29.1 Geographic Setting of Europe
 Virgil tells story of Aeneas
 Europeans used the seas to:
1. trade,
2. set up colonies,
3. spread culture,
4. bring ideas and goods back
I.
Location
A. Called continent, part of larger landmass
1. Vast peninsula along western edge of Eurasian continent
2. Westward from Ural mts to atlantic ocean
3. Southward from arctic ocean to Mediterranean sea
B. Sub regions
1. Western Europe
2. Eastern Europe
C. W. Europe covers one third of Europe
1.) 1.4 m square miles
2.) 380 m people
3.) 23 countries
D. Importance of the seas
1. Several peninsulas and harbors
2. Highways to rest of world
3. Fishing, shipping tourism
II.
Shape of the Land
A. Contains all the major landforms
1. Plains
2. Hills
3. Plateaus
4. Mountains
B. Plains
1. ¼ of western Europe
2. Largest and most important – North European Plain – 1000 miles
3. Fertile, trade and travel easy
4. Today contains productive farmland and major cities
C. Ancient times lowlands were marshes
D. 800 yrs. Ago developed tech. To drain
E. Absence of natural barriers
1. Major routes for migration and trade
2. Contributed to warfare
F. Highlands
1. Hills and plateaus across W.E.
a. More suitable for grazing than farming
b. Barriers to migration, trade and invasion
2. Mountain Ranges:
a. Alps
b. Pyrenees
c. Apennines
d. Southern Europe is mountainous
1. People in spain, portugal, italy and greece lived in
isolated communities
2. Traveled by ocean-came in contact with African
culture
III.
Rivers
A. Uses
1. Transportation and trade
2. Hydroelectric power
3. Fish
4. Built canals
B. Major cities developed along rivers
1. Paris – Seine (sayn)
2. London – Thames (tehmz)
3. Rome – Tiber
C. Rhine:
1. Longest river
2. 820 miles
3. Alps to north sea
D. Rhine Valley
1. Most densely populated and industrialized area of Europe
a. Toxic waste
IV.
Climate and Resources
A. Atlantic Coast- Mild Marine Climate
1. Warm winters, cool summers, plentiful rainfall
2. Suited to farming
B. Southern Europe
1. Mediterranean climate
2. Hot, dry summers
3. Mild, rainy winters
C. Mountainous areas
1. Highland climate
2. Temp depends on altitude
3. Farming, herding, cutting timber
D. Agricultural resources
1. Overuse and erosion have destroyed farmland
2. Forests endangered
E. Mineral Resources
F.
G.
H.
I.
1. Iron ore
2. Coal
3. Uranium
4. Copper
5. Helped industrialize during 17—00-1800s
Energy Resources
1. Oil imports
2. Oil and gas in north sea
3. Nuclear power
People
1. Many cultural groups
2. Dozens of languages
3. Different religions
4. Variety of customs
Migrating pople spread throughout europe
1. Spread ideas and languages
1200s – modern nations emerged
1. Own languages
2. Fought with neighbors
3. Open borders
4. Close economic ties