Western Europe

Outline

  1. Regional Characteristics
  1. Demographic Analysis based on Population Data Sheet
  1. Countries
  1. References
  2. Review Questions

Regional Characteristics

 The Western Europe area is characterized by many different cultures, languages and environments.  It is this change in physical environments that give each region in Western Europe its distinctive appearance.  The major physical features of Western Europe follow a west-to-east trend across Europe.  The three major physical land features of Western Europe are Great European Plain, the Central Uplands, and the Alpine mountain system.  The Great European Plain stretches east of the Pyrenees Mountains, in southern France and northern Spain to the Ural Mountains in Eastern Europe.  It is here where a majority of the Western European agriculture takes place.  The Central Uplands is a hilly and rugged plateau that crosses the central part of Europe.  This area could be described to look like that Appalachian Mountains of the United States.  The Alpine Region which runs through three of the major peninsulas of Western Europe, the Iberian, the Italian, and the Balkan.  The Alps could be considered the Rocky Mountains of Europe, with peaks that frequently rise over 10,000 feet, and some top 15,000 feet.   The major rivers of the area also have a great influence, such as the Ruhr Valley in Germany, and the Po River in Northern Italy and the Rhine River that separates Germany from France.  These rivers provide adequate water for agriculture and industry, as well as provide transportation of industrial resources. 

The climate of Western Europe is a marine climate.  Its abundant moisture comes from the Atlantic Ocean.  The ocean moderates the temperature during the seasons, making the winter moist and mild, and the summer moist and cool.  This influence can also be called the North Atlantic Drift. This climate primarily stays to the north of the Alps, thus considering the Alps a climatic divide.  Dublin, Ireland would be a classic example.

 

Although Western Europe is very industrially developed, agriculture is the main form of land use.  Throughout Western Europe the lands are used for many different types of agriculture, which is caused by the differences in climates and the different terrain that can be found in each region.  The distinct types of agriculture are Mediterranean polyculture, dairy farming, and mixed livestock and crop farming.  Mediterranean polyculture is a continuous ribbon along the Mediterranean coast.  Wheat, a crop that has been grown since early times, grows though the moist and mild winter for the spring harvest.  Deep rooted vines and trees also are grown, like olives and grape, grow near the warm Mediterranean.  e   This area could be considered close to the agriculture that is performed in California.  Dairy farming takes up a considerable area to the north of the Mediterranean.  This belt is located in the Alps of France, Switzerland, and Austria.  A second dairy belt exists, in the north, starting in the British Isles and the Breton Peninsula along the shores of the North and Baltic seas.  The climate is characterized by being very cloudy and cool.  The mixed livestock and crop farming take place between the northern dairy belt and the Mediterranean polyculture.  This mix is due to the physical landscape and its climate.  Although changing very rapidly, the agriculture remains one of the areas most important industries.

The countries of Western Europe are the "hub" of European economics.  These countries economies are based on industry, although agriculture will always be an important part.  Some examples of industry are Germany's high value cars, Switzerland's watch industry and high-tech instruments, France's high speed trains, and space products.  A new addition to the Western European economy is the French and German joint effort to enter the airplane industry.  Their effort is called Airbus, with factories in France and Germany, which serves all major airlines throughout the world.  The Western European countries needed to realize that their industries were falling behind.  Thus brought the European Union (EU), which is a diverse group of countries that joined together so that their economy could compete with those of the United States and Japan.           

 Demographic Analysis based on Population Data Sheet

 Country

 Population Growth

Under 15

Over 65

Infant Mortality

Percent Urban

GNI PPP

Germany

-0.1

15%

17%

4.3

86

25,240

France

0.4

19%

16%

4.2

74

24,080

Belgium

0.1

18%

17%

5

97

26,150

The Netherlands

0.4

19%

14%

5.4

62

27,390

Luxembourg

0.4

19%

14%

5.9

88

48,560

Switzerland

0.2

17%

16%

4.9

68

30,970

Austria

0

16%

16%

4.8

54

26,380

Liechtenstein

0.5

18%

10%

7.9

21

no data

Andorra

0.8

15%

13%

4

92

no data

Looking at the Population Data Sheet really sheds light into the five selected categories, the first is population growth.  The population for this area is pretty consistent.  Most of the countries fall between a growth rate of .4 to .8.  There are exceptions though, take a look at Austria, with no growth at all, and also look at Germany, they actually have a shrinking population with a growth rate of -0.1.  In comparison to the rest of the European continent, Western Europe has a very high population growth.  Most of Eastern Europe faces a shrinking population same with many countries in Southern Europe, and Northern Europe.

The numbers for the percent of the population under fifteen, and over sixty five are a little harder to interpret.  The majority of Western European countries are all within a relevant range of each other.  The only number that sticks out is Liechtenstein with an over 65 population of only 10%, which is actually the third lowest in all of Europe.  In comparison to the United States, the countries of Western Europe are very close to the numbers that are seen in the Untied States.

Looking at infant mortality from the population data sheet shows a very small range of numbers.  These ranged from the highest of 7.9 from Liechtenstein, and the lowest being Andorra with 4.  In comparison to the rest of Europe we see once again a very broad range of infant mortality.  Take for instance Romania, which has an infant mortality of 18.4, the highest in Europe and Iceland with an infant mortality of only 2.7, the lowest in Europe.

The percent of the population urban has the broadest range of the selected topics.  With the country of Liechtenstein having 21% of the population being urban, and the country of Belgium having 97% urban, these countries show the broad range of numbers.  These numbers are so broad, they are the biggest in the entire European continent, no other region has a difference of 76% in their percent urban. 

The final selected category is the GNI PPP.  Once again this was a category that was very broad, with France at 24,080 and Luxembourg at 48.560, a difference of 24.480.  This difference is a little skewed because Luxembourg is the world leader in GNI PPP.  These figures are also very close to the figures of Northern Europe, its closest competition for this category.         

Countries

The dominate country of Western Europe is Germany.  Germany is located in the northern central area of Europe.  It is surrounded by the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Austria and Poland.  It has a population of 82.6 million as of the middle of 2003.  Germany is further broken up into sixteen states, of which some predate the country itself.  These states are what give the country its unique cultural experiences and political traditions.  Six of these states were in the former East Germany.  It is in this part of Germany, Saxony, were the cities of Leipzig and Dresden are found.  It is in these cities that you can find the most visible effects of World War II.  On the other side of Germany, are the industrial capitols.  North Rhine-Westphalia is the leading industrial state which contains the Ruhr industrial complex in the cities of Bonn and Koln.  Germany’s financial headquarters are located in Frankfurt, which is also the air hub of Germany.  Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria are two states in the south of the country, which contain very high levels of technology and modern industry.  With enormous public works projects, and rebuilding, the integration of East and West Germany are still continuing, because of almost forty years of neglect.

Along with Germany, France is another of Western Europe’s industrial powers.  France is one of the oldest countries in the world, with its capitol in Paris.  It is because of the Seine River and protective walls around Paris that allowed the culture and economy to be unchecked until World War II.  Paris dominates the entire country, especially in the north and central.  In the southern cities of Marseilles and Nice the influence of Paris is less noticeable.  But it is in these cities that many multi-national and industrial companies have their headquarters.  The economy is dominated by being the world leading supplier of high speed trains, aircraft, fiber optic communications, and space related technologies.  It is also a world leader by providing 75% of its power from nuclear power, and in the same breath reduces its dependence on imported oil.  Agriculture is also a major aspect of the French economy, even more so than Germany.  France is the second largest Western European country with a population of 59.8 million people.

Belgium is one of the healthiest economies in Western Europe.  It is a major exporter of coal, natural gas, iron, steel, and transportation equipment.  One of the most prestigious parts of Belgium’s economy is the presence of the headquarters of many European organizations.  Located in the capital of Belgium, Brussels, the home of the EU’s European Commission, serves as the administrative center for international economic organization, and the headquarters of NATO.  The culture is very segregated, with the Flemings in the north, and the Walloons in the south.  The difference is in language and religion.  The Walloons, French speaking Protestants, live mainly in the north, while the Flemings, Dutch speaking Roman Catholics, live in the southern part of Belgium.  The population of Belgium is 10.4 million people.

Also known as Holland, The Netherlands is one more country that is both productive in agriculture and industry.  The population of The Netherlands is 16.2 million inhabitants.  The Netherlands mainly produces dairy product, meats, vegetables, and other food.  Amsterdam is a busy port city that has a very prosperous diamond trade as well as various types of light manufacturing.  Amsterdam is also considered the cultural center of The Netherlands.  Rotterdam is the busiest port in Europe, mainly do to the oil exported from the Middle East to Europe.  Another fact is that the World Court, of the United Nations is located in the third major city, The Hague.   

As one of the banking leaders of the world, Luxembourg is very prosperous.  Luxembourg has become a banking capitol because of its lenient restrictions, in comparison with other European countries.  With a population of ˝ a million people, Luxembourg relies on guest workers to work its iron and steel industries, its major exports.  

One of the most diverse countries of Western Europe is Switzerland.  Switzerland has a population of 7.3 million.  The language of the country is broken up into four major languages, German in the north, French in the west, Italian in the southwest, and Romansch is used in the highland areas.  This language barrier has been broken by the economic success of Switzerland.  It is traditionally thought of Switzerland as being a neutral country, but because of this neutrality, a strong military is necessary.  Any able-bodied man, aged 19-45 is to serve the military for a minimum of 18 months, after which they are enrolled in the reserves until age forty five.  Switzerland is the only Western European countries not in the European Union, which could lead to the downturn of the economy, caused by the strengthening of the surrounding economies.  The Swiss rely on their banking system to support their economy.  Zurich, located in the German sector of northern Switzerland,  is the capitol and serves as the banking center of the country.   

References

1.) Fisher, James S.  Geography and development: a world regional approach-4th ed.  New York, New York.  Macmillan Publishing Company.

2.)  Clawson, David L.  World regional geography: a development approach-7th ed.  Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.  Macmillan Publishing Company

3.)  de Blig, H.J. and Miller, Peter O.  Geography: realms regions and concepts-10th ed.  New York, New York, John Wiley and Sons Inc. 

4.)  Population Data Sheet.  Population Data Bureau 2003. 

Review Questions

1. Both the Alps and the Pyrenees have served to: A. isolate and define populations on either side of them, such as the Dutch and the Belgians; B. create a series of open pathways across the map of Europe; C. define a Northern European society on the one hand, and a Mediterranean European society on the other; D. separate the Slavic languages from the Germanic.

2. Western European climates tend to be noticeably milder than their latitudinal equivalents in North America because: A. Eurasia is a larger continent; B. Western Europe is closer to the North Pole; C. of the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf stream; D. there are no high mountains in Western Europe.

3. As a result of their central location, the nations of Western Europe: A. enjoy relatively easy potential for contact with most of the inhabited world and its resources; B. tend to be very large by world standards; C. are assured of easy markets for whatever they can produce; D. dominate decision-making at World conferences.

4. Western Europe's most densely populated country is: A. Norway; B. the Netherlands; C. France; D. Italy; E. Germany.

5. Two countries whose citizens rejected membership in the European Economic Community are: A. Norway and Switzerland; B. the United Kingdom and Ireland; C. France and Germany; D. Spain and Greece.

6. Denmark's most important economic advantage is its: A. coal; B. hydroelectricity; C. skilled labor; D. copper ore.

7. The European Community country with the highest percentage of its workers engaged in primary activities (mainly agriculture) is: A. the Netherlands; B. West Germany; C. Ireland; D. United Kingdom.

8. Ethnically very diverse and with four "official" languages, this country's policy of strict political neutrality has kept it from becoming a member of the European Community despite its central location: A. Austria; B. Sweden; C. Belgium; D. Switzerland; E. Luxembourg.

9. The Western European country, a member of the EC, which became a major petroleum producer with production from North Sea wells in the 1980's is: A. Denmark; B. France; C. United Kingdom; D. Sweden; E. Ireland.

10. The Berlin Wall was built in 1961: A. in the Middle Ages to protect the city; B. by Hitler's troops to protect their leader; C. to keep people from moving out of East Germany; D. to keep people from moving out of West Germany; E. to protect East German industry.

11. This country appears poorly endowed by nature when compared to most other Western European countries. Mountainous terrain and an unfavorably dry climate make much of the country poorly suited for farming, and there are not significant deposits of coal or iron ore. It is also divided between an agriculturally and industrially well-endowed north and a much poorer south. Even with these obvious drawbacks, it rates as the world's seventh most important industrial power: A. France; B. Belgium; C. Germany; D. Portugal; E. Italy.

12. Deemed essential in the boom years of the 1960's and early 1970's, this group is now seen as a serious social problem in several western European countries: A. guest workers; B. industrial workers; C. service workers; D. domestic workers.

13. The term 'Velvet Revolution' describes: A. the fall of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia in late 1989. B. the communist take-over in the Soviet Union. C. social reform in Hungary during the 1980's. D. the Polish solidarity movement.

14. Which of the following European countries has the highest standard of living as defined by GNP per capita: A. Italy;  B. Spain;  C. Great Britain; D. Germany; E. Czechoslovakia.

15. Identify the sharpest difference in standard of living among neighboring states: A. Spain / Portugal; B. Switzerland / France; C. Austria / Italy; D. Denmark / Germany; E. Germany / Poland.

16. Which of the following countries has been most successful in sustaining a high level of industrial productivity: A. Great Britain; B. Italy; C. Yugoslavia; D. Germany; E. Spain.

17. Which of the following countries does not border the Baltic Sea: A. Germany; B. Poland; C. Netherlands; D. Denmark; E. Lithuania.

18. In driving from Lisbon to Rotterdam, in which countries would you drive through: A. Italy, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands; B. France, Belgium, Netherlands; C. Andorra, France, Netherlands; D. Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands; E. Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands.

19. Which of the following are landlocked states in Europe: A. Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Luxembourg; B. Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Austria, Hungary, Luxembourg; C. Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, Luxembourg; D. Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Luxembourg; E. Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Denmark;

20. The western-most European country: A. Iceland; B. Ireland; C. Spain; D. Northern Ireland; E. Sardinia.

21. Of the following western European countries, which has the largest population: A. Great Britain; B. France; C. Germany; D. Sweden; E. Italy.

Initially submitted by Sara Wagner, 10/22/96; resubmitted by Jeremy Fischer 3/4/97; and Bill Kellner 6/15/97.  Edited by Karen Oyler, 10.12/03; resubmitted by Matthew Burke on 11/25/03.