Key for Mapping Lab – Europe and Russia
Challenge
Number
Answer
1.
Q: What climate is most common above 70° North latitude?
What countries have this climate?
A: The most common climate above 70°N is tundra. Russia, Norway, and
Iceland have tundra climate zones.
2.
Q: What highly populated city of Europe lies on the prime meridian?
A. London, England, lies directly on the prime meridian, or 0° longitude.
3.
Q: What mountain range runs north and south along 60° east longitude and
separates European Russia from Asian Russia?
A: The Ural Mountains divide Russia, with European Russia to the west and
Asian Russia to the east.
4.
Q: What kind of vegetation is common in the countries around the
Mediterranean Sea? Name three countries that have this vegetation type.
A: Chaparral is common around the Mediterranean Sea. Students could list
any three of the follow- ing countries: Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Vatican
City, Monaco, San Marino, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Montenegro.
5.
Q: What is the most common type of climate in Europe? Name five countries
that have only this climate type.
A: The climate that is most common in Europe is marine west coast.
Students could list any five of these countries as having an entirely marine
west coast climate: Ireland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg, Czech Republic, and Denmark.
Key for Mapping Lab – Europe and Russia
6.
Q: Name 4 countries in Europe that have at least one-fourth of their land used
for trade and manufacturing.
A: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Czech Republic, and Belgium (any
four of these) have at least one fourth of their land used for manufacturing
and trade.
7.
Q: Find a single longitude line in Russia where there is a cluster of minerals,
including iron, precious metals, coal, and petroleum. What degree of longitude is
it? What physical feature might explain this cluster, and why?
A: Many minerals can be found along 60°E longitude. This is also where the
Ural Mountains are located. Minerals are often found in mountainous
areas.
8.
Q: Name 2 European countries that have zones of the highlands vegetation. How
might the physical features and climate of these countries explain why this
vegetation is common there?
A: Switzerland, Italy, and Austria (any two of these) have highlands
vegetation. This is related to the presence of the Alps. Highlands vegetation
is generally found in a highlands climate.
9.
Q: What is the main economic activity in Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and
Estonia? How might the climates there explain why this is the main activity?
How might the physical features of the land help explain it?
A: The primary economic activity in Poland, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia, and
Lithuania is commercial farming. The marine west coast and humid
continental climates provide plenty of rain to grow crops. In addition, the
flat land of the Northern European Plain is suitable for farming.
10.
Q: Your family wants to move to Europe. find a location that would suit
everyone's needs.
Your parents plan to start a logging business, so you need to be near coniferous
forests.
Your father likes to go deep-sea fishing.
Your mother does not like a hot or dry climate.
You like areas that are not densely populated.
Where do you think you should settle? Why did you choose this location?
A: The northern parts of Finland and Sweden would be good choices. Both
have areas of coniferous forests, and much of the land is used for forestry.
They also have access to the Baltic Sea for fishing. They are not densely
populated, with no more than 25 people per square mile. Finally, they have
a subarctic climate, which is neither hot nor dry.