Europe is Europe is composed of the composed of the westward-westward-projecting projecting peninsulas of peninsulas of Eurasia and Eurasia and occupying nearly occupying nearly one-fifteenth of one-fifteenth of the world's total the world's total land area.land area.

Peninsula of Peninsula of peninsulaspeninsulas

Europe’s Europe’s waterwayswaterwaysIt is bordered It is bordered on the north on the north by the Arctic by the Arctic Ocean, on the Ocean, on the west by the west by the Atlantic Atlantic Ocean, and Ocean, and on the south on the south by the by the MediterraneaMediterranean Sea and the n Sea and the Black Sea.Black Sea.

Europe is a Europe is a well-watered well-watered continent with continent with many rivers. many rivers. Most of the Most of the continent's continent's drainage finds drainage finds its way to the its way to the Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean via a number via a number of master river of master river systems, systems, whose whose watersheds watersheds interlock in a interlock in a most complex most complex manner. manner.

Europe’s riversEurope’s rivers

ScandinaviScandinaviaaA a region in A a region in Northern Europe Northern Europe named after the named after the Scandinavian Scandinavian Peninsula. Peninsula. "Scandinavia" and "Scandinavia" and "Nordic region" are "Nordic region" are often used often used interchangeably. interchangeably. The most common The most common definition includes definition includes continental continental Denmark, mainland Denmark, mainland Norway and Norway and Sweden.Sweden.

In the 17th Century, In the 17th Century, the Swedish empire the Swedish empire consisted of most of consisted of most of Scandinavia.Scandinavia.

ScandinaviaScandinavian Peninsulan Peninsula

The The Swedish Empire in 1658in 1658 (orange) overlaid by present overlaid by present day Swedenday Sweden (dark orange).

NorwayNorwayThe northernmost The northernmost country in Europe with country in Europe with a toothy western a toothy western coastline, a jagged coastline, a jagged expanse of islands and expanse of islands and fjords. It’s capital, fjords. It’s capital, Oslo occupies an arc of Oslo occupies an arc of land at the land at the northernmost end of northernmost end of the the Oslofjord..

HardangerfjordHardangerfjord

Fjord -Fjord - A long, narrow arm of the sea, usually A long, narrow arm of the sea, usually

formed by entrance of the sea into a deep glacial trough.formed by entrance of the sea into a deep glacial trough.

SwedenSweden

Its nine million Its nine million people are spread out people are spread out over an area roughly over an area roughly the same as the State the same as the State of California. Mof California. Most of ost of the inland consists the inland consists of forests and of forests and mountainous mountainous wilderness.wilderness.

Capital: StockholmCapital: Stockholm

With a population of 5.2 With a population of 5.2 Million, Finland is an advanced Million, Finland is an advanced industrial economy. Metal, industrial economy. Metal, engineering and electronics engineering and electronics industries account for 50 % of industries account for 50 % of export revenues, forest products industry for 30 %. export revenues, forest products industry for 30 %. Finland is one of the leading countries in Internet use. Finland is one of the leading countries in Internet use.

FinlandFinland

DenmarDenmarkk

The KingdomThe Kingdom of Denmark of Denmark is the smallest, is the smallest, southernmost southernmost and oldest of and oldest of the Nordic the Nordic countries. It countries. It borders the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, and borders the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, and consists of a peninsula named Jutland attached consists of a peninsula named Jutland attached to Northern Germany.to Northern Germany.

The mountain range The mountain range that runs roughly that runs roughly north and south north and south through western through western Russia marks the Russia marks the northern part of the northern part of the (arbitrary) border (arbitrary) border between the between the continents of continents of Europe and Asia.Europe and Asia.

The Ural MountainsThe Ural Mountains

The The Balkan Balkan PeninsulaPeninsula

The Balkans is The Balkans is the historic and the historic and geographic geographic name used to name used to describe describe southeastern southeastern Europe. Europe.

CarpathiaCarpathiannMountainsMountains

The Fagaras Massif in central The Fagaras Massif in central Romania's Transylvanian Alps forms Romania's Transylvanian Alps forms the most spectacular range of the the most spectacular range of the Carpathian MountainsCarpathian Mountains

Located in six Located in six countries of countries of East and East and Central Europe: Central Europe: Czech Czech Republic, Republic, Hungary, Hungary, Poland, Poland, Romania, Romania, Slovak Republic Slovak Republic and Ukraine.and Ukraine.

CarpathiansCarpathians

(left) Apuseni Apuseni Mountains in Mountains in Romania’s part Romania’s part of the of the CarpathiansCarpathians

The geologic The geologic structure of the structure of the inner part of inner part of the Western the Western Carpathians Carpathians is marked by a is marked by a break running break running from the from the east and the east and the south along south along a line of a line of dislocation dislocation in the Earth's in the Earth's crust.crust.

Danube RiverDanube RiverDanube RiverDanube River

Danube RiverDanube River

Danube RiverDanube RiverThe second longest The second longest river in Europe, it is river in Europe, it is one of the major one of the major methods of methods of transportation. It is transportation. It is the only major the only major European river to flow European river to flow west to east, going west to east, going through eight through eight countries and three countries and three capitals including: capitals including: Budapest, Hungary; Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; and Vienna, Austria; and Belgrade, Serbia.Belgrade, Serbia.

YugoslaviYugoslaviaa

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia is created is created at the end at the end of World of World War II as a War II as a communist communist republic republic when a when a federation federation of six of six communist states replaces the monarchy. communist states replaces the monarchy. Marshal Josip Broz Tito, (left) a resistance Marshal Josip Broz Tito, (left) a resistance fighter who led the underground against fighter who led the underground against Nazi occupation, takes charge of the new Nazi occupation, takes charge of the new republic -- a tenure that will last until his republic -- a tenure that will last until his death in 1980.death in 1980.

Balkan Mts.Balkan Mts.

This is an extension of This is an extension of the Carpathian the Carpathian mountain range, mountain range, separated from it by separated from it by the Danube River.the Danube River.

StraitsStraits The Bosphorus and the Dardanelles are the The Bosphorus and the Dardanelles are the straits between the European and Southwest straits between the European and Southwest Asian sections of Turkey.Asian sections of Turkey.

Lake BalatonLake BalatonLake Balaton is the largest lake of Central EuropeLake Balaton is the largest lake of Central Europe

KarstKarstThe word "Karst" comes from The word "Karst" comes from the historical name given to the the historical name given to the border region between today's border region between today's Italy and Slovenia. In the late Italy and Slovenia. In the late 19th century the region was 19th century the region was part of the Austro-Hungarian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A geographer in Vienna Empire. A geographer in Vienna studied the region, which local studied the region, which local villagers referred to as a place villagers referred to as a place with lots of rocks and called with lots of rocks and called "karst" in Germany, and found "karst" in Germany, and found that the rocks were limestone. He used the word that the rocks were limestone. He used the word to describe limestone formations in general. to describe limestone formations in general. Landscapes that show the result of limestone Landscapes that show the result of limestone dissolution are called karst. They have "karst dissolution are called karst. They have "karst topography".topography".

AlpsAlpsThe Alps is the The Alps is the collective name for collective name for one of the great one of the great mountain range systems of systems of Europe, , stretching from stretching from Austria in the east, in the east, Slovenia, , Italy, , Switzerland, , Liechtenstein and and Germany, through to , through to France in the west. in the west. The word Alps The word Alps means mountains.means mountains.

IbexIbex

An An ibex challenges intruders in the challenges intruders in the AlpsAlps

Italian Italian BootBootThe Italian The Italian peninsula or the peninsula or the Apennine Apennine peninsula is one of peninsula is one of the greatest the greatest peninsulas of peninsulas of Europe, spanning Europe, spanning 1000 km from the 1000 km from the Alps in the north, to Alps in the north, to the central the central Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea in the south.in the south.

Venice floodingVenice flooding

High water regularly floods St. Mark's Square and High water regularly floods St. Mark's Square and other parts of Venice, forcing people to tread on other parts of Venice, forcing people to tread on raised walkways. The city itself is sinking, the level raised walkways. The city itself is sinking, the level of the Adriatic is rising and high tides are becoming of the Adriatic is rising and high tides are becoming more frequentmore frequent.

Venice LagoonVenice LagoonThe Venice Lagoon has a surface area The Venice Lagoon has a surface area of 55,000 has and was formed nearly of 55,000 has and was formed nearly 6,000 years ago. In order to preserve 6,000 years ago. In order to preserve the lagoon and adapt it to existing the lagoon and adapt it to existing needs - port, fish farms, land needs - port, fish farms, land reclamation, transport and industry – reclamation, transport and industry – for the past 5 centuries man has for the past 5 centuries man has undertaken increasingly consistent undertaken increasingly consistent works to achieve hydraulic regulation, mainly by works to achieve hydraulic regulation, mainly by diverting the principal rivers from the Lagoon into diverting the principal rivers from the Lagoon into the Adriatic Sea, and building numerous the Adriatic Sea, and building numerous reclamation systems on the lower lands to use reclamation systems on the lower lands to use them for agricultural purposes; in the last 50 them for agricultural purposes; in the last 50 years the wetlands have been significantly years the wetlands have been significantly reduced and the pollution load discharged into reduced and the pollution load discharged into the lagoon has been increased. the lagoon has been increased.

Industrial pollution in the Venice lagoon, 1998

Moses Moses ProjectProject

After more than After more than a decade of a decade of scrutiny, the scrutiny, the colossal $2.6 colossal $2.6 billion Moses billion Moses project, a project, a flexible seawall flexible seawall with a series of with a series of flap gates that flap gates that would stretch would stretch along the along the lagoon and lagoon and block tides from block tides from flooding the flooding the city, is to take city, is to take off despite the off despite the concern risen concern risen by some by some environmentalisenvironmentalist groups. t groups.

Vatican Vatican CityCityThe Vatican City, The Vatican City, officially the State officially the State of the Vatican City of the Vatican City is a landlocked is a landlocked enclave surrounded surrounded by the city of by the city of Rome in in Italy, and the , and the smallest smallest independent state independent state in the world. in the world.

Nearly a billion Catholics worldwide mourned the death of Pope John Paul II this month.

RomeRome grew along the banks of the Tiber River into a grew along the banks of the Tiber River into a major major city under the rule of the Etruscans in the centuries city under the rule of the Etruscans in the centuries before Christbefore Christ..

.

SicilySicily

The Strait of MessinaThe Strait of Messina

is between the island of Sicily and the is between the island of Sicily and the Italian peninsulaItalian peninsula ItalItal

yy

Mediterranean SeaMediterranean SeaStr

ait

of

Mess

ina

Str

ait

of

Mess

ina

Mt. EtnaMt. Etna on the island of Sicily is one of on the island of Sicily is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. the world’s most active volcanoes.

Strait of Strait of GibraltarGibraltar

The Strait of Gibraltar, located at the western entrance to the Mediterranean, is frequently associated with strong gap winds that can produce dangerous seas, especially when they blow against tide and current. As shown here, the Strait represents a narrow sea-level passage about 15 kilometers wide and 55 kilometers long that is surrounded by terrain reaching several thousand feet.

The Rock The Rock of of GibraltarGibraltar

Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored referendums held in 1967 and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.British dependency.

Iberian Iberian PeninsulaPeninsulaThe The Meseta, Meseta, a great a great uplifted fault block uplifted fault block ringed and crossed ringed and crossed by mountain ranges, by mountain ranges, dominates this dominates this peninsula that peninsula that contains the contains the countries of Spain, Portugal, and the tiny countries of Spain, Portugal, and the tiny Andorra. Coastal lowlands, the site of the major Andorra. Coastal lowlands, the site of the major industrial cities, surround the primarily agrarian-industrial cities, surround the primarily agrarian-oriented Meseta. Climatically, the Iberian oriented Meseta. Climatically, the Iberian Peninsula has hot summers, cold winters, and Peninsula has hot summers, cold winters, and limited precipitation. limited precipitation.

MistralMistralThe mistral/maestral is a cold, northerly katabatic wind flowing into the Gulf of Lion from the southern coast of France. Mistrals are most common during winter and spring, although gale-force events can occur year-round. The wind is characterized by the sinking of cold air generated over the mountains and then funneled through the Garone Valley between the Pyrenees and the Massif Central.

SiroccoSiroccoThis satellite image This satellite image shows a dust storm over shows a dust storm over the Mediterranean Sea. the Mediterranean Sea. The north African winds, The north African winds, known as Sirocco, blow known as Sirocco, blow dust north-west out over dust north-west out over the Mediterranean Sea the Mediterranean Sea from the Libyan desert, from the Libyan desert, all the way to the Italian all the way to the Italian mainland crossing the mainland crossing the island of Sicily and part island of Sicily and part of Sardinia island to the of Sardinia island to the west. Sicily is subject to west. Sicily is subject to constant drought, which constant drought, which is hardly relieved by the is hardly relieved by the oppressive sirocco wind.oppressive sirocco wind.

MesetaMesetaThe middle of Spain The middle of Spain is a high, dry, flat is a high, dry, flat plateau called the plateau called the MesetaMeseta. In the . In the Meseta Meseta it can be it can be very hot in the very hot in the summer and cold in and cold in the the winter..

PyreneesPyreneesStretching some Stretching some 250 miles from the 250 miles from the Atlantic Ocean in Atlantic Ocean in the west to the the west to the Mediterranean in Mediterranean in the east, the the east, the mountains of the mountains of the Pyrenees form a Pyrenees form a natural barrier natural barrier between Spain and between Spain and the Iberian the Iberian Peninsula in the Peninsula in the south and France in south and France in the norththe north..

A view of vineyards in Verzenay, south of Reims, France.

Champagne can be made up of wines from three different grapes: the Chardonnay, a white grape, the Pinot Noir and the Pinot Meunier, dark grapes.

ChampagneChampagne

PolderPolder

Polder:Polder: An area of low-lying land, especially in An area of low-lying land, especially in the Netherlands, that has been reclaimed from a the Netherlands, that has been reclaimed from a body of water and is protected by dikes.body of water and is protected by dikes.

Land Land reclamreclamationation

The Zuiderzee Works is a man-made system of dams, land reclamation and water drainage works, and the largest hydraulic engineering project undertaken by the Netherlands during the twentieth century. The project involved the damming off of the Zuiderzee, a large, shallow inlet of the North Sea, and the reclamation of land in the newly enclosed water body by means of polders.

ZuiderZeeZuiderZee

On the left side is the salty North Sea, and on the On the left side is the salty North Sea, and on the right side the freshwater lake created by the right side the freshwater lake created by the 'Afsluitdijk‘ dam.'Afsluitdijk‘ dam.

ZuiderzeeZuiderzee

EnglishEnglish Channel

ChannelSt

rait

of D

over

Stra

it of

Dov

er

The The United KingdomUnited Kingdom

FranceFrance

This part of the British coastline faces the Strait of This part of the British coastline faces the Strait of Dover and France with limestone cliffs reaching up to Dover and France with limestone cliffs reaching up to 350 feet high. The whiteness is a composition of chalk 350 feet high. The whiteness is a composition of chalk accentuated by streaks of black flintaccentuated by streaks of black flint.

The White Cliffs of DoverThe White Cliffs of Dover

North Sea North Sea Oil FieldOil FieldNorth Sea oil and North Sea oil and natural gas were natural gas were first discovered in the first discovered in the 1960s. The North Sea, 1960s. The North Sea, however, did not however, did not emerge immediately emerge immediately as a key non-OPEC oil as a key non-OPEC oil producing area until producing area until the 1980s and 1990s, the 1980s and 1990s, when major discoveries when major discoveries began coming online. Oil and natural gas began coming online. Oil and natural gas extraction in the North Sea's inhospitable climate extraction in the North Sea's inhospitable climate - cold and windy - and at great depths requires - cold and windy - and at great depths requires sophisticated offshore technology.sophisticated offshore technology.

The effect of The effect of the Gulf Stream the Gulf Stream is sufficient to is sufficient to cause certain cause certain parts of the parts of the west of Britain west of Britain and Ireland to and Ireland to be an average of several degrees warmer than be an average of several degrees warmer than most other parts of those countries. most other parts of those countries.

Gulf Gulf StreamStream

The weather in this The weather in this otherwise cold climate otherwise cold climate zone, is moderated by zone, is moderated by the effects of The North the effects of The North Atlantic Drift which Atlantic Drift which originates from originates from the Gulf Stream along the Gulf Stream along North America and North America and from the northern from the northern Sargasso Sea. These Sargasso Sea. These waters then slowly flow waters then slowly flow northward into the northward into the Labrador and European Labrador and European Basins eventually Basins eventually becoming the NADC as it enters the Iceland Basin. becoming the NADC as it enters the Iceland Basin.

False-color image of the temperature of the Gulf Stream

North Atlantic DriftNorth Atlantic Drift

What What factors factors contribute contribute to the to the patterns of patterns of heavy and heavy and light light rainfall on rainfall on this map?this map?

The global ocean circulation system transports heat throughout the planet. White The global ocean circulation system transports heat throughout the planet. White sections represent warm surface currents. Purple sections represent deep cold currentssections represent warm surface currents. Purple sections represent deep cold currents.

Great ocean conveyor

http://www.whoi.edu/administration/president/news_030127.htmhttp://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gi.htmlhttp://www.pamalam.ch/switzerland%20pics%20lucerne.htmlhttp://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spainhttp://germanicandslavic.uwaterloo.ca/malone/g272/Ger%20272%20Week%201/sld044.htmhttp://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEM7BY2VQUD_planet_1.html

http://www.istrianet.org/istria/meteorology/winds-maestral1.htmhttp://www.grazianoarici.it/photo/poll.htmlhttp://www.dhi.dk/softcon/papers/042/042/042.htmhttp://www.npl.co.uk/optical_radiation/dti/theme1g.htmlhttp://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/northsea.html

LinksLinks