France. • The Bay of Biscay forms the western shore. • This bay is part of the Atlantic Ocean. • Rivers are important to western Europe. • The four most important rivers of France are the Loire, the Seine, the Garonne, and the Rhone.

22. Physical Features and Climate • The Loire is its longest river. • It flows from the Massif Central to the Bay of Biscay. • Paris, the capital of France, is located on the Seine, which flows north. • The Garonne flows from the Pyrenees to the Atlantic. • The Rhone starts in the Swiss Alps and flows into the Mediterranean.

23. Physical Features and Climate • The three important rivers of Germany are the Rhine, the Danube, and the Elbe. • The Rhine links northern and southern Europe. • It is Germany's most important waterway. • Every year, thousands of large barges carry goods on this river. • The Danube begins in Germany and flows nearly 800 miles eastward through seven other countries. • Then it reaches the Black Sea. • The Elbe flows from the southeast to the northwest. • The great German harbor of Hamburg is located where the Elbe meets the North Sea.

24. Physical Features and Climate • Western Europe has at least three climates. • The main climate is marine west coast. Northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany share this climate with the British Isles. • The Gulf Stream makes it neither too hot nor too cold. • However, cold air from the north may cause temperatures to drop well below freezing. • This is especially true in Germany.

25. Physical Features and Climate • The southern part of western Europe, near the Mediterranean, has a different climate. • The French Riviera borders the Mediterranean Sea. • It has mild winters and dry, hot summers. • Of course, the mountain areas of western Europe have their own climate.

26. Physical Features and Climate • Southern France has mistrals, which can blow over 100 miles per hour! • These strong, cold, dry winds blow down from the Alps. • They cause temperatures in southern France to drop quickly.

27. The People • Each country in western Europe has its own rich culture. • The people are proud of their language and of their influence on world civilization. • What is surprising about western Europe is how much the seven countries share in common. • The day-to-day life of the people is much the same.

28. The People • All the children go to school. • Their parents work. • Most people live in cities. • These cities mix the old with the new. • Some parts look the same as they did hundreds of years ago. • Other parts have tall buildings and fast highways.

29. The People • Europeans share an interest in music, art, and books. • Most larger cities have many theaters, opera houses, art museums, and dance companies. • In nice weather, people sit outside in sidewalk cafes. • There they share meals and talk.

30. The People • Western Europe has a long history of making and enjoying delicious food. • Western Europeans also enjoy sports. Soccer is a popular sport. • However, in Europe, soccer is called football. • In mountain areas, skiing is also popular.

31. The People • Each country in western Europe has its own language. • Some of these languages are related. • For example, German and Dutch, the language of the Netherlands, are Germanic languages. • People in some parts of Switzerland, Austria, and Belgium speak a German dialect. • That is, they speak different forms of the German language.

32. The People • The people of southern Belgium and France speak French. • This Romance language grew out of Latin, the language of the ancient Romans. • Switzerland has four official languages. • Most people there speak a German dialect.

33. The People • Smaller groups speak French and Italian. • The fourth language is Romansh, a language also based on Latin. • Many people in western Europe speak several languages, including English.

34. The People • Most western Europeans are Christians. • The largest number are Roman Catholics. • The rest are Protestants. • These two groups have sometimes fought one another. • The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) was a religious war between the Catholics and the Protestants. • Most European powers fought in this war.

35. The People • Immigrants have come to all the countries of western Europe. • Many of these immigrants brought with them a different culture, language, or religion. • Because of this, all the major world religions can be found in western Europe.

36. The People • Most western Europeans live in urban areas in the Central Lowlands. • In fact, western Europe has one of the highest population densities in the world. • People have been moving to the cities since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. • More than a million people live in several western European cities. • The largest city in western Europe is Paris, France.

37. The People • In Germany, Hamburg, Berlin, and Munich have more than a million people each. • Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is also large. • Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is its biggest city. • The region in which most of these cities are located forms a huge megalopolis of 4 million people.

38. The People • Western Europe has an aging population. • Its population is growing slowly. • People are living longer because of new technology in medicine. • This means that more older people will need care in the future.

39. The People • Most governments believe that they have a duty to take care ofthe health and well-being of the elderly. • In the future, this aging population could be a burden for younger people.

40. The People • A second problem is the economy. • Economic growth in many of the countries has slowed down. • France and Germany have a lot of unemployment. • In the 1960s and 1970s,factories had lots of work but not enough workers. • Because of this, they hired foreigners, or people from other countries.

41. The People • Now, some unemployed workers in France and Germany dislike these foreigners. • They say that the foreigners are taking jobs away from them. • Political parties in many western European countries have spoken out against new immigration.

42. Economy and Environment • All the countries of western Europe have successful free­market economies and a large manufacturing base. • Many western European countries have high-tech industries, such as airplane and space technology.

43. Economy and Environment • After World War II, France, Italy, West Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg wanted closer ties with one another. • To do this, they agreed to get rid of tariffs and some trade barriers. • A tariff is a tax that countries put on goods they import. I • n 1957, these countries created the European Economic Community, also known as the Common Market.

44. Economy and Environment • During the 1980s and 1990s the European Economic Community grew. • In 1992, it became the European Union. • The members agreed to reduce trade barriers even more. • They also agreed to create a common European currency, or system of money. • The new Euro will replace the currency that each country has now.

45. Economy and Environment • In 2000, the European Union had 15 member nations. • More than 12 other countries in eastern and southern Europe may join soon. • Slowly, the people are taking steps to unite Europe.

46. Economy and Environment • Business people try to sell their goods and services for the highest price. • They also try to find the cheapest way to make goods and deliver them to other countries. • When they do this, they make more money. • This explains why European explorers set sail to find new lands.

47. Economy and Environment • Columbus was not looking for the Americas when he found them. • He was looking for a better and faster way to get to Asia. • Then Europe could more easily sell its goods to the people there. • This is an example of international trade. • It is the buying ,and selling of goods and services among people in different countries

48. Economy and Environment • People around the world want the products made in western Europe. • Germany exports machine tools, electrical equipment, chemical products, and cars. • The Netherlands is the world's leading maker of machinery for food and chemical processing. • Factories in the United States, England, Germany, and other industrialized countries depend on these machines. • Perfumes, fashions, and wines from France are world famous.

49. Economy and Environment • France, the largest western European country, has few resources. • It does have large coal deposits, but many of its mines are closed. • Importing coal from other countries is now cheaper than mining its own coal. • France has only a little oil, so it imports oil from the North Sea, the Middle East, and Africa.

50. Economy and Environment • France does have lots of fast-running rivers. • Workers have built dams on many of these rivers. • They supply France with hydroelectric power. • France has built the world's first power station that depends on tides, the regular daily rise and fall of ocean waters.