Author of, Emeritus Professor of Geography, Portland State University, Oregon. Il sito web di CORDIS prevede che JavaScript sia abilitato per funzionare correttamente. That civilization is distinguished from the rest of Europe by legacies of a medieval Mongol-Tatar domination that precluded the sharing of many of the innovations and developments of European Western civilization; it became further distinctive during the relative isolation of the Soviet period. 5. Huge herds of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) feed on these tiny plants.The taiga, which stretches across northern Europe just south of the tundra, is composed of coniferous forests, with trees such as pine, spruce, and fir. Greater relief is found in those areas in the heart of western and central Europe where uplifted and faulted massifs survive from the Hercynian orogeny, a late Paleozoic period of mountain formation. Europe is a peninsula of the Eurasian supercontinent and is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas to the south.Europe's main peninsulas are the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan, located in southern Europe, and the Scandinavian and Jutland, located in Northern Europe. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. The city of Milan is regarded as a major fashion capital, hosting an international fashion week twice a year. Literally, Europa is now thought to have meant Mainland, rather than the earlier interpretation, Sunset. It appears to have suggested itself to the Greeks, in their maritime world, as an appropriate designation for the extensive northerly lands that lay beyond, lands with characteristics vaguely known yet clearly different from those inherent in the concepts of Asia and Libyaboth of which, relatively prosperous and civilized, were associated closely with the culture of the Greeks and their predecessors. Many of the most socially and economically powerful elements of these societies will be led by immigrants.Developing countries, such as those in eastern and southern Europe, are expected to bear the worst of the depopulation trend. It even includes roads! Gouffre Mirolda is the 3rd deepest cave in the world after Krubera Cave and Illyuzia-Mezhonnogo-Snezhnaya Cave, both in Georgia (former Soviet Republic). The Danubian and northern Italian lowlands are thus mountain-ringed islands. The principal articles discussing the historical and cultural development of the continent include history of Europe; European exploration; Western colonialism; Aegean civilizations; ancient Greek civilization; ancient Rome; Byzantine Empire; and Holy Roman Empire. The Netherlands shares its maritime borders with UK and France. It has coastlines on the Bay of Biscay (a part of the Atlantic Ocean) and the Mediterranean Sea.Spain's capital and largest city is Madrid, and the country is known for its long history, unique culture, strong economy, and very high living standards. This is a main theme of The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer, in which these key elements of the sea both help and hurt the hero.Other cultures developed around the unique resources at their disposal. On February 17, 2008, the province of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia and became Europe's youngest country. Nearly 100% of Ukraine's adult population is literate. The eastward limits now adopted by most geographers exclude the Caucasus region and encompass a small portion of Kazakhstan, where the European boundary formed by the northern Caspian coast is connected to that of the Urals by Kazakhstans Emba River and Mughalzhar (Mugodzhar) Hills, themselves a southern extension of the Urals. These journeys varied in length, depending on the migration patterns of specific reindeer herds. Read More: 25 Unbelievable Facts about North Korea that you must know. The temperature difference between summer and winter gradually increases from coastal northwest Europe to southeast inland Europe, ranging from Ireland, with a temperature difference of only 10C from the warmest to the coldest month, to the area north of the Caspian Sea, with a temperature difference of 40C. These ideas have been tested during times of peace and military conflict, and continue to be redefined today.Historic IssuesEuropes early political history can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome, both of which profoundly affected how Western civilizations govern their territories and citizens.Described as the birthplace of democracy, ancient Greece revolved around the polis, or city-state. Check out this amazing list of Austria facts that include history, food, culture, and more. The landlocked countries in Europe are: Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Liechtenstein (which is doubly landlocked), Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Moldova, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Vatican City. The highest peaks in those ranges are Mount Corno (9,554 feet [2,912 metres]) in the Abruzzi Apennines, Bobotov Kuk (8,274 feet [2,522 metres]) in the Dinaric Alps, Mount Botev (7,795 feet [2,376 metres]) in the Balkan Mountains, Gerlachovsk Peak (Gerlach; 8,711 feet [2,655 metres]) in the Western Carpathians, and Mount Moldoveanu (8,346 feet [2,544 metres]) in the Transylvanian Alps. The southeast boundary with Asia is not universally defined, but the modern definition is generally the Ural River or, less commonly, the Emba River. Other European islands are much smaller. Antwerp is the biggest city of the country. Nations that use the euro as a unit of currency are called the eurozone.Leadership of the EU, split among different branches and institutions, is a working model of international cooperation. This includes Morriscastle and Ballinesker beaches. That broad territory reveals no simple unity of geologic structure, landform, relief, or climate. Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, and North Macedonia constitute a contiguous landlocked agglomeration of eight countries in Central Europe and the Balkans, stretching from Geneva all the way to Skopje. Other political institutions of Rome persist throughout Europe and former European colonies. 0. Ive enjoyed my journey through some facts of European geography hope you did too! Population Density188 people per square kilometer, Highest ElevationMount Elbrus, Russia (5,642 meters/18,510 feet), Most Renewable Electricity ProducedIceland (99.9%; hydropower, geothermal), Largest Urban AreaMoscow, Russia (16.2 million people), Largest WatershedVolga River (1.38 million square km/532,821 square miles). Political geography is the internal and external relationships between governments, citizens, and territories. These projected changes will have two major effects: There will be a smaller work force to create a dynamic and industrious economy, and governments and citizens will have to care for more elderly people.These changes will affect different regions of Europe in different ways. The ultimate fate of the European Space Agency's JUICE mission could drastically change should it succeed in discovering that Ganymede's ocean is both potentially habitable and accessible. Physiographically, it is the northwestern peninsula of the larger landmass known as Eurasia (or the larger Afro-Eurasia ); Asia occupies the centre and east of this continuous landmass. [3] [4] It is bordered to the north and northeast by Russia, to the . Topographic maps (often called topo maps for short) are large scale maps, often greater than 1:50,000, which means that one inch on the map equals 50,000 inches on the ground. Aby witryna CORDIS dziaaa poprawnie, obsuga JavaScript musi by wczona. Strict EU regulations place a heavy burden on developing countries to compete with their more developed neighbors.The global financial crisis, which began around 2008, has caused these tensions to elevate dramatically. The Mediterranean Sea to the south separates Europe from Africa. Rocks of all geologic periods are exposed, and the operation of geologic forces during an immense succession of eras has contributed to the molding of the landscapes of mountain, plateau, and lowland and has bequeathed a variety of mineral reserves. Updated: 07/28/2022 Table of Contents The spacious eastern steppes and, to the west and north, primeval forests as yet only marginally touched by human occupancy further underlined environmental contrasts. Not only is it pretty huge (2.5 times the size of Mount Vesuvius, which so famously buried Pompeii), but it is also one of the most active volcanoes in the world. 5 x Fun Facts about Europe The longest town name in Europe is Lanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogo, in Wales The Czech Republic is the most beer-drinking country per capita There are more UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe than any other continent in the world The highest toilet can be found at Mount Blanc International economic and military organizations developed on either side of the Iron Curtain. Kosovo is a. Some geographical texts refer to a Eurasian continent given that Europe is not surrounded by sea and its southeastern border has always been variously defined for centuries. The boundary continues to the Caspian Sea, the crest of the Caucasus Mountains (or, less commonly, the river Kura in the Caucasus), and on to the Black Sea. As a conceptual construct, Europa, as the more learned of the ancient Greeks first conceived it, stood in sharp contrast to both Asia and Libya, the name then applied to the known northern part of Africa. Encyclopedic entry. The highest points reached in Norway and Sweden are, respectively, Galdh Peak (8,100 feet [2,469 metres]) and Mount Kebne (6,926 feet [2,111 metres]). Intense trade introduced many species, which often overtook native plants. The continents eastern boundary (north to south) runs along the Ural Mountains and then roughly southwest along the Emba (Zhem) River, terminating at the northern Caspian coast. The nation of Germany was divided in two. Manmade features such as roads, dams, and cities may also be included. Europes eastern boundary, however, is not a cultural, political, or economic discontinuity on the land comparable, for example, to the insulating significance of the Himalayas, which clearly mark a northern limit to South Asian civilization. This is the largest landlocked country in the world. An arc of uplands also exists along the northwestern seaboard, beginning in southwestern Ireland, continuing across through western and northern Great Britain, and up along the mountainous, fjord-cut spine of Norway. The map was produced using a Lambert conformal conic projection, with standard parallels at 40 degrees north . Developed countries, however, are also facing economic challenges. Even though the country borders have been redrawn since the Soviet days, the continental borders never have. Climatically, Europe benefits by having only a small proportion of its surface either too cold or too hot and dry for effective settlement and use. In the Alps, Mont Blanc rises to a height of 15,771 feet (4,807 metres), which is the highest point on the continent. [citation needed] These two halves are separated by the mountain chains of the Pyrenees and the Alps/Carpathians. The proportion of people older than 65 will grow from 16 percent to 28 percent. This article treats the physical and human geography of Europe. Lets take a short tour around some of the most notable geographical facts about Europe. Please enable JavaScript. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. Traders and travelers also reported that the Europe beyond Greece possessed distinctive physical units, with mountain systems and lowland river basins much larger than those familiar to inhabitants of the Mediterranean region. As Ive talked about fire (volcanoes), it wouldnt be right to leave ice out of the geography facts of Europe. It is characterized by simple, minimalist design and low-cost mass production. Topography studies the . The political cartoons sought to engage in the debate surrounding Muslim extremism. Europes largest islands and archipelagoes include Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land, Svalbard, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the British Isles, the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Malta, Crete, and Cyprus. By size, Germany is the seventh-largest European country. Roma are a people and culture native to central and eastern Europe. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Turku officials hope to inspire other European countries to undertake similar projects.Europe also strengthens ties between its diverse peoples and cultures by supporting multilingual education. Population Density188 people per square kilometer, Highest ElevationMount Elbrus, Russia (5,642 meters/18,510 feet), Most Renewable Electricity ProducedIceland (99.9%; hydropower, geothermal), Largest Urban AreaMoscow, Russia (16.2 million people), Largest WatershedVolga River (1.38 million square km/532,821 square miles). Its major peninsulas include Jutland and the Scandinavian, Iberian, Italian, and Balkan peninsulas. Si prega di abilitare JavaScript. It is the continent's second largest island (after Great Britain). These countries included Greece, Ireland, Spain, and Portugal. Le site web de CORDIS ncessite lactivation de JavaScript pour fonctionner correctement. The northern plains are delimited in the west by the Scandinavian mountains and the mountainous parts of the British Isles. The language survives in Switzerland because of the remote location of its native speakers.Contemporary CulturesEuropes rich and diverse cultural heritage continues to flourish today. These nations do not feel an obligation to accept illegal immigrants, seeing them as both a threat and a burden.Supporters of the crackdown want to stop illegal immigration. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The name Europe may also come from combining the Greek roots eur- (wide) and -op (seeing) to form the phrase wide-gazing.Europe is often described as a peninsula of peninsulas. A peninsula is a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides. Holland is a nation of cyclists. This map shows the physical features of Europe, surrounding lands, and offshore areas. These camps were mostly populated by Roma, also called Gypsies. This idea of citizenshipof being connected to and having a voice in your communitybecame the basic building block of democracy. Europe is sometimes called a "peninsula of peninsulas", to draw attention to the fact that Europe is a relatively small, elongated appendage to Asia, and that a large part of Europe is made up of peninsulas. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. It happens to be the longest river in Europe and covers 3,692 km/ 2,295 miles long. The population within the standard physical geographical boundaries was 701 million in 2005 according to the United Nations. All of the events must come together under a common theme or themes. It was a barbarian worldthat is, a non-Greek one, with its inhabitants making bar-bar noises in unintelligible tongues. The Kimmel Falls are in Hohe Tauen National Park and are one of Austrias most visited tourist attractions. Fun Facts about Europe Europe is home to the smallest country in the world, the Holy See or the Vatican. Eastern Europe is everything east of Germany, Austria, and Italy. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. The U.K. also includes Northern Ireland, which is on another island. Europe is a peninsula of the Eurasian supercontinent and is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas to the south. There are also central highlands and deserts features in the south. Let's take a short tour around some of the most notable geographical facts about Europe. Europe Facts | Religion: Most of the European people are Christians (76%) and there are smaller numbers of Muslims (6%) and Jews and other beliefs. Nonetheless, in manufacturing and agriculture Europe still occupies an eminent, if no longer necessarily predominant, position. Europe has a long history of human development and is considered the birthplace of Western Civilization. About a quarter of marine mammals are threatened.Today, around 15 percent of Europe's animal species are threatened or endangered, mainly by habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation, and competition from invasive species. The greater part of Europe, however, combines low elevation with low relief. The population of the City of Brussels is ~175,000. The southern regions are mountainous while moving north the terrain descends from the high Alps, Pyrenees, and Carpathians, through hilly uplands, into broad, low northern plains, which are vast in the east. Topography Facts - Earth Science. Omissions? These physical features allowed for early communication, travel, and agricultural development. Inhabited plains, with only the minor interruption of the worn-down Urals, extend from central Europe to the Yenisey River in central Siberia. They are very detailed and are often produced on large sheets of paper. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. The low starting elevation makes the Volga a slow flowing river. Important Scandinavian companies focused on designed products include Electrolux, which makes home electronics, and Ikea and H&M, famous around the world for inexpensive but well-designed home furnishings and clothing, respectively. The empire of ancient Rome, at its greatest extent in the 2nd century ce, revealed, and imprinted its culture on, much of the face of the continent. Europe extends from the island nation of Iceland in the west to the Ural Mountains of Russia in the east. The Holocaust was the mass murder of Jews under the Nazi regime. The overall population of Europe is set to drop from roughly 590 million to 542 million by 2050. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. This region is sparsely populated except in the Rhine, Rhne, Elbe, and Danube river valleys.Alpine MountainsThe Alpine Mountains include ranges in the Italian and Balkan peninsulas, northern Spain, and southern France. Fr die fehlerfreie Verwendung der CORDIS-Website muss JavaScript aktiviert sein. The financial crisis is defined by debt and high unemployment. Thrace is the western part of Turkey on the European continent.. Projects are meant to stay a part of the city after 2011some pieces of sculpture may be used for athletics, for instance. Here are 21 things about this amazing continent that may just surprise you. La Boule measures 7.5 miles and is served by a lovely and ancient seaside town where many of the French elite have holiday homes. Automobile companies such as BMW, Mercedes, and Audi are known throughout the world for creating cars with dynamic designs and an engaging driving experience. A landlocked country of towering mountains, deep Alpine lakes, grassy valleys dotted with . These revolutions eventually lead to the end of the Cold War, symbolized by the falling of the Berlin Wall in 1989.Contemporary IssuesEurope is now broadly defined in the context of the European Union (EU), an economic and political body officially created by the Maastricht Treaty in 1993. (South of Northern Ireland is the separate country of Ireland, which gained its independence from the U.K. in 1937.) Some of these facts about Europe are newer than others. Iceland and the British Isles are special cases. Regional climatic contrasts nevertheless exist: oceanic, Mediterranean, and continental types occur widely, as do gradations from one to the other. For discussion of individual countries of the continent, see specific articles by namee.g., Italy, Poland, and United Kingdom. Indebted countries must now deal with strict budgets and declining incomes while more financially stable countries are forcing taxpayers to help fund the financial rescue.The status of immigrants is also a source of tension and debate in Europe. The coasts of the northwestern highlandsand in particular the fjords of Norwayinvite maritime enterprise. Requires login ) the continent & # x27 ; s second largest island ( after Great Britain ) worldthat,! Occupies an eminent, if no longer necessarily predominant, position measures 7.5 miles and is served by lovely! 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