Main Idea 1:
The physical features of Northern Europe
include low mountain ranges and
jagged coastlines.
• Two regions make up Northern Europe.
– British Isles-The United Kingdom and Ireland
– Scandinavia— Norway Sweden and Finland. Denmark
and Iceland.
Physical Features
Hills and
Mountains
• Rocky soil and
uneven terrain
make farming
difficult.
• Fewer people
live there.
Farmland and
Plains
• Southern parts
of British Isles
and
Scandinavia.
• Ireland’s hills
provide rich
farmland.
Effects of
Glaciers
• Jagged
coastlines cut
by glaciers
• Fjords, narrow
inlets of the sea
set between
high, rocky
cliffs, formed as
glaciers melted.
Main Idea 2:
Northern Europe’s natural resources include
energy sources, soils, and seas.
Energy
•
Oil and natural gas in the North Sea
•
Hydroelectric energy
•
Geothermal energy, or energy from the heat of Earth’s
interior
•
timber-producing forests in the Scandinavian peninsula.
Forests
•
and
Soils •
Seas
and
Oceans
rich farmland.
sheep and dairy cattle are common.
•
Fishing is key industry in Norway, Denmark, and Iceland.
Main Idea 3:
The climates of Northern Europe range from
a mild coastal climate to a freezing
ice cap climate.
• North Atlantic Drift, an ocean current that brings warm, moist
air across the Atlantic Ocean.
• Much of Northern Europe has wet and mild climate.
– Denmark, the British Isles
• Far north are colder climates.
– Northern Scandinavia has a subarctic climate.
– tundra and ice cap climates.
Main Idea 1:
British Isles Today.
• Two independent countries make up the British Isles.
– Republic of Ireland
– United Kingdom, which is a union of four small countries
• England
• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland
Main Idea 2:
British culture, such as government and
music, has influenced much of the world.
• United Kingdom
– Constitutional monarchy—a democracy in which a king or queen
serves as a leader but a legislature makes laws
-
Prime minister leads British government.
-
Britain’s Parliament Makes its laws.
• Republic of Ireland
– President as head of state
– Prime minister, appointed by the president, runs the government
with the Irish parliament.
Main Idea 2:
Scandinavia today is known for its peaceful
and prosperous countries.
• Today, the countries of Scandinavia have much
in common
– Similar political views, languages, and religion
– strong economies, and well-educated workers
– Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway, are peaceful,
stable, and prosperous nations.
Scandinavia Today
Sweden
Denmark
• Largest and most
populous
Scandinavian
country
• Smallest
Scandinavian
country and most
densely populated
• More than 80
percent live in
urban areas
• About 50 percent of
land is used for
farming.
• Stockholm, capital
and largest city, is
built on 14 islands
and part of the
mainland.
• Farm goods are
important exports.
• Sweden has been a
neutral country for
more than 200
years, meaning
that it has chosen
not to take sides in
international
conflicts.
• Modern industries,
such as iron and
electronics, are
important as well.
Scandinavia Today, continued
Norway
• One of the longest
coastlines in the
world
• Fjords shelter
Norway’s many
harbors.
• Oslo, capital city, is
the country’s
leading seaport and
industrial center.
• Highest per capita
GDP in Scandinavia
• North Sea provides
valuable oil and
natural gas
resources.
• Refused to join the
European Union
Finland
• Easternmost
Scandinavian
country, between
Sweden and Russia
• Helsinki is the
capital and the
largest city.
• Trade is important.
• Paper and forest
products are
important exports.
• Shipbuilding and
electronics are
important
industries.
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