Europe Overview
Outline
- Regions
- Eastern Europe
- Western Europe
- Southern Europe
- Northern Europe
- British Isles
- Core Industrial Regions
- Physical Environment
- Physical Landscape
- Climate
- Culture
- Language
- Religion
- Catholic/Protestant Division
- Orthodox
- Muslim
- Demographic Analysis based on Population Data Sheet
- Population Growth
- Under 15 / Over 65
- Infant Mortality
- Percent Urban
- GNI PPP
- Industrial Revolution
- Manufacturing
- Agriculture
- Transportation
- International Aspects
- International Economy
- Dispersal of Europeans
- Society in Change
- Population growth and urbanization
- Wars
- Europe Border Changes
- References
- Review Questions
Regions
Europe is divided into four major regions based on environmental, cultural, and economic similarities. Eastern Europe consists of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the Slovak Republic. Eastern Europe also contains Balkan Europe, which includes the countries of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, and Serbia-Montenegro.
Western Europe, the industrial heartland of Europe, consists of Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The British Isles is a section within Western Europe. This area is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Also included in Western Europe is Alpine Europe: Austria and Switzerland.
Northern Europe includes Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Southern Europe, sometimes called Mediterranean Europe, consists of Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.
The major industrial core extends from the southeastern corner of England, down to include Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, into the eastern part of France, the western section of Germany, all of Switzerland, the western tip of Austria, and into northern Italy.
Physical Environment
The physical landscape of Europe is varied from lowlands to high Alpine peaks. Between the northern and alpine mountains, lowland and better soils dominate. Other features to be found are hilly plateaus, glaciated lands, and river plains. Metallic mineral and energy resources are contained in the rocks. There is easy access to the ocean from nearly all areas of Europe.
Nearly ever country of Europe contains some mountainous land. The Alps are mountain ranges on the northern margins of Mediterranean, Southern, Europe. The Sierra Nevada mountain range is in Southern Spain. The Pyrenees Mountains for the border between France and Spain. The backbone of the Italian peninsula is the Apennine Mountains. The Dinaric Alps are in Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia, and Albania. In Greece are the Pindus Mountains. The Carpathian Mountains are a range in Slovakia, southwestern Ukraine, and Romania. Bulgaria has the Balkan Mountains.
The North European Plain is a lowland area extending from northern Germany, across Poland, and into Russia. The upland area of central Spain is called the Meseta. Central southern France has an upland area called Massif Central. The Rhine Highlands are uplands crossed by the Rhine River in Germany. The Bohemian Massif in the Czech Republic is an area of uplands.
Brittany is the name of the northwestern peninsula of France. Norway and Sweden make up the Scandinavian Peninsula. Iberia is a peninsula containing Spain and Portugal.
There are many important bodies of water in and around Europe. The Mediterranean Sea lies between Europe, southwestern Asia, and northern Africa. The Baltic Sea is between Northern and Eastern Europe, with an outlet to the North Sea. The North Sea, which is a major source of oil, lies between the British Isles, Scandinavia, and Germany. The Adriatic Sea is bordered by Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia-Montenegro, and Albania. The Aegean Sea is surrounded by Greece and Turkey. The Black Sea is between Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria. The Atlantic Ocean is to the west of Europe.
The Rhine River starts in the Netherlands, goes into western Germany, along France's border with Germany and Switzerland. The Elbe River cuts through eastern Germany before flowing into the Czech Republic. The Danube River starts in Germany, cuts across northern Austria before going to the Slovak Republic, into Hungary and Serbia, then following the border of Romania and Bulgaria. The Rhône River is in the south of France. The Seine River is in western France, while the Loire River cuts through the central part of the country. The Thames River is in southern England. The Vistula River cuts through the center of Poland and pokes into western Ukraine. The Po River runs through northern Italy.
Along with such varied topography comes varied climates. Europe is characterized with a midlatitude west coast climate. This type of environment is dominated by cyclonic weather systems that are fueled by oceanic heat and moisture sources. Summers are typically cooler and winters milder than the continental interiors. The north is dominated by cold polar extremes. The west is mild year-round and tends to be humid. The extremes associated with continental climates are found in the east. Summer droughts are a norm around the Mediterranean Sea. South Europe has a Mediterranean climate with wet winters and dry summers.
Cultivation and urban-industrial areas replaced post-glacial forests and areas of better soil. As a result of intensive use of the natural environment, soil erosion, water pollution, and air pollution is of concern of European countries.
Culture
Through the centuries, Europe has been under the influence of a wide range of peoples. The Celts were European tribes with skills in metal-making, particularly bronze and iron. They moved from the Alpine area into modern-day Spain, France, and Britain around 1000 BCE. The Greeks established an empire that extended to India around 300 BCE. Their ideas formed the foundation of modern European ideas. The Romans established their empire around the Mediterranean Sea, extending it to northwest Europe from the first century BCE.
Germanic tribes had their roots in the area that modern-day Germany is now. They moved outward starting in the CE 300s, eventually conquering most of western Europe. Included in the Germanic tribes were the Franks, Saxons, Burgundians, and Swedes.
The Moors, Muslim groups of people, invaded Spain and southern Italy in the CE 700s. They held territory in Spain until the 1400s. Vikings, usually known for their massive ship-going vessels, had much influence as far inland as Russia. They spread out from Scandinavia beginning in the CE 700s. The Vikings conquered much of northwest Europe, Iceland, Greenland.
Religions have had uniting and discordant effects on Europe. The religions of the Germanic tribes were wiped out by the influx of Catholic missionaries. Catholicism kept its hold on most of Europe for centuries before Martin Luther created the seeds of Protestantism. Persecution of European Jews ebbed and flowed through the Crusades, Inquisition, pogroms, and ultimately in the Holocaust. Muslims had strong influences in Spain and in other countries they conquered. The scholarship of the Muslims and Jews preserved the wealth of human knowledge that had been gained to that time, saving it from destruction at the hands of the Catholic majority. Many religious views became politicized and part of the dominant government culture of countries. Religion fueled Crusades and wars.
The influences of this great movement of peoples is seen throughout Europe in the customs and traditions that continue to this day. Buildings and historical locations that have endured time show the architectural styles of the centuries in which they were constructed.
Global trading links were developed in the 1400s. Europe dominated the industrial revolution of the 1700s and 1800s. Europe was the first core in the world economic system and continues to play a leading role in today's core of wealthy countries.
World War II was the catalyst for major changes in the human geography of Europe. The destruction of buildings and landmarks, peoples and ways of life all had a lasting effect. Also affected was the economic process. New locations for manufacturing were created. Urban expansion and shifting trade links became important issues to be confronted. The formation of the European Union and its growth over the past years has shown an unusual unity among the typically fractured regions of Europe.
Demographic Analysis based on Population Data Sheet
The following information was extrapolated from the 2003 World Population Data Sheet of the Population Reference Bureau. Given that the regional divisions of the Population Reference Beureau do not correspond to the regional divisions discussed in these notes, the data in the table had to be recalculated to reflect those differences.
|
Pop. 2003* |
Birth Rate |
Death Rate |
Natural Increase |
Pop. 2025* |
Pop. 2050* |
Percent Change |
Infant Mortality |
% <15 |
% 65+ |
Percent Urban |
GNI PPP per Capita |
|
|
Northern Europe |
24.5 |
12 |
9 |
0.3 |
26.2 |
26.6 |
13 |
3.7 |
20 |
15 |
77 |
$24,531.40 |
|
Western Europe |
248.2 |
17 |
9 |
1.2 |
244.2 |
297.7 |
14 |
5.3 |
17 |
15 |
66 |
$28,920.00 |
|
Eastern Europe |
124.6 |
10 |
11 |
-0.1 |
120.9 |
105.9 |
-15 |
75.6 |
19 |
13 |
59 |
$12,337.79 |
|
Southern Europe |
119.9 |
10 |
10 |
0.0 |
121.8 |
112.7 |
-8 |
4.8 |
15 |
18 |
65 |
$19,905.00 |
|
* population figures in millions |
||||||||||||
Western Europe's birth rate is significantly greater than the death rate. Knowing this helps to understand, in part, why the population growth over the next 47 years is expected to jump. Eastern Europe's death rate is greater than the birth rate. This is reflected in the graph above, which shows that the population size of the region is expected to decline slightly by 2050. In Southern Europe, the birth and death rates are equal. Despite this, the population is expected to decline by 2050. The amount of declination is less than that expected for Eastern Europe. Northern Europe's birth rate is higher than the death rate, though not as significantly as in Western Europe. It is projected that the size of the population will stay fairly constant with only a very slight increase.
Other figures of interest from the first chart presented are the infant mortality rates, percentage of those living in the urban regions, and the GNI PPP per capita.
Eastern Europe's infant mortality rates are extremely high when compared to the rest of Europe. Northern Europe has the lowest rates, while Western and Southern Europe have similar infant mortality rates. Northern Europe has the highest percentage of its population living in urban areas, while Eastern Europe has the lowest percentage living in the cities than the rest of Europe. Western and Southern Europe are fairly similar in their urban populations.
Eastern Europe has the lowest GNI PPP per capita of only $12,337.79. This low figure can be related to this area's emergence from Soviet-era economies and control. Southern Europe's GNI is $19,905.00. Western and Northern Europe are close together with $28,920.00 and $24,531.40 respectively. These numbers are influenced by strong economic policies and industrial innovations.
The industrial revolution of the 1700s was initiated in Western Europe, specifically in southern England. That established their dominance of industry, which continued well into the 1800s. Many industries became mechanized, making goods less expensive and with more consistent quality. Inventions of machines revolutionized the production of pottery and textiles.
Agriculture felt the effects of the revolution with new ideas and tools. Crop rotation and cultivation of root crops became accepted methods of farming the land. The seed drill enabled farmers to get better crop yields by pushing seeds farther into the soil out of reach of wind and birds. Systematic stock breeding was introduced and proven as a successful way to improve herds. Sheep and cattle began to be bred for food as well as their previous important values of wool, hide, and strength.
The steam engine not only improved transportation methods on water and land, it also helped with mining and factory operations. Railroads aided the industrialization of Europe by improving the movement of goods and people across the continent.
The Industrial Revolution changed social patterns with an increase in population and urbanization. The population growth was dramatic, fueld by improved food supplies and medical knowledge. People began moving to the cities until roughly half of each country's population was living in urban settings, where previously over half of the population had been in the rural areas. New social classes were created. Old problems were solved and new ones created.
Europeans were global long before the era of railroads and improved communications. Vikings spread from Scandinavia through much of Europe. Peoples from the Mediterranean and from China conquered lands and brought new cultures and traditions.
Overseas exploration brought Europeans to distant shores of uncharted lands. The search for better trade routes caused ship captains to stumble on lands not previously known about. Before long countries with ambitious leaders were colonizing these lands. New sources of resources, material and human, flooded Europe and her other colonies.
Today, Europe still has a major role in the world scene. European political and economic might is flexed in most other parts of the world. The exchange of goods and ideas goes two ways as they import information and merchandise from trading partners.
The European Union (EU) is redefining how Europe is viewed by others and how Europe views itself. Economies are becoming tied together through use of a common currency and agreed upon rules and regulations. Hopes of a stronger political federation remain in the minds of some of the EU's member representatives. The EU has been of benefit to the member countries through stimulated economies, outside investment, and expanding markets. Members are allowed to opt out of clauses of the Union, which is referred to as the principle of subsidiarity.
The formation and growth of the European Union goes against the normal pattern of divisions and regional pressures in Europe. NATO's role is changing after the collapse and withdrawal of the Soviet Union, creating a wide buffer zone. The organization's new role will likely be in resolving or policing disputes within Europe and its immediate neighbors.
Despite the unifying effects of the EU, some areas of Europe continue to become more splintered as peoples war over lands and ideas. Yugoslavia has already split into five separate countries and tensions continue in Serbia-Montenegro. Tensions remain high in the Basque region straddling the Spain/France border. Northern Ireland is a hotbed of dissent and violence. Flemish and Walloon peoples in Belgium continue to have tense relationships. Wales and Scotland continue the debate of the value of sovereignty apart from England.
Europe is home to unity and dissent, prosperity and poverty, harsh climates and idyllic resorts. The diversity of this area of the world continues to change and grow over the centuries. The future of Europe is hard to determine from our removed vantage point.
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Rempel, G. (2000). The industrial revolution, [website]. Western New England College. http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/wc2/lectures/industrialrev.html [November 2003].
Weissmann, A. and Gillespie, K. (2000). Travel around the world (second edition). Texas: Weissmann Travel Reports.