Europe and Russia

1. Chapter 1 Physical Geography Europe and Russia

2. 1:1 Land and Water • Objectives: • Learn about the size, location, and population of Europe and Russia. • Examine the major landforms of Europe and Russia. • Find out about the waterways of Europe and Russia.

3. 1:1 Vocabulary • Population density • The average number of people living in a square mile or kilometer • Peninsula • A land area nearly surrounded by water • Plateau • A large raised area of mostly level land bordered on one side by steep cliffs/slopes

4. 1:1 Vocabulary • Tributary • A river or stream that flows into a larger river • Navigable • Wide and deep enough for ships to travel through

5. Size, Location, and Population • Europe and Russia are parts of Eurasia, the world’s largest land mass. • This landmass covers 2 continents: Europe and Asia • Russia is on BOTH continents • The Ural mountains divide Europe from Asia.

6. Size, Location, and Population • Location: much of Europe and all of Russia are farther north than the US. • Population: Europe is the 2nd smallest continent, BUT it has a large number of countries…47! Many countries are the size of US states. The exception is Russia. • Russia is the largest (size) country in the world. It is twice the size of the US. • Population: smaller European countries have a higher population density. Russia has a very small population density (22 people/sq. mile).

7. Major Landforms • Europe forms a peninsula

8. Major Landforms • Look at the map on page 12. What do you notice about natural barriers in Europe? • There are no natural barriers. People in Europe can travel easily to other European countries.

9. Four major land regions • Northwestern Highlands • Steep slopes; thin soil; forests; raise goats and sheep • North European Plain • Productive farmland; largest cities in Europe • Central Uplands • Mountains and plateaus; mining; tourism • Alpine Mountain System • Home to the Alps, the highest mountain range; some small family farming

10. Plains, Uplands, and Mountains of Russia • Moscow and over large Russian cities are located in the North European Plains. • Ural Mountains divide Russia (Europe and Asia). The land east of the Urals is the uplands. • Uplands make up 75% of the land, but only 20% of population live there. • Continue east and you will find the West Siberian Plains – the largest plain in the world. This low, marshy land covers more than 1 million square miles!

11. Waterways • The Rhine River begins in the Alps and runs for 865 miles. Canals and tributaries connect the Rhine to Western Europe. • The Danube River is Europe’s 2nd longest river (1,770 miles) through 9 European countries. • The longest river, the Volga, stretches 2,291 miles through Russia. • Lakes: There are few lakes in Europe. Russia has lots of lakes; the largest freshwater lake is found in Russia. It contains 1/5 of the world’s fresh water supply.

12. 1:1 Review • Which country is located in both Europe and Asia? • Russia • How does the land size of Europe differ from that of Russia? • Europe is small in size, but has more countries • What are the 4 major land regions in Europe? • Northwestern Highlands • North European Plain • Central Uplands • Alpine Mountain System

13. 1:2 Climate and Vegetation • Objectives: • Find out about the wide range of climates in Europe and Russia. • Learn about the major climate regions of Europe and Russia. • Examine the natural vegetation regions of Europe and Russia.

14. 1:2 Vocabulary • Rain shadow • The area on the dry, sheltered side of a mountain, which receives little rainfall • Steppes • The grasslands of fertile soil suitable for farming in Russia • Tundra • A cold, dry, treeless region covered with snow for most of the year • Permafrost • A permanently frozen layer of ground below the top layer of soil

15. A Wide Region of Climates • The wide range of climates can be attributed to the oceans. • Places near the oceans have a milder climate year around. • The North Atlantic Current carries warm water from the tropics to northwestern Europe.

16. Oceans and Climate • The oceans also affect how much moisture is dropped in the form of precipitation. • Winds blowing over the ocean pick up moisture and drop it as rain over land. Winds blowing from the west drop a large amount of rainfall. Western Europe is fairly wet.

17. Mountains and Rainfall • Mountains also affect the climate. • In Europe, areas west of the mountains receive heavy rainfall. Thus, Western Europe is very wet. • Why? • As winds rise up the mountains, they cool and drop their moisture. By the time the air reaches the other side, it is dry. The eastern side of a mountain is typically drier.

18. Major Climate Regions • Turn to page 9 of your text book… • How many different climate regions does Europe and Russia have? • 8 • Which climate region is named after a major body of water? • Mediterranean • How do you think this climate differs from that of Northern Europe and Russia? • It is probably warmer because it is near the equator.

19. Natural Vegetation • Vegetation regions in Europe and Russia vary from ice cap to desert. Look at the map on page 21… • What is the major kind of vegetation dominates most of Europe? • Deciduous forest

20. Vegetation Regions • Grasslands: • Major vegetation region in Europe and Russia • Most of the grasslands today are used for farming • In Russia the grasslands are called steppes. • These steppes are similar to the Great Plains in the US.

21. Vegetation Regions • Mediterranean: • A mix of trees, scrub, and smaller plants (usually less than 8 feet tall). • Tundra: • Winters last 9 months • Vegetation made up of grasses, mosses, and other plants that bloom only in the warmer months.

22. 1:2 Review • How do oceans affect the climate? • Areas near the ocean are mild in climate • How does the North Atlantic Current affect northern Europe? • It carries warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to northwestern Europe and warms the winds that blow from the west.

23. 1:2 Review • What are the natural vegetation regions of Europe and Russia? • Forest, grassland, tundra, and Mediterranean • How are vegetation regions and climate regions related? • Climate affects the types of vegetation that can grow in an area. • What geographic features might make a person decide to like in Europe rather than in Russia? • Warmer, milder climate

24. 1:3 Resources and Land Use • Objectives: • Learn about the natural resources of Western Europe. • Find out about the natural resources of Eastern Europe. • Examine Russia’s natural resources.

25. 1:3 Vocabulary • Loess • A type of rich, dustlike soil • Hydroelectric power • The power generated by water-driven turbines • Fossil fuel • A source of energy that forms from the remains of ancient plants and animals

26. Resources of Western Europe • Western Europe is a wealthy region • This is partly due to the fact that Western Europe has many resources. • Those resources include: rich soil, water, and fuel

27. Resources of Western Europe • Fertile soil • Loess, moderate temperatures, and rainfall make great farmlands. • Abundant water • Not only for drinking and crops. Water is used to produce energy in many European countries. • Fuel • Include fossil fuels like natural gas, coal, and oil

28. Resources of Eastern Europe • Many of the same resource found in Western Europe can also be found in Eastern Europe. • Fossil fuels • Rich soil • Hydroelectric power

29. Russia’s Resources • Russia has a larger amount of natural resources compared to the US. • Russia’s harsh climate, huge size, and un-navigable rivers are some of the reasons it has not been able to utilize its resources to make the country rich. • Russia is also not well suited for farming.

30. Russia’s Resources • Fossil Fuels • Russia has the largest reserves of natural gas • In the top 5 of world’s leading oil producers • Estimated that Russia has 1/3 of the world’s coal reserves • Russia also has a large reserve of iron ore used to produce steel.

31. Russia’s Resources • Forest, Fishing, and Energy Resources • Largest reserve of forests • Wood used to make paper, furniture, pulp, etc • Fishing is also a huge resource • Russia uses many of its fossil fuels to produce energy. • One of the world's largest producers of electricity

32. Russia’s Resources • Russia’s Challenges • Most of the oil, natural gas, and coal are located in Siberia • Siberia is known for its brutal climate and isolation • Russia is so big that it is hard to transport goods • The rivers in Russia are either not navigable or flow in the wrong direction. • Pollution and protecting the environment

33. 1:3 Review • Name Western Europe’s major natural resources. • Fertile soil • Water • Fuel • How is water used as a natural resources in Western Europe? • Drinking, watering crops, power

34. 1:3 Review • How do Western Europe and Russia differ in their use of natural resources? • Western Europe has developed its resources to become an important industrial region, while Russia has not been able to fully develop its resources • Why is Russia not as wealthy as Western Europe? • Russia has not been able to use its resources to earn money due to its size, the location of the resources, and the climate