Sometimes considered a transcontinental country, it is located at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, [2] and is today generally regarded as part of Europe. Early Europeans, in fact, shaped global ideas of citizenship and government. Key Facts. Glaciers are found in a surprisingly large number of European countries, including Iceland, Norway, Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. In the Alps, Mont Blanc rises to a height of 15,771 feet (4,807 metres), which is the highest point on the continent. 4. Ireland: geography and landscape. The geology of Europe is hugely varied and complex, and gives rise to the wide variety of landscapes found across the continent, from the Scottish Highlands to the rolling plains of Hungary. In terms of shape, Europe is a collection of connected peninsulas and nearby islands. The North European Plain remains the most densely populated region of Europe.Central UplandsThe Central Uplands extend east-west across Central Europe and include western France and Belgium, southern Germany, the Czech Republic, and parts of northern Switzerland and Austria.The Central Uplands are lower in altitude and less rugged than the Alpine region and are heavily wooded. Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC43qCBEfmy-wouPmYlLSpIg/join#europe #India #gypsiesContact Us- info@themysticaland.. A fjord is a long and narrow inlet of the sea that is surrounded by high, rugged cliffs. The nation of Germany was divided in two. The EU accepts few candidates: member states must maintain a stable, democratic form of government, a free-market economy, and commitment to the rule of law.The rapid growth of the European Union, however, has caused a number of administrative and political tensions. It is geographically positioned both in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres of the Earth. You cannot download interactives. Continental shelvesformer land surfaces that have been covered by shallow seasare a feature of peninsular Europe, while the coasts themselves are both submerged or drowned, as in southwestern Ireland and northwestern Spain, and emergent, as in western Scotland and southern Wales, where raised former beaches are in evidence. The central uplands and plateaus present distinctive landscapes of rounded summits, steep slopes, valleys, and depressions. In spite of its internal diversity, Europe has thus functioned, from the time it first emerged in the human consciousness, as a world apart, concentratingto borrow a phrase from Christopher Marloweinfinite riches in a little room.. Roma are a people and culture native to central and eastern Europe. Not only is it pretty huge (2.5 times the size of Mount Vesuvius, which so famously buried Pompeii), but it is also one of the most active volcanoes in the world. They created clothing and tents out of reindeer hides, sewing together the cloth with twine made from the animals tendons.Keeping track of herds and individual animals became increasingly important in Sami life. All the major bodies of water in Europe have been fished for centuries. Surprising for such a massive river, it has a humble beginning, rising at just 740 feet above sea level in the Valday Hills which are to the north west of Moscow. The worn-down Ural Mountains also belong in that category, and their highest point, Mount Narodnaya (6,217 feet [1,895 metres]), corresponds approximately to that of the Massif Central in south-central France. The United States began to lead the Western world, while the Soviet Union, with its capital in the Eastern European city of Moscow, Russia, led the so-called Eastern Bloc. Yet the peninsular and insular western extremity of the continent, thrusting toward the North Atlantic Ocean, providesthanks to its latitude and its physical geographya relatively genial human habitat, and the long processes of human history came to mark off the region as the home of a distinctive civilization. The North European Plain, common to much of Poland, northern Germany, and Denmark, broadens in western France and continues, across the narrow seas, in southeastern Great Britain and Ireland. Europe is a peninsula of the Eurasian supercontinent and is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas to the south.Europe's main peninsulas are the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan, located in southern Europe, and the Scandinavian and Jutland, located in Northern Europe. These revolutions eventually lead to the end of the Cold War, symbolized by the falling of the Berlin Wall in 1989.Contemporary IssuesEurope is now broadly defined in the context of the European Union (EU), an economic and political body officially created by the Maastricht Treaty in 1993. This article treats the physical and human geography of Europe. Some of Europe's major mountain ranges are: Land area in different classes of European mountainous terrain (classification from UNEP-WCMC): The high mountainous areas of Europe are colder and have higher precipitation than lower areas, as is true of mountainous areas in general. This region is sparsely populated except in the Rhine, Rhne, Elbe, and Danube river valleys.Alpine MountainsThe Alpine Mountains include ranges in the Italian and Balkan peninsulas, northern Spain, and southern France. [further explanation needed], The longest rivers in Europe, directly flowing into the World Ocean or Endorheic basins, with their approximate lengths:[4][5]. Because of their remoteness, however, all these regions have distinct dialects that differ slightly from their parent language. The cold water surrounding northern Britain and Scandinavia is home to unique species of cold-water corals. Whats the Difference Between Great Britain and the United Kingdom? There are also central highlands and deserts features in the south. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Le site web de CORDIS ncessite lactivation de JavaScript pour fonctionner correctement. Europes continuing economic achievements are evidenced by its high standard of living and its successes in science, technology, and the arts. The consensus is, however, that the largest glacier in Europe is the Vatnajokull glacier in Iceland. Indented by numerous bays, fjords, and seas, continental Europes highly irregular coastline is about 24,000 miles (38,000 km) long. Four broad topographic units can be simply, yet usefully, distinguished in the continent of Europe. Europe's northernmost point is the Svalbard archipelago of Norway, and it reaches as far south as the islands of Greece and Malta.Europe is sometimes described as a peninsula of peninsulas. European Commission: European Capital of Culture. The Republic of Ireland occupies 80 percent of this landmass, while a large chunk of land in the north, called Northern Ireland, is part of the United Kingdom.All together, the island of Ireland is made up of 32 counties. To read all future answers to your comment, please bookmark this page. Xenophobia is an intense dislike or fear of people from other places or cultures.Two events demonstrate this debate. The Kimmel Falls are in Hohe Tauen National Park and are one of Austrias most visited tourist attractions. Looking for interesting facts about Austria? Wcz obsug JavaScript. Around 400 CE, the Alemanni, a Germanic tribe, invaded present-day northern Switzerland. National Geographic News: New Fault Found in EuropeMay 'Close Up' Adriatic Sea, National Geographic News: Volcanic Ash Stops Europe FlightsWhy Ash Is Dangerous, European Environment Agency: European Land Cover, National Geographic Education: Mapping EuropeLand Mammal Range. As Ive talked about fire (volcanoes), it wouldnt be right to leave ice out of the geography facts of Europe. Europe's highest peak, Mount Elbrus at 5,642 meters (18,510 feet), is in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia. Topography Facts - Earth Science. Swiss-Italian is distinguishable from Italian.Romansch, an endangered language, is also derived from Latin. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. The financial and diplomatic success of the EU has led to its rapid growth across the continent.The euro is one of the strongest currencies in the world. Routes detour around, or seek gaps through, those uplandswhose German appellation, Horst (thicket), recalls their still wooded character, while their coal basins give them great economic importance. The European bison (Bison bonasus), the heaviest land animal on the continent, is one of the most threatened species.Beginning in the 20th century, many governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have worked to restore some of Europe's rich biodiversity. Omissions? Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. The language survives in Switzerland because of the remote location of its native speakers.Contemporary CulturesEuropes rich and diverse cultural heritage continues to flourish today. The Netherlands is bordered by Germany in the east; and Belgium in the south. The low starting elevation makes the Volga a slow flowing river. It has coastlines on the Bay of Biscay (a part of the Atlantic Ocean) and the Mediterranean Sea.Spain's capital and largest city is Madrid, and the country is known for its long history, unique culture, strong economy, and very high living standards. The most common way to show this is using topographical maps. This rescue package has caused tensions to rise between economically competitive countries and the indebted countries that they are helping to rescue. Critics believe the process of attaining EU membership is too difficult for Europes developing economies. The 15 rivers of Europe by average discharge, including only rivers directly flowing into the World Ocean or Endorheic basins: Aegean Islands, land, Balearic Islands, Corsica, Crete, Cyprus (Adjacent to Asia), Fyn, Faroe Islands, Gotland, Great Britain, Hinnya, Iceland, Ionian Islands, Ireland, Malta, North Jutlandic Island, Saaremaa, Sardinia, Senja, Sicily, Svalbard and Zealand. The Central Powers (led by the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Ottoman Empire) fell to the forces of the Allied Powers (led by the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire). Nations that use the euro as a unit of currency are called the eurozone.Leadership of the EU, split among different branches and institutions, is a working model of international cooperation. Przemek. This is a main theme of The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer, in which these key elements of the sea both help and hurt the hero.Other cultures developed around the unique resources at their disposal. These journeys varied in length, depending on the migration patterns of specific reindeer herds. Kazakhstan. Biology, Ecology, Earth Science, Geology, Geography, Physical Geography. There are more bicycles than people in the country (22.3 million bicycles and 17 million people). The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. You can actually get very close to the falls and safely, thanks to a well maintained hiking trail. Aby witryna CORDIS dziaaa poprawnie, obsuga JavaScript musi by wczona. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. 1. Flora & FaunaMuch like its physical regions, Europe's plant and animal communities follow a general north-south orientation. Thrace is the western part of Turkey on the European continent.. They are very detailed and are often produced on large sheets of paper. The proportion of people older than 65 will grow from 16 percent to 28 percent. Ukraine is the world's largest producer of sunflower seeds, and across every part of Ukraine, you'll see stunning fields of these yellow blooms. Luxembourg is landlocked, separated from the North Sea by Belgium.. Today, this cultural wealth is used to solidify the European Community and is exported to the rest of the world as one of the continents greatest global assets.Historic CulturesIndigenous cultures shaped, and were shaped by, the varied geography of Europe. Most extensive between the Baltic and White seas in the north and the Black, Azov, and Caspian seas in the south, the lowland area narrows westward, lying to the south of the northwestern highlands; it is divided also by the English Channel and the mountains and plateaus of central Europe. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. The Holocaust was the mass murder of Jews under the Nazi regime. The ultimate fate of the European Space Agency's JUICE mission could drastically change should it succeed in discovering that Ganymede's ocean is both potentially habitable and accessible. A contrast exists between the configuration of peninsular, or western, Europe and that of eastern Europe, which is a much larger and more continental area. Fun Facts about Europe Europe is home to the smallest country in the world, the Holy See or the Vatican. The Mediterranean Sea to the south separates Europe from Africa. Read important geography facts about Ireland and information about Ireland's landscapes, topography, and coastline. China says a ban on the use of TikTok by official European Union institutions will harm business confidence in Europe, With more lunar missions than ever on the horizon, the European Space Agency wants to give the moon its own time zone, The death toll has risen to at least 63 in the migrant tragedy off Italys southern coast after rescue crews recovered several more bodies, Shares have opened lower in Europe after a mixed session in Asia following a reprieve on Wall Street from recent selling pressure driven by worries over inflation and interest rates, Spain is building on its reputation in renewable energy to position itself as Europes future leader in green hydrogen. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Updated: 07/28/2022 Table of Contents It's a multi-lingual continent. Topography and bathymetry are shown in a combination of color with shaded relief. The ancient, often mineral-laden rocks of the northwestern highlands, their contours softened by prolonged erosion and glaciation, are found throughout much of Iceland, in Ireland, and in northern and western Britain and Scandinavia. Europe's most significant geological feature is the dichotomy between the highlands and mountains of Southern Europe and a vast, partially underwater, northern plain ranging from Great Britain in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east. A growing percentage of people in urban areas are employed in a wide range of service activities, which have come to dominate the economies of most countries. The creation of the European Economic Community in 1957 and the EU in 1993 greatly enhanced economic cooperation between many of the continents countries. 12. Lets take a short tour around some of the most notable geographical facts about Europe. The continent also comprises numerous islands, somenotably the Faroes and Icelandlocated at a distance from the mainland. Europe has a long history of human development and is considered the birthplace of Western Civilization. Developed countries, however, are also facing economic challenges. Regional climatic contrasts nevertheless exist: oceanic, Mediterranean, and continental types occur widely, as do gradations from one to the other. Indeed, Turkey has sought membership in the European Union (EU), and the Republic of Cyprus joined the organization in 2004. These countries included Greece, Ireland, Spain, and Portugal. City-states were unique in that they were governed not by a hereditary ruler, but by a political body that represented its citizens. Strict EU regulations place a heavy burden on developing countries to compete with their more developed neighbors.The global financial crisis, which began around 2008, has caused these tensions to elevate dramatically. Greeces many earthquakes, and the tsunamis they caused, were connected to the sea god Poseidon, known as the Earth Shaker. Cults and temples centered on Poseidon were built throughout the Aegean and Mediterranean seas as a means of appeasing the god.As maritime trade and exploration developed in the region, winds and currents connected to Poseidon became important in Greek mythology. Trade relations beyond its frontiers also drew the remoter regions into its sphere. Topographic maps show a wide range of human and physical features of the Earth. Those are coastal and interior lowlands, central uplands and plateaus, the northwestern highlands, and southern Europe. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. These regional labels are used more for identification than for regional analysis. The southeast boundary with Asia is not universally defined, but the modern definition is generally the Ural River or, less commonly, the Emba River. The boundary continues to the Caspian Sea, the crest of the Caucasus Mountains (or, less commonly, the river Kura in the Caucasus), and on to the Black Sea. Greece is well known for the thousands of islands dotting the three seas that surround the country. I think this makes it easy to assume they are not part of continental Europe. Examples of such physiographic features can be found in the Southern Uplands of Scotland, the Massif Central of France, the Meseta Central of Spain, and the Bohemian Massif. Historically, Europe has been a center of immigration. Another important physical feature is the southeast-northwest zone of windblown loess deposits that have accumulated from eastern Britain to Ukraine. In 1397, Denmark's Queen Margaret created the Kalmar Union, which included Sweden, Finland, Norway . The study also showed that only 8 percent of respondents considered language-learning unimportant.The European Union has adopted a multilingual language policy with the goal that everyone should be able to speak at least two languages in addition to their own. From there it flows to the Caspian Sea. 4. East of the Vistula River, Europes expansive lowlands have something of the scale and character of those of northern Asia. 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. The southern regions are mountainous while moving north the terrain descends from the high Alps, Pyrenees, and Carpathians, through hilly uplands, into broad, low northern plains, which are vast in the east. The major shallow water bodies submerging parts of the northern plains are the Celtic Sea, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea complex, and the Barents Sea. In 2005, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published 12 cartoons featuring Islamic subjects. Some critics argue these attitudes are xenophobic. Today, this is the German-speaking region of the country.Around this same time, Roman conquerors took over present-day southern Switzerland. [2] A prehistoric perspective would include Britain and Ireland as the core of a further very significant European peninsula prior to the post-glacial rise in sea-levels.[3]. Sweden has a long history that began with prehistoric hunting camps in the southernmost part of the country. Switzerland's small sizeits total area is about half that of Scotlandand its modest population give little indication of its international significance. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. Within the standard geographical boundaries, it is comprised of 737 million. Ireland is an island nation on the westernmost edge of Europe. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Europe is the second-smallest continent. At its largest, Rome controlled approximately 6.5 million square kilometers (2.5 million square miles) of land.The Roman approach to conquering and controlling territory is often considered to be the basis of Western imperialism. Trees also grow in that southernmost region, including the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis), cypress, and cork oak (Quercus suber). Brussels is considered to be the largest city of Belgium, according to the population of the Brussels-Capital Region. Traders and travelers also reported that the Europe beyond Greece possessed distinctive physical units, with mountain systems and lowland river basins much larger than those familiar to inhabitants of the Mediterranean region. It is 1733 meters (5,686 feet) deep and is located near the Swiss and Italian borders, in the area of the Savoy Alps close to the village of Samoens. Europe is sometimes called a "peninsula of peninsulas", to draw attention to the fact that Europe is a relatively small, elongated appendage to Asia, and that a large part of Europe is made up of peninsulas. Check out this amazing list of Austria facts that include history, food, culture, and more. Moose, bear, and elk (Cervus canadensis) are native to the European taiga.Just south of the taiga is a mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees, including beech, ash, poplar, and willow. Critics argue the move was racist.Future IssuesAn important predictor of Europes political and economic future is its efforts to minimize the effects of climate change.Europe is often seen as a world leader in environmentally friendly technologies and legislation. Luxembourg is a small country located in the Low Countries, part of North-West Europe It borders Belgium for 148 kilometres (92 miles) to the west and north, France (73 km [45 mi]) to the south, and Germany (138 km [86 mi]) to the east. Norway has the longest coastline in Europe. The link between these peninsulas has made Europe a dominant economic, social, and cultural force throughout recorded history.Europes physical geography, environment and resources, and human geography can be considered separately.Today, Europe is home to the citizens of Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), and Vatican City.Cultural GeographyEurope has a long history of human development and is considered the birthplace of Western Civilization. The tundra, found in Iceland and the northern reaches of Scandinavia and Russia, is a treeless region where small mosses, lichens, and ferns grow. Gouffre Mirolda is the 3rd deepest cave in the world after Krubera Cave and Illyuzia-Mezhonnogo-Snezhnaya Cave, both in Georgia (former Soviet Republic). Note: Italy's capital, Rome, is the country's largest city if only the municipality (comune) is considered. Related topics are discussed in such articles as those on religion (e.g., Judaism and Roman Catholicism) and literature (e.g., Greek literature; Dutch literature; and Spanish literature). Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, and North Macedonia constitute a contiguous landlocked agglomeration of eight countries in Central Europe and the Balkans, stretching from Geneva all the way to Skopje. Holland is a nation of cyclists. It is one of the biggest glaciers in the world, covering almost 9,000 sq km (3,500 square miles). Europe is home to two countries that are completely landlocked by Italy. The empire of ancient Rome, at its greatest extent in the 2nd century ce, revealed, and imprinted its culture on, much of the face of the continent. The EU works to create a unified structure for social, environmental, military, and economic policies of its member states.Today, the European Union is composed of 27 member states, with new members mainly coming from central and eastern Europe. Another widely endorsed scheme puts the western portion of the Caucasus region in Europe and the eastern partthat is, the bulk of Azerbaijan and small portions of Armenia, Georgia, and Russias Caspian Sea coastin Asia. A peninsula is a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides. The country is also home to a number of outstanding schools for automotive design, such as the Hochschule Esslingen and Hochschule Pforzheim.Political GeographyEuropes long history and economic progress have been shaped by its political geography. In partitioning the globe into meaningful large geographic units, therefore, most modern geographers treated the former Soviet Union as a distinct territorial entity, comparable to a continent, that was somewhat separate from Europe to the west and from Asia to the south and east; that distinction has been maintained for Russia, which constituted three-fourths of the Soviet Union. It looks at mountains and valleys, as well as rivers and oceans. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. 0. The population within the standard physical geographical boundaries was 701 million in 2005 according to the United Nations. During this time, a number of anti-communist revolutions swept central and eastern Europe. Inhabited plains, with only the minor interruption of the worn-down Urals, extend from central Europe to the Yenisey River in central Siberia. A study completed by the Berlin Institute for Population and Development found that Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, western Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria, and France have the best prospects of supporting vibrant and economically successful societies. Understanding Europe's Topography. The map was produced using a Lambert conformal conic projection, with standard parallels at 40 degrees north . The volcanoes of Lemnos, an island in the Mediterranean, and Mount Etna, on the island of Sicily, were believed to be the forges of Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. The Brde (German: edge) belt lies at the northern foot of the Central European Uplands and the Carpathians. Europe is home to the birthplace of democracy and Western culture in the ancient civilizations of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. It was clear as well that a succession of climates, markedly different from those of the Mediterranean borderlands, were to be experienced as Europe was penetrated from the south. As to the territorial limits of Europe, they may seem relatively clear on its seaward flanks, but many island groups far to the north and westSvalbard, the Faroes, Iceland, and the Madeira and Canary islandsare considered European, while Greenland (though tied politically to Denmark) is conventionally allocated to North America. Among the struggling economies that may suffer from carbon emission limits are Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova.Thus, it seems that Europes historic disparities between north and south, west and east, will continue to widen in the future. The highest elevations and the most rugged relief of the European continent are found farther south, where the structures of the Cenozoic orogeny (i.e., from the past 66 million years) provide mountain scenery. Only Oceania has less landmass. It is the smallest country both in size and population. The European Union has established the Schengen Areaa zone where Europeans can travel from country to country without having to show their passports. Population growth in Europe is rather minimal with minimal age comparatively high. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Updates? If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. It stands 10,922 feet high on the coast of the Mediterranean island Sicily. As observed on Germany's physical map, the country's topography varies significantly from north to south. The spacious eastern steppes and, to the west and north, primeval forests as yet only marginally touched by human occupancy further underlined environmental contrasts. Southward of the limits of the northern glacial ice are vales and hills, with the Paris and London basins typical examples. It is bounded by the North Sea in the north and west. Europe extends from the island nation of Iceland in the west to the Ural Mountains of Russia in the east. Arts and Music, Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, Economics, World History. The northern plains are delimited in the west by the Scandinavian mountains and the mountainous parts of the British Isles. [citation needed] These two halves are separated by the mountain chains of the Pyrenees and the Alps/Carpathians. European countries saw an increase in immigration after World War II. Some of these facts about Europe are newer than others. One Capital of Culture of 2011, Turku, Finland, focused on cultures positive influence on health and well-being. The western part of the continent clearly has a high proportion of coastline with good maritime access and often with inland penetration by means of navigable rivers. Read More: 25 Unbelievable Facts about North Korea that you must know. It runs for 2,294 miles through central Russia. Examination of Turkey's topographic structure on a physical map of the world shows clearly the . Please enable JavaScript. Here are 21 things about this amazing continent that may just surprise you. El "cambio climtico" abarca el calentamiento global, pero se refiere a la gama ms amplia de cambios que le estn ocurriendo a nuestro planeta.
5 facts about europe's topography
5 facts about europe's topography
