Social Studies 104: Geography (Physical Geography)

EUROPE
Europe is the western peninsula of the giant "supercontinent" of Eurasia. Europe is
divided from Asia by a series of watersheds, including the Ural River and the Caspian and Black
Seas.
MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS IN THE NORTH
1. The Grampian Mountains are one of the three major mountain ranges in Scotland,
occupying a considerable portion of the Scottish Highlands in northern Scotland. The
other major mountain ranges in Scotland are the Northwest Highlands and the Southern
Uplands
2. The Scandinavian Mountains or the Scandes is a mountain range that runs through the
Scandinavian Peninsula. The Scandinavian Mountains are often erroneously thought to
be equivalent to the Scandinavian Caledonides, an ancient mountain range and origen
covering roughly the same area.
3. Ural Mountains – serve as boundary of Europe and Asia.
MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS IN THE SOUTH
1. The Pyrenees mountain range separates the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe,
stretching more than 430km between Spain and France and rising higher than 3,400m in
elevation.
2. The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in
Europe, separating Southern from Central and Western Europe and stretching
approximately 1,200 kilometers across eight Alpine countries: France, Switzerland,
Monaco, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia.
3. The Apennines or Apennine Mountains are a mountain range consisting of parallel
smaller chains extending 1,200 km along the length of peninsular Italy. In the northwest
they join with the Ligurian Alps at Altare. In the southwest they end at Reggio di
Calabria, the coastal city at the tip of the peninsula.
4. Carpathians
5. The Balkan mountain range is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan
Peninsula. The Balkan range runs 557 km from the Vrashka Chuka Peak on the border
between Bulgaria and Serbia eastward through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the
Black Sea.
6. The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain system at the intersection of Europe and Asia.
Stretching between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, it surrounds the eponymous
Caucasus region and is home to Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe. 
THE GREAT EUROPEAN PLAIN
• Largest mountain-free landform in Europe
• Stretches from the Pyrenees in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east
• Extends 2,000 miles
• Successful agricultural area
PENINSULAS
1) Scandinavian Peninsula 5) Balkan Peninsula
2) Jutland 6) Orimean Peninsula
3) Iberian Peninsula
4) Italian Peninsula
MAIN GULF AND BAYS 5) Canary Islands
1) Gulf of Bothnia MEDITERRANEAN ISLANDS
2) Bay of Biscay
1) Cyprus
3) Gulf of Lion
2) Crete
ATLANTIC ISLANDS 3) Malta
4) Sicily
1) Iceland
5) Sardinia
2) British Isles
6) Corsica
3) Azores
7) Balearic Islands
4) Madeira Islands

Europe is a large region, with several major rivers that connect its many countries.
There are five primary rivers in Europe: the Danube, the Volga, the Loire, the Rhine and the
Elbe. Traveling these lengthy waterways on a river cruise is an ideal way to experience several
countries in one trip.

THE EUROPEAN RIVER BASINS

ARCTIC OCEAN RIVER BASIN
1) Pechora in Northwestern
2) Northern Dvina in Arkhangelsk
ATLANTIC OCEAN RIVER BASIN
1) Elbe River in Dresden (Germany)
2) Rhine river in Basel (Germany)
3) Seine river in Paris (France)
4) Loire river in Saumur (France)
MEDITTERANIAN SEA RIVER BASIN
1) Ebro River in La Rioja (Spain)
2) Rhone river in Avignon (France)
3) Tiber river in Rome (Italy)
4) Po river in Turin (Italy)
BLACK SEA RIVER BASIN
1) Don river in Yenets (Russia)
2) Dniester river in Vadul-lui-Voda (Moldova)
3) Danube river in Budapest (Hungary)
4) Dnieper river in Kiev (Ukraine)
CASPEAN SEA RIVER BASIN
1) Volga
EUROPEAN CLIMATE
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the climate
typically of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, and generally features cool
summers (relative to their latitude) and cool but not cold winters. Oceanic climates are defined as
having a monthly mean temperature below 22 °C (72 °F) in the warmest month, and above 0 °C
(32 °F) in the coldest month.
 Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (hot
summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north),
where prevailing winds blow overland. A portion of the annual precipitation falls as snowfall,
and snow often remains on the ground for more than a month. Summers in continental climates
can feature thunderstorms and frequent hot temperatures
Mediterranean climate is found between the 30o and 45o degree latitudes.  This climate
is often found on the western sides of continents. Mediterranean climate is very mild (few
extreme temperatures), so it really on has 2 seasons: summer and winter. Summers are longer
than winter, and the winter is very mild.  Very few places experience snow in a Mediterranean
climate.  The seasonal changes are due to changes in ocean currents and water temperature.
Mediterranean climate is a fairly dry climate. Almost no rain falls during the summer, so most of
the rain falls during the cooler winter.  The summer experiences cold ocean currents that bring
dry air and no precipitation.
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid
summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all
continents, generally between latitudes 25° and 35°.
The polar climate regions are characterized by a lack of warm summers. Every month in
a polar climate has an average temperature of less than 10 °C (50 °F). Regions with polar climate
cover more than 20% of the Earth's area. Most of these regions are far from the equator, and in
this case, winter days are extremely short and summer days are extremely long (or lasting for the
entirety of each season or longer). A polar climate consists of cool summers and very cold
winters, which results in treeless tundra, glaciers, or a permanent or semi-permanent layer of ice.

Solar radiation has a lower intensity in Polar Regions because the angle at which it hits the earth
is not as direct as at the equator. Another effect is that sunlight has to go through more
atmosphere to reach the ground.

Prepared by:
Grace Za F. Falsis