Physical Geography of Europe

Unit 5

SSWG6.a: Describe the location of major physical features and their impact on Europe. (Where are major mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, seas located?)

Activator World Geography Standard

Peninsulas
Europe has been called a peninsula of peninsulas Northern Peninsulas:

Scandanavian-made up by Sweden and Norway Jutland-major geographic feature of Denmark

Peninsulas

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

Southern Peninsulas

Iberian Peninsula-Spain and Portugal are located here

Apennine Peninsula-forms Italy Balkan Peninsula-formed by Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and part of Turkey

Islands
Atlantic Islands-Iceland is located in this region British Isles-consists of Great Britain, Ireland, and thousands of smaller islands. Mediterranean Islands-Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, and Malta

Mountains

Central Uplands-Extend from Iberian Peninsula through France & Germany to Eastern Europe
Alpine Mtn. System (Alps)-Extends across southern Europe from Spain to Balkan Peninsula. Several Mtn. ranges such as Alps and Carpathians make up this system. Northwest Mountains-British Isles through Scandanavian Peninsula

Plains

Northern European Plain-from southeast UK and western France eastward to Poland

Hungarian Basin-treeless stretch of land noted for agriculture

Rivers

Rhine-most important in W. Europe, provides transportation Seine- flows through Paris, France Thames- flows through London, England.

Lakes

1/12 of Sweden and Finland known as Lake Plateau Lake Geneva-along border of France and Switzerland Lake Como-Italy Lake Balaton-Hungary

Natural Resources

Minerals are a major resource Iron and Coal-used in the making of steel Peat-a vegetable matter used as an energy source, similar to a fossil fuel.