Many slides and photos courtesy of Matt Ebiner,
El Camino College
Germany 82,424,6093
France 60,424,2134
United Kingdom 60,270,7085
Italy 58,057,477
Spain 40,280,780
POPULATION
Europe
vs.
North
America
EUROPE’S
CLIMATE
• Rain decreases:
– Eastward
– Southward
• Winter temperature cooler:
– Northward
– Eastward
ENVIRONMENT - Climate
• Mild Climate
• North Atlantic
Drift
– Warm…
• Coldest
Winters in the
north and
interior
ENVIRONMENT - Terrain
• North European Plain
– Dense population
– Agriculture
• Mountains in Southern Half
– Alps
– Pyrenees
Italian Alps
ENVIRONMENT - Rivers
• Rhine
– Oriented
westward
– Industrial core
of Europe
– Trade route
• Danube
– Oriented to
Eastern Europe
and Black Sea
Europe Overview
• Europe’s challenges vary
– Western Europe is one of the wealthiest areas on
earth
• Progressive approach to environment
• Ideas of nationalism seem to be giving way to panEuropean identity and a region-wide currency
• Europe must deal with immigrants and resulting political
tension, and address political problems in other regions
– Eastern Europe faces very different challenges
•
•
•
•
Political strife
Economic stagnation
Environmental degradation
Eastern Europe wishes to join the west
Environmental
Challenges
Recent Immigration
Religions
• Christian
– Catholic
– Orthodox
– Protestant
• Lutheran
• Anglican
• Muslim
Industrialized Countries receiving the most
Asylum Seekers
Rank
Country
Number of
Asylum
seekers
1
France
61,600
2
United
States
52,360
3
United
Kingdom
40,200
4
Germany
35,610
5
Canada
25,500
6
Austria
24,680
7
Sweden
23,160
8
Belgium
15,360
9
Switzerland
14,250
10
Slovakia
11,350
Algerian immigrants in Paris
suburbs rioted in late 2005
Countries with the highest Recycling Rates
Percentage of
Waste
Recycled
Rank
Country
1
Switzerland 52%
2
Austria
49.7%
3
Germany
48%
4
Netherlands 46%
5
Norway
40%
6
Sweden
34%
7
United
States
31.5%
• Cleanest Countries List
Statistical Comparisons
• Best Countries for Gender Equality
• Countries with the Highest Quality of Life
• Countries with the Highest Percentage of
Women in Parliament
• Countries where Gay Marriage is Legal
• Best Cities for Quality of Life
Countries with the lowest murder rates, late 1990s
COUNTRY
PER MILLION
(1) Slovenia
0.7
(2) Austria
0.9
(3) Sweden
1.8
(4) Switzerland
2.3
(5) Israel
2.3
(6) Hong Kong
2.4
(7) Norway
2.5
(8) Ireland
2.8
(9) Finland
3.7
(10) Singapore
4.3
U.S. rate (2004) is 55 per million, the lowest rate in 40 years!
European Cities: result of very long histories
• Complex street patterns - prior to automobile, weird angles
• Plazas and Squares - from Greek, Roman, Medieval
• High density and compact form - wall around city or lowgrowth zoning
• Low skylines - many built before elevators, others required
cathedral or monument to be highest structure
• Lively downtowns - center of social life, not just office work
• Neighborhood stability - Europeans moved less frequently than
we do.
• Scars of War - many wars , many cities originally defensive
• Symbolism - gothic cathedrals, palaces, and castles
• Municipal Socialism - many residents live in buildings that are
owned by city gov’t. Some of these are massive housing projects,
others small scale apartment buildings.
Toulouse, France
Ferrara, Italy
Sogne, Norway
Venice, Italy
Somewhere in France
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Florence, Italy
Copenhagen, Denmark
British
Isles
British Isles
• Rep. of Ireland
• United Kingdom
–
–
–
–
Northern Ireland
Scotland
England
Wales
LONDON
• On Thames River
– founded 2000 years ago
– best place to cross river
• bridge...
• Relative Location...
– Close to mainland Europe...
Old Industrial Cities
• Birmingham
– Steel
• Manchester
– Cotton Textiles
• Liverpool
– Seaport
Industry
• UK - top industrial power in 1700s, 1800s
– Industrial Revolution began in England…
– Abundant coal
– Colonization - free resources
• 20th Century
– New industrial competition
– Depletion of coal in Britain
• North Sea Oil since 1970s
– Loss of colonies (and resources)
Wales & Scotland
• Celtic Culture
– Celtic Languages
• Scots Gaelic
• Welsh
EDINBURGH
• Scotland’s Capital
• Scottish Parliament
– Some Autonomy
Northern Ireland - Religious Division
Northern
Ireland
 60% Protestant
 Loyal to U.K.
 Mural in Belfast
N. Ireland - 40% Catholic
• Catholics Want
One Ireland
Republic of Ireland
• “Emerald Isle”
– Green Landscape
– Rainy and Cool
Ireland - 95% Catholic
• St. Patrick 
Celtic Culture
• Irish Language
Ireland’s Agriculture
• 10% of Irish labor force
• Population of Rep. of Ireland
– 5 million in 1840
– Potato Famine in 1840s
– 4.1 million in 2005
FRANCE
• Mountains
– Alps
– Pyrenees
• Coastlines
– Mediterranean
– Bay of Biscay
– English
Channel
(“Chunnel”)
Paris
• Founded on island in Seine River
– Amid great farmland
Agriculture
• #1 food producer in Europe
– Wheat...
– Dairy Cattle...
– Grapes...
• Champagne and wine
Champagne
Countries with Highest GDP Worldwide
Luxembourg $ 55,1002
Norway $ 37,8003
United States $ 37,8004
San Marino $ 34,6005
Switzerland $ 32,7006
Denmark $ 31,1007
Iceland $ 30,9008
Austria $ 30,0009
Canada $ 29,80010
Ireland $ 29,600
Industry
• Cars
– Renault
– Peugeot
– Citroen
Tourism in France
• Most visited country in
world
• Attractions
- French Riviera
- Cannes…
Tourism
• French
Alps
– Mont
Blanc
Mont Blanc
Tourism to Paris
• Museums
– Louvre
• Churches
– Cathedral of Notre Dame
Paris
• Monuments
– Eiffel Tower
“Low Countries”
• Netherlands
• Belgium
• Luxembourg
Netherlands
•
•
•
•
•
“Holland”
Home to the Dutch
“Low Country”
Flat
½ of Land – below sea level
Land Below Sea Level
• “Polder land”
– Is drained land
– Was under water
– Formation:
• Dike built around shallow water
• Water pumped out
– Mostly for agriculture
• Grasses for dairy cattle
– Cheese
• Flowers
Dutch Cities
• Rotterdam
– #1 Seaport
– Rhine River
• Amsterdam
– Museums
• Van Gogh
Amsterdam
• Liberal Attitudes
Amsterdam
Germany
• 1945-1990
– East/West Division
• Reunited 1990
• Capital at Berlin
Germany
• #1 in Europe
– Population
– Industry
• Along the Rhine
• The Ruhr…
Rhine River
The Ruhr
(river and region)
Bavaria
• So. Germany
• Alps…
• Munich
Munich – _____ Cars
Munich
Beer & Oktoberfest
German Alps - Bavaria
Switzerland
• Languages
– German, French, Italian, Romansch
• Religion
– 1/2 Catholic, 1/2 Protestant
Switzerland
• Peaceful…
• Neutral
• International Organizations
– Geneva
United Nations
International Red Cross
Economic Status
• Few Nat. Resources, but
Wealthy
• Skilled Industries
– Watches
• Rolex, Swatch
• Banking
– Centered in Zurich
Tourism
• Alpine Towns
Matterhorn &
Zermatt
Dairy
Farming
• Cheese
• Chocolate
– Toblerone
– Nestlé
N. Europe
•
•
•
•
•
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Finland
Iceland
Languages
• Germanic
– Norwegian
– Swedish 
– Except…
Finnish is
a Uralic
language,
related to
Hungarian and
Estonian
Northern
Europe
• Social Welfare
Programs
– Free/Low-Cost
Health Care,
Education,…
• High income
taxes...
Denmark
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jutland Peninsula
Flat
Climate...
Agriculture
Wind Power
Copenhagen
– #1 in N. Europe
Norway
• Oslo = Capital
• Oil from North Sea
• Landscape
– Barren Mountains
– Glaciers
– Fjords
• Long, narrow
inlets of the sea
Southern
Norway
Glacier
in
Norway
Fjords
• Carved by glaciers
• Cruise Ship Tourism
Norway
SOUTHERN EUROPE
Iberian
Peninsula
• Spain
• Portugal
SPAIN
• Madrid
– Capital
– Geographic Center
• Barcelona
– Economic center
– Catalonia region
• Catalan language
Minority
Regions
in Spain
Basque Region
Cool,
rainy all year
Basque
Language...
Spanish & Basque Language
Italy
• Po River Basin
– Agriculture
– Industry
• Milan…
– Fashion…
• Turin
– Fiat cars
– Venice
• Canals
• Islands
• Tourists
Canals of Venice
Florence
• Birthplace of:
– Michelangelo
• Sculpture of David
The Uffizi
Rome
• Modern and Ancient Capital
Vatican City • Smallest Country
Vatican City
• Roman Catholic Church
Sistine Chapel
• Michelangelo
Naples
• Mt. Vesuvius
– Still Active
Pompeii
• Destroyed, 79 AD
Pompeii Victim
Cinque Terra and
Almalfi Coast
Europe Overview
• Europe’s challenges vary
– Western Europe is one of the wealthiest areas on
earth
• Progressive approach to environment
• Ideas of nationalism seem to be giving way to panEuropean identity and a region-wide currency
• Europe must deal with immigrants and resulting political
tension, and address political problems in other regions
– Eastern Europe faces very different challenges
•
•
•
•
Political strife
Economic stagnation
Environmental degradation
Eastern Europe wishes to join the west