Western European the lowland stretches in a narrow strip from east to southwest from the Vistula River to the Iberian Peninsula. It enters both the peninsulas of the Baltic Sea and the British Isles.
From the north it is washed by the Baltic and North Seas, from the west by the Atlantic Ocean.
In the south, the West European Lowland is surrounded by low mountains, destroyed and smoothed in some places to the height of hills. These "old" mountains stretch in Germany (Rhine Mountains, Fig. 35), and in France, and on the Iberian Peninsula. Throughout their length they are very rich in fossils, especially iron and coal. These old mountains are cut by rivers flowing into the Northern, Baltic and Black Sea. Along the river valleys, fossil riches come to the surface of the earth, and there they are easy to extract. There are a lot of rivers here. The largest of them: Danube, Rhine and Vistula.
The Danube and the Rhine start very close to each other, with a high chain of young snowy mountains - Alps. Starting on the slopes of the Alps, the Rhine and Danube spread in different directions. The Rhine flows north and empties into the North Sea against the British Isles. The Danube flows east and empties into Black Sea within the USSR. It is the longest river in Western Europe. third river, Vistula, begins with another chain of young mountains in Europe - with Carpathians and flows through highlands and lowlands, winding now to the east, then to the west. It flows into the Baltic Sea. Two rivers of our Union originate in the Carpathians: Dniester, flowing into the Black Sea, and Rod, a tributary of the Danube. With the annexation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the USSR, the Dniester River flows almost entirely through our country, and our border with Romania passes along the Prut River.
1. Locate the Western European Lowland on the map.
2. Locate the sources of the Rhine, Danube, and Vistula and trace the course of these rivers in ink on an outline map.
3. Along the upper reaches of these rivers, find hills and low mountains ( yellow on the physical map) are the old mountains of Europe.
4. Color them on the contour map with a yellow pencil.
5. Learn to answer where the Rhine, Danube and Vistula flow from and where they flow.
Throughout southern Europe, from the Iberian Peninsula to the Caspian Sea, brown stripes and spots stretched across the map. This is a long chain of high, "young", still little destroyed mountains. It's a huge fold earth's crust. It was formed much later than those old, destroyed mountains that adjoin the Western European Lowland. Therefore, the sun, frost, wind and water have not yet had time to destroy their rocky peaks and smooth out their sharp ribs. The tops of the highest of these mountains are covered with snow and ice. They give rise to fast streams. Streams merge together in gorges and form wide rivers in the valleys. Below their slopes are covered with grass (mountain meadows); even lower they are overgrown with dense forests.
The main wealth of these mountains is meadows, forests and "white coal", i.e. rapid current mountain rivers, providing electrical energy at hydroelectric power stations. There are few fossils in the young mountains. This high ridge young mountains of southern Europe is divided into several ranges. Let's start from the west.
Pyrenees mountains(or Pyrenees) separate the peninsula from the mainland. The border between France and Spain runs along them (Fig. 36). The glaciers in the Pyrenees are small, and few rivers flow from them.
To the east of the Pyrenees rise the highest of the mountains of Europe - Alps. This is a series of mountain ranges up to 4 kilometers high. Many of their peaks are covered with glaciers (Fig. 37). Many rivers of Western Europe originate here (remember the Rhine and Danube). These rivers flow through gorges and mountain valleys in all directions. Further they flow along the lowlands, crossing France, Italy, Germany and other states. The Alps have beautiful mountain meadows below the glaciers, and even lower - forests. There are few fossils in them.
To the north of the Balkan Peninsula, wooded mountains curved on the map in a semicircle Carpathians. River Danube and its tributaries go around them, forming wide fertile valleys (Fig. 38). A lot of oil is produced in the foothills of the Carpathians.
After the connection of Western Ukraine with the Soviet Union, part of the northern slopes of the Carpathians, along the border with Hungary, went to the USSR.
1. Find the Pyrenees, Alps and Carpathians on the map of Europe.
2. Compare their height by color: which mountains are the highest?
3. Color in brown pencil on the contour map all of the listed mountain ranges.
In Eastern Europe (i.e., in the USSR), a ridge of high mountains continues through the Black Sea for Crimean peninsula and to the Caucasus.
Crimean mountains are not high. Their peaks are rocky. Only in winter they are covered with snow. Almost no rivers flow from them; some flow only in the spring, when the snow melts on the peaks, and then dry up. Minerals are not mined in the mountains; only on the eastern cape of the peninsula there is iron (Kerch).
caucasian the mountains are high (up to 5.5 kilometers), covered with glaciers, cut by gorges and valleys with noisy rivers. There are many forests on them, above - meadows. On their eastern and northern foothills - the richest oil production sites in Europe. Silver is found in the mountains. Rivers provide cheap energy.
1. Fill in the mountains of the Caucasus and Crimea on the contour map.
2. Find on the map the rivers flowing from the Caucasus Mountains.
Western Europe - this is the name of a group of European states united according to certain political and cultural-geographical features. During the Cold War, the division was established on the basis of participation in the NATO bloc. After the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, a new division of countries took hold. Belgium, Monaco, are now included in the region of Western Europe, and according to some sources, according to others, as many as 26 countries are included here.
The countries of Western Europe are united not only by geographical location, but also by close economic and political ties. According to the form of government, about half of the countries are still monarchies, the rest are republics.
Geographical position
Western Europe occupies the western part of the Eurasian continent, washed mainly by waters Atlantic Ocean and only in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula - by the waters of the Arctic Ocean. Despite the "mosaic" of the relief of the territory of Western Europe, the borders between individual countries, as well as the border separating Western Europe and Eastern Europe, pass mainly along such natural boundaries that do not create serious obstacles to transport links.
The economic and geopolitical position of the region is very favorable. This is due to the fact that
- Firstly, the countries of the subregion either go to the sea or are located at a short distance from it (no further than 480 km), which contributes to the development of economic ties.
- secondly, the neighboring position of these countries in relation to each other is very important.
- thirdly, the natural conditions of the region as a whole are favorable for the development of both industry and agriculture.
Natural conditions and resources
The territory of Western Europe lies within the tectonic structures of different ages: Precambrian, Caledonian, Hercynian and the youngest - Cenozoic. As a result of complex geological history During the formation of Europe, four large orographic belts were formed within the subregion, successively replacing each other in the direction from north to south (the plateaus and uplands of Fennoscandia, the Central European Plain, the middle mountains of Central Europe and the alpine highlands and middle mountains occupying its southern part). Accordingly, the composition of minerals in the northern (platform) and southern (folded) parts of the region differs significantly.
The region plays a very prominent role in the world economy and world politics; it has become one of the centers of world civilization, the birthplace of great geographical discoveries, the industrial revolution, and urban agglomerations. Western Europe is a dynamic region of the world economy, characterized by the specifics of international economic relations.
The hydropower resources of Western Europe are quite large, but concentrated mainly in the region of the Alps, Scandinavian and Dinaric mountains.
In the past, Western Europe was almost entirely covered with a variety of forests: taiga, mixed, deciduous and subtropical forests. But the centuries-old economic use of the territory has led to the fact that natural forests have been reduced, and secondary forests have grown in their place in some countries. Sweden and Finland have the greatest natural prerequisites for forestry, where typical forest landscapes predominate.
Western Europe. Population
In general, Western Europe (as well as Eastern) is distinguished by a complex and unfavorable demographic situation. Firstly, this is due to the low birth rate and, accordingly, the low level of natural increase. The lowest birth rate is in Greece, Italy, Germany (up to 10%o). In Germany, there is even a decline in population. At the same time, the age composition of the population is also changing towards a decrease in the proportion of children's ages and an increase in the proportion of older ages. New for Europe is the influx of so-called refugees from Syria, Iraq and other countries covered by ISIS activities.
Prior to this, the national composition of the population was quite homogeneous, since the vast majority of the 62 peoples of the region belong to the Indo-European language family.
In all countries of Western Europe, the dominant religion is Christianity.
Western Europe is one of the most densely populated regions of the world, the distribution of the population in it is primarily determined by the geography of cities. The level of urbanization is 70-90%
The video tutorial allows you to get an interesting and detailed information about the countries of Western Europe. From the lesson you will learn about the composition of Western Europe, the characteristics of the countries of the region, their geographical position, nature, climate, place in this subregion. Your instructor will explain to you in detail about main country not only this territory, but the whole of foreign Europe - Germany.
Topic: Regional characteristics of the world. Foreign Europe
Lesson: Western Europe
Rice. 1. Map of the subregions of Europe. Western Europe is highlighted in blue. ()
Western Europe- cultural and geographical region, which includes 9 states located in the west of the region.
Compound:
1. Germany.
2. France.
3. Belgium.
4. The Netherlands.
5. Switzerland.
6. Austria.
7. Luxembourg.
8. Liechtenstein.
The executive power in the country belongs to the federal government, the president performs mainly representative functions. In fact, the federal chancellor is in charge of the administration.
Rice. 3. Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel on the background of the national flag. ()
Modern Germany - main economy Europe, the fifth economy in the world (GDP about 3.1 trillion dollars). The country is an active player in modern world, a member of the EU, NATO, the G7 and other organizations.
Thanks to its economic development, Germany attracts a huge number of migrants, it ranks first in foreign Europe in terms of the total number of immigrants.
The natural conditions of the country are varied. The surface rises mainly from north to south. According to the nature of the relief, 4 main elements are distinguished in it: the North German lowland, the Middle German mountains. Bavarian Plateau and the Alps. The relief of the country was affected by glaciation and marine transgressions.
The main resources of Germany: coal, rock salt, iron ore, soil resources.
In terms of industrial production, Germany is second only to the United States, China, India and Japan. The role of Germany in the international geographical division of labor is determined by its industry, which specializes in the production of high-quality products. In general, the share of manufacturing industries in the structure of industry is very high (more than 90%), the share of extractive industries is declining, and the share of science-intensive industries is growing.
Largest TNCs in Germany:
7. Volkswagen, etc.
Germany provides more than half of its needs through imports (oil, gas, coal). The main role in the fuel base is played by oil and gas, and the share of coal is about 30%.
Power generation structure:
64% - at thermal power plants,
4% - at hydroelectric power plants,
32% - at nuclear power plants.
TPPs on coal operate in the Ruhr and Saar basins, in port cities, on natural gas - in the north of Germany, on fuel oil - in oil refining centers, other TPPs - on mixed fuel.
Ferrous metallurgy- one of the most important branches of specialization in Germany, but is currently in crisis. The main factories are concentrated in the Ruhr and the Lower Rhine; there are also in the Saar and in the eastern lands of Germany. Converting and rolling enterprises are located throughout the country.
Non-ferrous metallurgy- works mainly on imported and secondary raw materials. In terms of aluminum smelting, Germany in foreign Europe is second only to Norway. The main factories are in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Hamburg and Bavaria.
Mechanical engineering and metalworking- the branch of German specialization in the international geographical division of labor, it accounts for up to half of industrial production and exports. Major centers: Munich, Nuremberg. Mannheim, Berlin, Leipzig, Hamburg. Bavaria is the leader in the electrical industry. The automotive industry, marine shipbuilding, optical-mechanical, and aerospace industries are highly developed.
Chemical industry It is represented primarily by products of fine organic synthesis, the production of medicines, etc. The chemical industry is especially developed in the western lands, in the east it was in a state of crisis.
Agriculture- uses about 50% of the territory; the industry's contribution to the country's GDP is 1%, more than 60% of all production comes from animal husbandry, where cattle breeding and pig breeding stand out. The main grain crops are wheat, rye, oats, barley. Germany is fully self-sufficient in grain. Potatoes and beets are also grown; along the valleys of the Rhine and its tributaries - viticulture, horticulture, tobacco growing.
Transport. In terms of the density of transport routes, Germany occupies one of the first places in the world; Railways form the backbone of the transport network. The main role in the total cargo turnover belongs to road transport(60%), then railway (20%), inland water (15%) and pipeline. External shipping and air transport, which play a major role in the country's external relations.
Rice. 4. Station in Berlin
Non-manufacturing sphere represented in Germany, as in a post-industrial country, by a wide range of different activities: education, healthcare, management, finance. Among the 50 largest banks in the world are eight German ones. Frankfurt am Main is a rapidly growing financial center in Germany. Germany is one of the leading countries in terms of tourist attendance.
Rice. 5. Tourists in Dresden
The most powerful state in terms of economy in Germany is Bavaria. Germany's main economic partners: EU countries, USA, Russia.
Homework
Topic 6, Item 3
1. What are the features of the geographical position of Western Europe?
2. What are the features of the geographical position of Germany?
Bibliography
Main
1. Geography. A basic level of. 10-11 cells: Textbook for educational institutions / A.P. Kuznetsov, E.V. Kim. - 3rd ed., stereotype. - M.: Bustard, 2012. - 367 p.
2. Economic and social geography of the world: Proc. for 10 cells. educational institutions / V.P. Maksakovskiy. - 13th ed. - M .: Education, JSC "Moscow textbooks", 2005. - 400 p.
3. Atlas with kit contour maps for grade 10. Economic and social geography of the world. - Omsk: Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Omsk Cartographic Factory", 2012. - 76 p.
Additional
1. Economic and social geography of Russia: Textbook for universities / Ed. prof. A.T. Khrushchev. - M.: Bustard, 2001. - 672 p.: ill., cart.: tsv. incl.
Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books and statistical collections
1. Geography: a guide for high school students and university applicants. - 2nd ed., corrected. and dorab. - M.: AST-PRESS SCHOOL, 2008. - 656 p.
Literature for preparing for the GIA and the Unified State Examination
1. Thematic control in geography. Economic and social geography of the world. Grade 10 / E.M. Ambartsumova. - M.: Intellect-Centre, 2009. - 80 p.
2. The most complete edition standard options real tasks of the Unified State Examination: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: Astrel, 2010. - 221 p.
3. The optimal bank of tasks for preparing students. Unified state exam 2012. Geography: Tutorial/ Comp. EM. Ambartsumova, S.E. Dyukov. - M.: Intellect-Centre, 2012. - 256 p.
4. The most complete edition of typical options for real USE assignments: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: AST: Astrel, 2010. - 223 p.
5. Geography. Diagnostic work in the format of the Unified State Examination 2011. - M .: MTSNMO, 2011. - 72 p.
6. USE 2010. Geography. Collection of tasks / Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: Eksmo, 2009. - 272 p.
7. Tests in geography: Grade 10: to the textbook by V.P. Maksakovskiy “Economic and social geography of the world. Grade 10 / E.V. Baranchikov. - 2nd ed., stereotype. - M.: Publishing house "Exam", 2009. - 94 p.
8. Study guide for geography. Tests and practical tasks in geography / I.A. Rodionov. - M.: Moscow Lyceum, 1996. - 48 p.
9. The most complete edition of typical options for real USE assignments: 2009. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: AST: Astrel, 2009. - 250 p.
10. Unified state exam 2009. Geography. Universal materials for the preparation of students / FIPI - M .: Intellect-Center, 2009. - 240 p.
11. Geography. Answers on questions. Oral exam, theory and practice / V.P. Bondarev. - M.: Publishing house "Exam", 2003. - 160 p.
12. USE 2010. Geography: thematic training tasks/ O.V. Chicherina, Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: Eksmo, 2009. - 144 p.
13. USE 2012. Geography: Standard exam options: 31 options / Ed. V.V. Barabanova. - M.: national education, 2011. - 288 p.
14. USE 2011. Geography: Standard exam options: 31 options / Ed. V.V. Barabanova. - M.: National Education, 2010. - 280 p.
Materials on the Internet
1. Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements ().
2. Federal portal Russian Education ().
After the collapse of the USSR, the territory of foreign Europe consists of Western Europe and the western regions of Eastern Europe . The eastern part is represented by the west of the East European Plain with a characteristic relief of low, mostly low plains from the Baltic countries to the Black Sea coast. The relief of the western part is characterized by great dissection. In the northern part of Eastern Europe, the relief is dominated by the low-lying plains of the Baltic. To the south is a strip of hills: the Belarusian Ridge, Oshmyanskaya vozv., Minsk vozv. Then the low plain of Polissya. Then the uplands of Volyn, Podolsk, Prydniprovsk, Black Sea lowlands, and in the very south of the territory - the Crimean Mountains. The relief of Western Europe is characterized by the alternation of mountain belts and flat areas from north to south. In the extreme north-west of Europe, the mid-altitude Scandinavian Mountains and the Scottish Highlands are located, which to the south are replaced by a wide strip of plains: initially elevated (Norland, Småland), and then low (Middle Swedish, the lowlands of Finland, Central European, Greater Poland, North German, etc.) . The relief of Central Europe consists of an alternation of short, steeply sloped, flat-topped ridges, which are horst massifs (Rhine Slate, Sumava, Vosges, Black Forest, Sudetenland, Ore) and plains lying between them (Czech-Moravian elevation, Lesser Poland elevation, Upper Rhine low, the Swabian Jura plateau, etc.). A powerful mountain belt stretches to the south, consisting of the ridges of the Pyrenees, the Alps, and the Carpathians. Then again a belt of plains is traced, differing in height and size. To the south of the Pyrenees are the vast expanses of the Iberian Peninsula, where the relief is dominated by high and elevated plains (Old Castile Square, New Castile Square, Messeta). To the south of the Alps lies the relatively narrow Padan lowland. The Carpathians border the Middle Danube and Lower Danube plains from the south. Another mountain belt stretches across the south of Europe (Andalusian mountains, Apennines, Dinars, Pindus, Stara Planina, Rhodopes). Thus, on the territory of Western Europe there are mountains of all altitude levels: low mountains (Ardenes, Pennines, etc.). Middle mountains (Scandinavian, Ore, Sudetes, Cantabrian, etc.), highlands (Alps, Pyrenees, Dinars, etc.). The highest peak in Europe - Mont Blanc (4807 m) is located in the Western Alps. The variety of plains in height is also great: low-lying (Garon, Andalusian, Padan, Central European, Lower Danube, Finnish plains), elevated (Czech-Moravian, Småland, Norman, etc.), high (Central massif, Messeta, etc.). The lowest region of western Europe is the Netherlands coast of the North Sea, where the absolute heights are several meters below sea level. Average - 300 m.
The morpho-sculptural structure of Foreign Europe has the following patterns of structure. Scandinavian Peninsula, southern coast of the Baltic Sea, Great Britain and Ireland, foothills of the Alps, Pyrenees: ancient glacial-exorative landforms in the north and glacial-accumulative landforms in the south. Alps, Carpathians - modern glacial forms. Karst is most widely distributed in the Balkan and Amennign peninsulas, as well as in Great Britain and Ireland, in the Alps, and partly in the Hercynian midlands of Europe. The main modern morphosculptures are fluvial, distributed almost everywhere.
Europe is rich in minerals. Significant reserves of iron, manganese, and chromite ores are concentrated in the Archean structures of the Scandinavian Peninsula. In the Hercynian and Caledonian folded structures, significant reserves of non-ferrous and rare metals of zinc, lead, tin, mercury, uranium, and polymetallic ores were found. The strip of lowlands in Central Europe is rich in deposits of the Stone and Brown corners: the Ruhr basin in the Federal Republic of Germany, the Silesian in Poland are associated with the foothill Paleozoic troughs. Here on the territory of Germany - reserves of potassium salts. There are oil reserves on the shelf of the North Sea and, in the Netherlands, in the north-west of Germany - gas. Reserves of copper, zinc, lead (Carpathians, Balkan Peninsula), bauxites (Alps, Carpathians) were found in the Alpine mountain structures. There is oil in the Cis-Carpathian foredeep and on the Middle Danube lowland. Brown coals and salts are common in many depressions.
Western Europe covers an area of 1422.8 thousand km2, which is 16.6% of the entire territory of Europe. The region includes eleven countries. Three of them (Germany, France, Great Britain) are among the seven most developed countries in the world.
The other six (Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland) are small highly developed countries, while Monaco and Liechtenstein remain in the rank of "dwarf" states.
In general, the region is characterized by a high level of economic development, significant incomes of the population and, accordingly, a high standard of living in the world.
An important feature of the geographical location (position) of Western Europe is the wide access of developed states to the World Ocean, which for many centuries was used to lay sea routes, conquer overseas territories and create such powerful colonial powers in the past as Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium.
The further development of relations between the metropolises and territories dependent on them was very difficult, in most cases aggressive, but on the whole it contributed to the international division of labor, the formation of the world economic system, and the "driving force" of economic reforms.
Other countries - Austria, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg - although they do not have direct access to the sea, but, using inland waterways, a dense network of modern automobile and railways, overcome spatial isolation and create all the prerequisites for the openness of their economy. The eastern and southeastern territories of the region, in particular Germany, Austria, Switzerland, bordering on Central-Eastern and Southern Europe, the borders with which in most cases pass along rivers, mountain ranges, are not an obstacle to the construction of railways and roads.
The influence of the ocean is especially felt on the economic activity of the western coastal territories, as well as southern England. Many seaports have become well-known urban centers - London, Liverpool, Rotterdam, Hamburg, etc. transport system and certain sectors of the economy, in particular shipbuilding, oil refining and other industries specializing in the processing of imported raw materials. At the same time, one should not discard the central importance of capital cities and regional centers, which have emerged as significant political, economic and cultural centers, remote from the sea, but located at the advantageous European crossroads of Paris, Bonn, Berlin, Vienna, Luxembourg, etc.
Economic - geographical assessment of natural conditions and resources. Western Europe looks like a fairly compact area, with the exception of the British Isles, which are shifted far to the west, crashing into the oceanic space of the Atlantic. This specific position affects the climatic conditions of the region. If the climate of the British Isles is typically maritime, where annual precipitation may exceed 1500 mm, and the annual amplitudes of temperature fluctuations are insignificant (almost frost-free winters, relatively cool summers), then for the continental part of the region its change is associated with the transformation of sea air masses when they move to depth of the mainland. For example, in the extreme west of the Netherlands, the annual precipitation is 700-800 mm. with a maximum of precipitation in winter, mainly in the form of rain, with average temperatures of the cold month from +1 to -1 ° C. Moving to the east, the annual amount of precipitation decreases and on the eastern borders of Germany, the average January temperature is everywhere negative (-2 ... -Z ° C), and the average July temperature is +20 ° C with an annual rainfall of about 500 mm., The maximum of which occurs in the second half of spring and early summer, which contributes to the development of agriculture, especially row crops. A similar pattern of climate change characterizes the middle and partially southern part of the region. True, here importance has not only a geographical location, but also the nature of the relief. If the northern part of Western Europe is occupied by the Central European Plain, where the climate changes eastward, gradually acquiring a continental character, then the southern part is occupied by plateaus and the Alps, the climate of which, depending on the height of the mountain ranges, the presence of closed basins and sides of the slope can be very different. An example of a mild and warm climate with a continental tinge can be the Upper Rhine Plain, which is considered very favorable for the development of agriculture. An example of the unique climate of mountainous areas can be the southern slopes of Switzerland, Austria, used for the development of climatic resorts and agricultural development of mountain slopes.
In general, the territory of Western Europe is located in the temperate zone. Almost all of its mainland, except for the Alpine regions and a narrow strip of the Mediterranean coast of France, as well as the north of Great Britain, has an annual sum of active temperatures from 2200 ° to 4000 °, which makes it possible to grow the main agricultural crops with an average and long growing season - wheat, rye, oats, sugar beet, sunflower, corn, etc. For the Scottish Highlands, Ireland and the highlands of the continental part, the sum of active temperatures is half as much - from 1000 ° to 2200 °, crops with a short growing season are grown here. Only a narrow strip of the Mediterranean coast of France belongs to subtropical climate with the sum of active temperatures from 4000° to 6000°. Therefore, such heat-loving crops as citrus, olive, grapes, etc. are grown here.
In Western Europe, winters are predominantly mild with average January temperatures, rarely dropping below zero (with the exception of the mountainous regions and the eastern borders of Germany). Summer is not hot, and the average July temperature ranges from +16 to +24 ° C.
Western Europe is characterized by high humidity, especially its western part. The agricultural lands of Great Britain, the coastal lands of France, the Netherlands and Germany requiring drainage, especially on clay soils, poorly pass atmospheric moisture. The mountain ranges of the region, the entire Alps, holding back the Atlantic air masses, condensed a significant amount of moisture - from 1500 to 3000 mm. precipitation per year. The Alps have a clearly defined altitudinal zonality (zonation) - from a warm temperate climate to a temperate cold climate with a strict alpine climate in the upper part of the mountains. For economic purposes, mountains are actively used up to a height of 1500-2000 m.
The soils of Western Europe are not very fertile, but thanks to the introduction high level agricultural technology, their quality has increased markedly. This enables the developed countries of Western Europe to obtain very high yields of major crops.
Most of the territory of Western Europe has long been mastered by man, cultivated, only in the north of Great Britain and in the Alps have preserved corners wildlife. That's where the forests are. Only one fifth of the region's territory is covered with forests. The mountainous areas of continental Europe (30%) are distinguished by the highest forest cover, the British Isles are the least (in Ireland - less than 3%).
The countries of Western Europe have a dense river system. Almost all rivers are full-flowing, most of them in the lower and middle reaches are navigable. The transport value of rivers is enhanced by the presence of laid channels. By resources annual runoff per capita, the region ranks high in the world. Ireland is in the first place among the countries of the region - 13.7 thousand m3, Austria is in the second place - 7.70, Switzerland is in the third place - 7.28. Among the major countries water resources annual flow per capita is: for France - 4.57 Great Britain - 2.73 thousand m3, and for Germany - even less.
A significant concentration of water resources is located in the Alps - on high mountain glaciers. They occupy 3,200 km2 of area, with reserves of 3,500 km3 of water.
The countries well endowed with water resources include Great Britain and France.
The mountain rivers of the Western region have powerful hydropower resources: France - 80 billion kWh / year, Austria - 44 and Switzerland - 39 kWh / year. They account for almost one-fourth of Europe's total hydropower reserves.
Geologically, the territory of the region, like the whole of Europe, has been studied quite well. Among minerals, an important economic importance have coal, iron ore, oil.
Hard coal occurs in almost all countries of the region, and the largest reserves are the Ruhr (Rhine-Westphalian) basin, deposits of Northern France, Great Britain and Belgium. Brown coal, which is a good raw material for the chemical industry, is located on the outskirts of the Alpine fold system (eastern Germany).
The metallurgical resources of the western region of Europe are incomplete. Of the main ores of ferrous metals (iron, manganese, chromium), only iron ore stands out in large reserves. Its main deposits are located in the UK, northwestern France and Luxembourg. True, these rudiments have a relatively low metal content: in France and Luxembourg - from 30 to 40%, in England and Germany - from 20 to 35%.
Significant reserves of aluminum raw materials (bauxites) are in France, antimony and molybdenum - in Austria.
Western Europe is rich in important types of chemical raw materials - potash and table salt. Their main deposits are in Germany.
Among the energy resources, in addition to coal and water resources, the region has reserves of oil, natural gas and uranium.
The oil-rich shelf of the North Sea - especially that part of it belongs to the UK. Following oil in the 1970s, large deposits of natural gas were discovered, but mainly on the shelf of Norway, which significantly changed the energy economy not only in this country, but also in neighboring countries of the Northern macroregion.
Industrial reserves of uranium lie on the territory of France.
And yet, despite some improvement in the fuel and energy balance due to internal reserves, the main source of renewal of energy carriers remains the countries - exporters from other regions of the world.
Population. The population of the region in mid-2000 was almost 246 million people, which is 37% total strength throughout Europe, being 7.7 times more than in Northern Europe, and 47.2% more than in Central-East and 73.2% more than in Southern Europe. More than four-fifths of the region's population is accounted for by three countries - Germany, France, Great Britain.
Western Europe belongs to the most densely populated regions of the world. The average population density here exceeds 173 people per 1 km2, which is 5 times more than in the North, 3.5 times more than in the East, 1.7 times in Southern Europe. In terms of average population density, the Netherlands, Belgium are among the top five countries in the world. The top ten also includes Germany and the UK. The central and northwestern parts of the region stand out with the highest density in the region: the Netherlands - 382 individuals/km2, Belgium - 330, England - 238, Germany - 230 individuals/km2. Only the outskirts of Western Europe, in particular the Scottish Highlands, Western Ireland and the Alps, are less populated.
Western Europe has long been considered one of the most urbanized areas the globe. More than three-quarters of the population lives in cities, in particular, almost 97% in Belgium, about nine-tenths in the UK, and more than 85% in Germany. In this part of Europe there are many millionaire cities. Almost twice as many large cities (from 500 thousand to 1 million inhabitants), many medium and small cities. The network of cities in the region is the densest in the world. Significant development in Western Europe has reached urban agglomerations, especially in Great Britain, Germany, France. A significant number of the population is concentrated in agglomerations. More than 10 million people live in the London and Paris agglomerations alone, and 6 million live in the Ruhr.
Group forms of settlement are developing - urban agglomerations. largest city is Greater Paris, where one-fifth of the population and more than one-fifth of France's jobs are concentrated. The Ruhr agglomeration extends over a distance of more than 100 km. with an average width of 20 km. More than 10 million people live here.
In terms of population growth, Western Europe lags far behind other regions, ranking last in the world. For example, in 1983-1993, growth rates were less than one percent per year, and in the next five years they became negative, while for developing countries this figure exceeds 2 and even 3.0%. The share of the region in the world population is small - 4.3%.
The main reason for the decline in population growth is the decline in the birth rate. The table shows that highly urbanized Germany (9.0%), as well as Belgium (11.0%) are characterized by low birth rates. According to the low for these and other industrialized countries is the birth rate of children per woman "(total fertility rate), it ranged from 1.3 to 1.7 children in 1995-2000, while the death rate of newborns is negligible. Per 1000 births in 5 children died in Western Europe in 2000. In some developing countries, this figure is even 140 or more children (Western Sahara, Sierra Leone, Liberia).
The mortality rate in the region is low. It has stabilized at 8-10 deaths per year per 1,000 population. The overall coefficient of natural increase (growth per 1,000 people) has stabilized at an average of 1.0-3.5. The largest increase among the countries of Western Europe (2000) is in the Netherlands - 1.0, and the lowest is Germany, Luxembourg, France - 4.
In the age structure of the population, the share of old age groups is increasing. Average life expectancy in the region is 72.4 years for men, the highest in Europe, and 74.9 years for women, second only to northern European women.
Labor resources make up more than 3/5 of the total population of the region, they are not fully used. Looking for good earnings, the local population often refuses cheap jobs, and they are occupied by immigrant workers, who in the mid-90s in Western Europe numbered almost 7 million people. Most of them settled in Germany, Britain and France - more than four-fifths of all immigrants working and living in the region. They move here both from European countries (Spain, Italy, the former Yugoslavia, Greece, Portugal), and from the countries of Africa, East and Southeast Asia.
Almost the entire population of the region belongs to the large Caucasoid race (white), which is conditionally divided into the northern Caucasoid, or Baltic, and the southern Caucasoid, or Indo-Mediterranean. The northern Caucasian race occupies the territory of most countries of Western Europe. Its characteristic features are relatively high growth, light color of hair and eyes, dense zarist on the face and body, elongated shape of the skull.
Most of the peoples of the region speak Indo-European languages belonging to the Germanic group: Germans, Germans - Swiss, Austrians, Luxembourgers, Alsatians and Lotharinsians, Dutch, Frisians, Flemings, English, Scots, Scots-Irish.
Second largest Indo-European language group Western Europe is Romanesque, formed on the basis of Latin. This group includes the French, Franco-Swiss, Walloons, Corsicans, Italians, Italo-Swiss, Romansh.
The least common in the region is the Celtic group of languages. It includes the peoples who inhabit the British Isles: Irish, Welsh, Gels and Bretons (France).
The main stages of economic development of the countries of Western Europe. The economies of Western Europe have gone through a long and peculiar path of development.
The decisive influence on the changes in the economic status of many European states had the Great geographical discoveries XV-XVII centuries., Which gave rise to colonial conquest and the division of overseas lands between European states.
At the beginning of the XVIII century. The Netherlands and England especially strengthened their economies. Trade with the countries of the world brought them huge profits, and agrarian revolutions accelerated the intensification of agriculture.
At the end of the XVIII century. especially the importance of England increased. Profitable geographical position, huge incomes from colonial trade, reforms in agriculture contributed to the transformation of agriculture into large-scale production, and most importantly, the industrial revolution made full use of the economic and geographical combination of coal and iron ore, which became an important prerequisite for the creation of the basic sector of the economy - heavy industry.
The French Revolution of 1789 became a prerequisite for the further development of the economy of both France and other countries located to the east of England. But the war of 1812 rejected the French from economic development and led to the consolidation of England as a powerful power in the 19th century. By the middle of the same century, a new powerful state was actually created - the British Empire.
In the 50-60s of the XIX century. the transition from handicraft to machine production actively contributed to the formation of centralized nation-states. After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871 German unification was completed. In addition to Prussia, it included Bavaria, Saxony, Thuringia, Wurtenberg, Baden and several dozens of small independent lands.
At the beginning of the XIX century. the territories of Belgium and Holland were finally formed.
At the turn of the century (late 19th - early 20th) there were significant changes in the structure of the economy of European countries. This was facilitated by the appearance of electric current, the engine internal combustion etc. During this period, the contours of the main industrial regions of the west of Germany, the south of Great Britain, the north of France, and also the Benelux countries are formed.
Prior to the First World War, Western Europe concentrated up to 60% of the world's international trade and more than half of the exported capital.
But despite significant financial and economic shifts, the dominant role of Europe, which lasted for three centuries, was lost. The world center of industrial and financial power in the late XIX-early XX centuries. moved to the USA. The First World War, the interwar period and the Second World War did not bring any special changes in the economy of Western European and other states of the continent. Against, last war created a completely new political - economic situation. The new republic of Ireland was formed on the territory of the region. Great Britain, France, Belgium actually lost their overseas colonies. Colonial empires collapsed. Post-war Germany was divided into two states: the FRG and the GDR. In Europe, the virus of the "cold war" was growing between supporters Soviet Union and countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which initially included 12 states. Of these, five were Western European countries: England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg.
A completely new situation obliged the countries of Western Europe to form economic unions. In the process of creating a single European economic space in the EEC countries, a large-scale restructuring of production technologies took place. Simultaneously implemented one system taxation and social protection population. On the basis of most countries of the region in 1992 (in Maastricht - the Netherlands) an agreement on the European Union (EU) was signed. According to this agreement, it is envisaged to create an economic and political association of European countries with common governing bodies, a single financial system and a monetary unit, where individual states would not be humiliated in any way in their statehood, national dignity or economic expediency.
