Africa and Europe: relief, hydrography, climate
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
By size and population, Europe is the penultimate continent of the world; only Oceania is smaller. With 10.5 million km2, including its adjacent islands, it covers 2% of the surface of the earth and 6.8 of its total emerged. Its population of 788.9 million represents a little less than 11% of the world population.
Large islands are part of this continent, the largest is Great Britain (218.595 km2) then, the mentioned Iceland ( 101.826 km2) and Ireland (81.638 km2).
t has 49 independent countries, of which the largest and most populated is Russia, and the smallest and least populated is Vatican City, and this is even the least extense state in the world.
It has been said that Europe is "a maximum cultural diversity in a minimum geographical area" is the cradle of Western culture and has had a preponderant role in the world from the sixteenth century when European nations, starting with Spain and Portugal began the colonization of the other continents. Its influence decreased after the two World Wars.
GEOGRAPHY
click to edit
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
click to edit
PHYSICAL REGIONS
Western Uplands : Also known as the Northern Highlands, they trace a curve at the western end of Europe and define the physical landscape of Scandinavia. They are characterized by their hard and ancient rocks that were shaped by glaciation. As the glaciers receded , they left a number of distinct physical features, including an abundance of marshlands, lakes and fjords. A fjord is a long and narrow inlet of the sea that is surrounded by high rugged cliffs. Many of Europe’s fjords are located in Iceland and Scandinavia.
North European Plain: It extends from the south of the United Kingdom towards Russia to the east. It includes parts of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Poland, the Baltic States and Belarus. The climate is suitable for a wide variety of seasonal crops. Most fjords are located in Iceland and Scandinavia.
Central Uplands : It extends from east to west through central Europe and include the western part of France, Belgium, southern Germany, the Czech Republic and parts of northern Switzerland and Austria. This region is sparsely populated, except in the Rhine, Rohne, Elbe and Danube river valleys
o Alpine Mountains : Includes mountain ranges in the Italian and Balkan peninsulas, northern Spain and southern France. The highest peak in Europe
is Mount Elbrus, located in the Caucasus mountains of Russia. The Alpine region also includes active volcanoes such as Mount Etna and Mount Vesuvius in Italy.
