Important Maps of Europe

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Important Maps of Europe
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• This is a map similar to the on found on page 140
  of our textbook. The only difference is the North
  European Plain is called the North Lowland and
  this map does not include Russia.
• Also the dotted area in Spain and Portugal is
  part of the Central Uplands, not Western
  Highlands.

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Political Map of Europe
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Physical Map of Europe
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Russia Land Zones
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Section 2 Climate and Vegetation

• Chapter 6
• Europe and Russia
• Physical Geography

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A Wide Range of Temperatures

• Temperatures throughout Europe vary greatly from
  Spain to Russia
• Climate affects the culture of a place and
  contributes to why cultures are different
  throughout Europe.
• For Example
• Barcelona, Spain (on the Mediterranean Sea) has
  hot and dry summers and the winters are mild and
  rainy.
• Irkutsk, Russia (part of Siberia) has short
  summers and long very cold winters (snow covers
  the ground for 6 months) each year, and
  temperatures drop to 40 degrees below zero.

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A Wide Range of Temperatures

• Oceans affect Climate
• Areas near an ocean or sea have a fairly mild
  weather year round
• Areas that are far from the ocean often have
  extreme weather
• The North Atlantic Current
• The Gulf Stream turns into the North Atlantic
  Current
• It brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to
  Northwestern Europe

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A Wide Range of Temperatures

• With the wind, it brings mild weather to must of
  Northwestern Europe. (London is farther North
  than any US City, but has a mild weather)
• Snow and ice cover Norway's northern section, it
  western coast is free of ice and snow all year
  (goof for fishing).
• Oceans affect climate in other ways
• As winds blow over oceans, they pick up moisture
  and drop it over land in the form of rain.
• Western Europe has fairly wet climate because of
  this idea.
• Mountains affect rainfall
• Areas on the western side of mountains in Europe
  receive heavy rainfall. As winds rise over the
  mountains they release their moisture and go dry.
  It causes a rain shadow on the other side.
• Rain Shadow an area on the dry sheltered side of
  a mountain that receives little rainfall.

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Major Climate Zones

• Marine West Coast Climate
• Found in Northwestern Europe
• Mild all year, but areas are rainy through all
  seasons (London)
• Mediterranean Climate
• Area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea
• Summers are hot and dry, winters are mild and
  rainy
• Humid Continental Climate
• Areas inland had hot summers and long and cold
  winters. They can also have just one extreme
  (Irkutsk, Russia (Cold))

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Vegetation of Europe and Russia

• The natural vegetation is as varied as the
  climate.
• Forests and Grasslands of Europe
• The natural vegetation of Europe is mostly
  forests
• Some have been cleared for farming and factories,
  but there are still large coniferous forests in
  the north.
• Central and southern parts of N. European Plain
  are covered by prairies (a large grassland)
• Today, they have been cleared and are used for
  farming

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Vegetation of Europe and Russia

• The Russian Tundra, Forests, and Grasslands
• Three vegetation zones
• Tundra
• Tundra treeless plain where mosses and grasses
  grow
• Permafrost permanently frozen soil
• If it thaws, growth spurts take place, extends
  across Siberia
• Forests
• Taiga immense expanse of trees in Russia
• 4 million square miles, largest forest in world.
  Goes across Siberia
• Grasslands
• Steppes Russian grassland
• Like our Great Plains, good for farming