Western Europe - Economics
How does cooperation among countries impact the
economies of the countries?
A. Trade is hurt.
B. Trade is helped.
C. There is no impact on trade.
Physical features that aid economic
development
Europe has two major river systems the Rhine
and Danube:
• Transport goods between coastal harbors
and inland regions
Economic Dev Con’d
What is the main source of
water for the Rhine River?
• The Rhine River System
• 820 miles long, mouth is the
North Sea
• Flows from Alps through
Switzerland, France,
Germany,
• Major industrial areas:
• Ruhr Valley in Germany
(iron and steel)
• Alsace Lorraine (coal and
iron ore) region in France
Economic Dev Con’d
Danube River System:
• Flows West to East, 1771 miles from Alps to the Black
Sea.
• The chemical, food, and paper industries are amongst
the main industrial polluters in the Danube River Basin
• Allows trade between Eastern and Western Europe
What economic
impact does
industrial pollution
have on rivers?
6
How does
the direction in
which European rivers flow aid
in linking Europeans to the
World?
Because they flow toward
different seas, the rivers
help Europeans to travel to
other regions.
Economics, Technology, and Environment
Agriculture in Western Europe
• 33% of all land is arable
• World average 11%
What does Usable for
arable mean? farming
• NORTHERN EUROPEAN PLAIN
• One of most Fertile regions in the world
• Extends through France, Belgium, Netherlands,
Denmark, Germany and Poland
• Crops include - Grains, Grapes, Olives
PREVAILING WESTERLIES
BLOW WARM WINDS
OVER EUROPE LEADING
TO MORE THAN
ADEQUATE RAINFALL FOR
AGRICULTURE
PRODUCTION
THE NORTH
ATLANTIC
DRIFT
WARM WATER
CURRENT
Mineral Resources in Western Europe
• Abundance of Coal and Iron Ore needed for an
industrialized economy - needed to produce
steel
• North Sea Oil Fields are major source of
petroleum and Natural Gas
• UK, Norway, Denmark, and Netherlands
• Timber and Lumber Products come from
Scandinavian Forests
Mineral Resources con’d
•Ireland (No Coal) –Use Peat for
heat and energy:
•Peat is partially decayed plant
matter found in bogs or swamps
•
The Industrial Revolution transformed
Western Europe from an agricultural
society to an industrial society.
6
• Manufacturing and trade are the
dominant economic activities in
large parts of Western Europe.
• Commercial farming is practiced
through most of Western Europe.
• Hydroelectric power is produced in
more mountainous areas.
Industrial Revolution
• Urbanization (movement from rural to urban living)
• Western Europe was one of first regions in the world to
industrialize.
• Great Britain was first and remained a leader in the
industrial revolution
• Four top Manufacturing Countries in Western Europe–
England, France, Germany and Netherlands
• Products include:
• Automobiles, High Speed Trains, Aero Space, Electronics,
Computers, Paper Products and Food Products.
• Switzerland is known for Service Industries and luxury items
such as International Banking and fine watches (Rolex)
Tourism
Have any of you been to Europe?
If not, do you want to go?
If so, share your experience.
Trade within Europe and between Europe and the rest of
the world is changing as a result of the European Union and
changes in the political and economic landscape of eastern
Europe.
• The goal of the
EU is to make
Europe’s
economies
competitive with
the rest of the
world by getting
rid of restrictions
on the movement
of goods,
services, and
people across its
members’
borders.
DFS Trans 1
Western Europe Economic Notes
• The Rhine and Danube rivers aid in
economic development
• The Rhine allows trade across Northern
and Southern Europe
• The Danube allows trade between Western
and Eastern Europe
• Agriculture- 33% arable land
• Northern European Plain- one of the most
fertile regions in world.
• grapes, olives, grains
• Minerals- Coal, Iron ore, Petroleum,
Natural Gas, and timber
• Peat-partially decayed plant matter found in
bogs or swamps (used as fuel in Ireland)
• Great Britain was the first in the Industrial
Revolution
• European Union
• The goal of the EU is to make Europe’s economies competitive
with the rest of the world by getting rid of restrictions on the
movement of goods,
services, and people across its members’
borders.