EUROPE
1. Geographical Position. Coastlines
Geographical Position and Boundaries. Europe is a comparatively small part of the world. It has an area of a little over 10 million square kilometres, which is only one-fifteenth of the earth's total land surface. It is wonderfully situated, lying almost entirely within the temperate zone, close to the other parts of the world and surrounded by navigable seas.
The Oceans and Seas Surrounding Europe.
2. Seas of the Arctic Ocean
In the north the Arctic Ocean and its seas wash the shores of Europe. Its central or deeper part is covered with ice the whole year round. The huge three-metre thick ice-fields drift slowly along, driven by wind and current.
3. Seas of the Atlantic Ocean
The western and southern coasts of Europe are washed by the Atlantic Ocean and its seas. Europe's largest islands— Great Britain, Ireland and Iceland — are situated in this ocean. The British Isles are separated from the continent by straits (33 kilometres wide at the narrowest point) and by the shallow North Sea.
4. High and Low Tides off the Coasts of Europe
What Tides Are. People living near the coast can daily witness the advancing and receding of the water. This periodic and alternate rise and fall of the surface of the ocean and sea is called tides.
There are usually two high tides and two low tides each lunar day.
Relief
5. The East European Plain. Ancient Mountain Regions
Relief Peculiarities of Europe. The relief of Europe varies to a remarkable degree. Vast lowlands alternate with hills and mountain ranges. Almost two-thirds of the surface of Europe is lowland
6. Young Mountain Region of Western Europe
Young Mountains and Adjacent Lowlands. Across the central and southern regions of Western Europe extend a series of young mountain ranges curved into huge arcs and reaching a considerable height.
7. Secular Earth Movements. Earthquakes
The surface of the earth is undergoing constant change caused by powerful interior forces. Inside the earth there is a continuous shifting of masses: the heavier gradually sink downward toward the centre of the earth, the lighter rise upward closer to the surface. These interior movements are reflected on the solid outer covering, or so-called crust of the earth
8. Volcanoes
What a Volcano Is. Another terrible manifestation of the interior forces of the earth are volcanic eruptions. In a number of places within the crust of the earth there are concentrations of molten.
9. Minerals
In the bowels of the earth are deposited a great variety of minerals that play a large part in the economic development of the world. They include fuel (coal, oil and natural gas), metallic ores, salts and building materials (clay, sand and limestone).
Climate
10. General Characteristics of Climate
Climatic Features of Europe. Europe is the only part of the world to lie almost entirely within the temperate zone. Only its northern coast and the islands of the Arctic Ocean are in the frigid zone.
11. Climatic Regions
Four climatic regions may be distinguished: Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Southern Europe.
Inland Waters
12. Rivers and Lakes of Eastern Europe
General Characteristics of Rivers. Most regions of Europe receive a heavy rainfall, which accounts for the large amount of inland waters ' in that part of the world. There is a thick network of rivers in Europe and many lakes.
13. Rivers and Lakes of Western and Southern Europe
Rivers and Lakes of Western Europe. The majority of West European rivers rise in the mountains. In their upper reaches they rush swiftly downwards amidst the rocks in the narrow valleys, forming numerous rapids and waterfalls. Much silt is carried by the swiftly moving water, and the smaller stones are rolled onward from place to place.
Natural Zones
14. Glacial and Tundra Zones
With the exception of the torrid zone almost all the natural zones of the globe are found in Europe. They depend on the climate and, running from north to south are: the glacial, tundra, forest (taiga, mixed and deciduous forests), forest-steppe and steppe, semidesert and subtropical zones.
15. The Forest Belt
The forest belt is situated in the temperate zone, south of the tundras and forest-tundras. It consists of taiga as well as mixed and deciduous forest areas, and covers the entire central part of Europe
16. The Steppes. The Semidesert
The Forest-Steppe and Steppe. South of the forest belt the i Innate in Eastern Europe becomes drier. Winters are still cold, but theey are shorter than in the forest belt. Summers are long and hot. I here is less than 450 mm of rainfall yearly.
17. The Subtropical Zone. The Alpine Region
The Subtropics. The subtropical zone embraces the areas surrounding the warm Mediterranean Sea and is sheltered from cold winds by mountains in the north. The climate of the Mediterranean region is characterized by warm, rainy winters and dry, hot summers.
Population of Europe |
