Chapter 11
Sec. 1: The land
Europe and Asia share a common land
mass called Eurasia.
 Europe= 2nd smallest continent
 Long irregular coastline that touches
numerous bodies of water
 most of Europe lies within 300 miles of
a sea coast
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Sec. 1: The land
25 & of the Netherland lies below sea
level
 Dikes- large banks of earth & stone that
hold back water.
 Dikes help reclaim new land from the
sea. These lands are polders, once
they’re drained they’re kept dry by use
of windmills.

Sec. 1: The land
Europe is a large peninsulas made up of
smaller peninsulas.
 Far north= Scandinavian Peninsula
 Glaciation=process in which glaciers
formed & spread over the peninsula.
 Carved out long, narrow, steep-sided
inlets called fjords (fee-AWRDZ) on the
Atlantic coastline. Map pg 273

Sec. 1: The land
North Sea=between Denmark & United
Kingdom
 Iberian Peninsula= extends of the
southwestern edge of Europe, home to
Spain & Portugal
 Apennine Peninsula= home to Italy,
extends like a giant boot into the
Mediterranean Sea.
 Balkan Peninsula= located in southeastern
Europe, bounded by Adriatic & Ionian
Seas.
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Sec. 1: The land
o
o
o
o
Mountain Regions
Alps= created by glaciers & folding, Mont
Blanc, highest peak of the Alps.
Major rivers include Rhine & Po, originate
in the Alps.
Plains Region
North European Plain= southeastern
England & western France, eastward to
Poland, Ukraine & Russia.
Loess= fine, rich, windblown soil
Sec. 1: The land
o
o
o
o
Water Systems
Flow from inland mountain to highland to
the coast.
Navigable canals & rivers
Rhine is most important river in western
Europe. Flows from Swiss Alps through
France & Germany.
Natural Resources
Coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, & manganese,
natural gas.
Sec. 2: Climate & Vegetation
Western Europe
 Gulf Stream & North Atlantic Drift
bring warm waters to from the Gulf of
Mexico.
Trees & Highlands
o Natural vegetation includes deciduous
(lose leaves) & coniferous trees.
o Timberline= the elevation above which
trees cannot grow.
o Foehns (FUHNZ)= dry winds
o Avalanches= destructive masses of ice,
snow, & rocks sliding down mountain sides.
Sec. 2: Climate & Vegetation
o
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o
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Southern Europe
Mediterranean= warm dry summers, mild rainy
winters.
Mistral= strong north wind from the Alps, blasts
bitterly cold wind to France.
Siroccos (suh-RAH-kohs)= high dry winds from N.
Africa
Chaparral= shrubs or small trees
Eastern & Northern Europe
Humid continental-cold, snowy winters, hot
summers
Permafrost= soil that is permanently frozen below
the surface.
references
http://www.nonformality.org/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2007/12/90-small.jpg
 Boehm, Ph.D., Richard G.. World
Geography. TX. Columbus:
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2003.
