Europe
Physical Geography
Continent of Europe
Europe’s Ranking
in Size of
Continent
•Europe is the
planet's 6th
largest continent
•Includes 47
countries and
assorted
dependencies,
islands
Is Europe a Continent?
• In exacting geographic
definitions, Europe is
really not a continent, but
part of the peninsula of
Eurasia which includes
all of Europe and Asia.
• However, it's still widely
referred to as an
individual continent
Four Major Physical Regions
of Europe
Europe can be divided
into four major
physical regions,
running from north to
south:
Western Uplands
North European Plain,
Central Uplands
Alpine Mountains.
Western Uplands
• The Western Uplands, also
known as the Northern
Highlands, curve up the
western edge of Europe and
define the physical landscape
of Scandinavia, Finland,
Iceland, Scotland, Ireland
• Defined by hard, ancient rock
that was shaped by glaciation.
- Glaciation is the process of
land being transformed by
glaciers or ice sheets.
North European Plain
• The North European Plain
extends from the southern
United Kingdom east to
Russia. It includes parts of
France, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Germany,
Denmark, Poland, the Baltic
states
• It is home to many navigable
rivers, and the climate
supports a wide variety of
seasonal crops.
• Most densely populated region
of Europe.
Central Uplands
• The Central Uplands extend
east-west across central
Europe and include western
France and Belgium, southern
Germany, the Czech Republic,
and parts of northern
Switzerland and Austria.
• lower in altitude and less
rugged than the Alpine region
and are heavily wooded.
- the Black Forest in Germany.
• This region is sparsely
populated except in the river
valleys.
Alpine Mountains
• The Alpine Mountains include
ranges in the Italian and
Balkan peninsulas, northern
Spain, and southern France.
• Formed over tens of millions
of years as the African and
Eurasian tectonic plates
collided
• The highest and most
extensive mountain range
system that lies entirely in
Europe
Europe's smallest
country
The Vatican is
Europe's
smallest
country by size
and by
population
Europe's largest
country by
population
Germany is
Europe's
largest
country by
population