1. Chapter 12 Notes
Physical Geography of Europe:
The Peninsula of Peninsulas

2. Landforms of Europe
• Europe is
composed of
many
peninsulas and
islands.
• Europe’s
landforms also
include large
plains and
mountain
ranges.

3. Landforms of Europe
• “Peninsula of Peninsulas”- Europe is a
large peninsula of Asia, plus there are
many peninsulas jutting out from it also.

4. Northern Peninsulas
Northern Peninsulas:
• 1. Scandinavian Peninsula
occupied by Norway &
Sweden
• 2. Jutland Peninsula forms
the largest part of Denmark
& a small part of Germany.

5. Fjords
• Fjords- U-shaped valleys that
connect to the sea, & filled with
seawater after glaciers melted.
– Created by glaciers
– Common in Norway

7. Southern Peninsulas
Southern Peninsulas
• 1. Iberian Peninsula is home to
Spain & Portugal
• 2. Italian Peninsula is home to
Italy.
• 3. Balkan Peninsula is
bordered by the Adriatic,
Mediterranean, & Aegean Seas.

9. Islands
• European Islands- Iceland,
Greenland, Ireland, Great
Britain, Sicily, Sardinia,
Corsica, Ibiza, & Crete

10. Mountains
• Mountain Chains of Europe-
– Alps, Pyrenees, Apennine, Balkan, Caucuses and
Ural Mountains

11. The Alps
• The Alps are
Europe’s most
famous mountain
chain
– arc across France,
Italy, Germany,
Switzerland,
Austria, & the
northern Balkan
Peninsula.
– Cuts off Italy from
the rest of Europe

12. The Pyrenees and Apennine Mtns.
• Pyrenees Mountains create a natural
border between France and Spain and the
Iberian Peninsula
• The Apennine Mountains divide the Italian
Peninsula between east & west.

13. The Balkan Mountains
• Balkan Mountains block off the Balkan
Peninsula from Europe.
• The Caucuses Mountains form a natural
barrier between Europe and Asia to the south

14. The Ural Mountains
• The Ural
Mountains
form a natural
barrier between
Europe and
Asia.

16. Rivers
• Throughout
Europe there is
a network of
rivers.
• They transport
goods between
coastal harbors
& inland region,
aiding economic
growth.

18. Rivers
• The Danube River touches 9 countries over
its 1,771 mile length, it links Europeans to the
Black sea.
• The Rhine River has served as a watery
highway for centuries. It flows 820 miles from
the interior of Europe north to the north sea.
• The Seine River is a major river and
commercial waterway that flows through Paris
and the country of France.
• These and many other rivers connect
Europeans and encourage trade and travel

19. Seine River
Danube River

20. Rivers
• The River Thames is a major river that flows
through southern England, specifically London.

21. Rivers
The Volga River
is longest river
in Europe.
– 15th longest in
the world
– -flows 2,300
miles south
from Moscow
– carries 60% of
Russia’s river
traffic
– Empties into the
Caspian Sea

23. Oceans and Seas
• Europe is also surrounded by oceans
and seas.
• In fact, most places in Europe are only
about 100 miles from an ocean or sea.
• The Atlantic Ocean lies to the west
and the Arctic Ocean to the North.
• Major seas include the sunny
Mediterranean Sea, the frigid North
and Baltic Seas and the prosperous
Black Sea.

24. Oceans and Seas
• The North Sea is home to many
oil rigs but is very turbulent and
dangerous sea.
• The frigid Baltic Sea is important as
it is the only access to the sea for
Russia, Poland and other small
countries.
• The Black Sea is a large sea that
connects Europe and Asia through
trade networks. The Danube River
flows into the Black Sea.

25. • Oil Rig in North Sea

26. Mediterranean Sea
• The Mediterranean Sea is
Europe’s largest and most
important sea.
• It is still a major trade
network, as it was in ancient
times.
• Many waterways are linked
such as the Atlantic Ocean,
Black Sea and many rivers.
• It’s name literally translates to
“Middle Earth” in Latin. Medi
meaning middle and terra
meaning earth.

27. Trade in the Mediterranean

28. Middle Earth

29. Fertile Plains
• Northern European Plain is the most fertile
agricultural regions of the world. It stretches a
huge curve across parts of France, Belgium,
the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, &
Poland.
• Relatively flat, very desirable agricultural land,
but the plain’s flatness has also allowed armies
& groups of invaders to use it as an open route.
• Other, smaller, fertile farming plains:
– Sweden, Hungary, northern Italy’s Lombardy

31. Europe’s Climate
• Much of Europe
has a relatively mild
climate because of
ocean currents and
warm winds.
• Eastern Europe
has a harsher
climate because it
is farther from the
Atlantic Ocean.

32. Europe’s Climate
• North Atlantic Drift- current of
warm water from the tropics
– Prevailing westerlies pick up
warmth from this and helps give
Europe a mild climate

33. Europe’s Climate Types
• Marine west coast climate - warm summers,
cool winters throughout most of Northern &
West Central Europe because of closeness to
the Atlantic Oceans & the North Sea.
– Spain, France, Germany, British Isles, coastal
Scandinavia

34. Europe’s Climate Types
• Humid continental climate: cold, snowy winters;
warm or hot summers
– Sweden, Finland, Romania; eastern Poland,
Slovakia, Hungary

35. Europe’s Climate Types
• Mediterranean climate: hot, dry summers; mild,
wet winters
– Italy, Greece and southern Spain, France

36. Europe’s Climate Types
• Tundra climate in far northern Scandinavia,
along Arctic Circle
– permafrost with no trees, only mosses, lichens
• South of tundra is subarctic climate: cool with
cold, harsh winters

37. Europe’s Climate
Ice Hotel
in
Northern
Sweden

39. Europe’s Latitude Compared to U.S.