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CENTRAL EUROPE

CENTRAL EUROPE. France Germany Belgium Luxembourg Netherlands Austria Switzerland. Regions. North Paris Basin Drained by the Seine river Paris is located at the center Manufacturing and textile center Southwest Perfect for growing grapes for wine

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CENTRAL EUROPE

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  1. CENTRAL EUROPE France Germany Belgium Luxembourg Netherlands Austria Switzerland

  2. Regions • North • Paris Basin • Drained by the Seine river • Paris is located at the center • Manufacturing and textile center • Southwest • Perfect for growing grapes for wine • Warmer, drier, frost-free climate • Poor soil

  3. Regions • Southern France • Massif Central (ma seef sahn TRAHL) Mountains • 1/6 of France • Poor soil • Alps Mountains • Tall, rugged mountains hindered movement • In 1965, a tunnel was built under Mt. Blanc

  4. Regions • Along the Mediterranean • Thin strip of coastal land • Riviera: Millions of touristsvisit every year • Industry in the East • Area known as the Lorraine • Large deposits of iron ore • Caused wars with Germany

  5. History • Originally known as Gaul • After Rome fell, Franks (Germany) conquered • From 1589 to 1789, Kings ruled France (Louis VIII) • 1789: French revolution • Empire grew under Napoleon • Germans attacked in WW-I & WW-II

  6. FRANCE TODAY • After WW-II, government modernized the country • Nationalized major industries • Nationalization: Government controls some businesses • Wealthy country • But in the 1990s faced a deep recession • Recession: Long decline in business

  7. GERMANY • A divided country • In 1939 Germany started World War II • By 1945 Germany had lost the war • Soviet Union, England, France and the U.S. controlled all of Germany • The Soviet Union took the part that they controlled and forced a communist government (East Germany) • English, French and U.S. side became a democracy (West Germany)

  8. EAST GERMANY • East German economy under communism grew worse each year. • With no seaport, East Germany actually dug a port out to the Baltic Sea • West Germany became one of the richest countries in the world.

  9. EAST GERMANY • By the late 1980s, some communist leaders realized that the communist system was failing, and began to make changes • Allowed some visiting of relatives • Some private businesses were allowed

  10. GERMANY • On November 9, 1989, people from both sides began climbing over the wall to see friends and relatives • By 1990, East and West were reunited as Germany • Problems of reunification: • Some unemployment • Polluted: billions needed for clean-up • Housing shortage

  11. Regions of Germany • Mild climate due to the: • North Atlantic Drift • North European Plain • Very fertile soil • Also much manufacturing

  12. NORTH EUROPEAN PLAIN

  13. Ruhr (ROOR) Valley of Germany • Abundance of Coal and iron ore • Coal is actually Lignite • Lignite: Brown coal that pollutes the air • Germany’s Industrial Revolution • Scenic Southern Germany • Bavarian Alps • Skiing, and Hiking

  14. GERMANY TODAY • Leading industrial power in Europe • Problems: • An aging population pulls more tax $$$ than young workers can provide • 100 billion is spent on up-grading East Germany after Communism • Foreign workers needed…violence

  15. NETHERLANDS • People are called DUTCH • 1/5 of the Netherlands was once under the North Sea • Dikes were constructed to hold the water back • The reclaimed land is called a polder • Windmills were once used to pump out the water, now electric pumps

  16. NETHERLANDS • One half of the land is used for agriculture • However, few people in the Netherlands are in agriculture • The cities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam are two of Europe's largest seaports

  17. BELGIUM

  18. Belgium: One Country, two peoples • 30 % of the population are Walloons • Speak French (Official Language) • Better educated • Government speaks only French • 55% are Flemish • Speak Dutch • Less education • Held out of government • Recent changes have made the political system more JUST

  19. LUXEMBOURG

  20. SMALL, BUT RICH • Only 990 square miles • Smaller than Rhode Island • Three Languages: • French • German • Luxembourgish • High-technology and service industries

  21. SWITZERLAND

  22. SWITZERLAND • Three official languages: • German is spoken near the German border • French is spoken near the French border • Italian is spoken near the Italian border

  23. A CONFEDERATION • Confederation: Loose organization of states united for a common good • Switzerland is made up of 26 cantons (state or province) • Politically Neutral: does not take sides in a war. • In 2003, joined NATO

  24. 7. Prosperous Country • Though few natural resources • The Swiss have one of the highest standard of livings in the world • Very specialized economies: • Swiss watches • Swiss knives • Highest precision tools • Banking: safe place to keep millions • Tourism is very important

  25. AUSTRIA

  26. Something OLD/NEW • Early history includes powerful Germanic tribes • By the 1800s, Austria was a major European power • Military defeats throughout the 1800s and 1900s reduced Austria to a small, politically neutral country

  27. SPECIALIZED ECONOMY IN AUSTRIA • Manufacturing of tools • Chemicals • Dairy farming • Some mineral resources: • Iron ore • Aluminum • Copper • Use strip mining

  28. Reach For A Star Production John P. Lukewww.mrluke.net

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