Geography and types of tourism in the countries of southern Europe. The economy of the countries of southern Europe Characteristics of the countries of southern Europe briefly

Economic and geographical position of Southern Europe

Southern Europe is very elongated along the parallel - for a distance exceeding 4000 km and compressed by the meridian, barely exceeding 1000 km. The main communications with the outside world for most of them are carried out by sea.

Although the macroregion is not territorially compact, it is quite homogeneous in terms of morphostructural and climatic features.

Figure 2 - Mountain systems of Southern Europe

Southern Europe is the most mountainous among the European macro-regions (Figure 2).

There are three physical-geographical regions: the Pyrenees, the Apennines, the Balkans.

The Iberian Peninsula is located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and is influenced by both of these basins. It forms the westernmost, Atlantic outpost of the Mediterranean. The peninsula is located close to Africa, from which it separated geologically recently, isolated from the rest of Europe by the wall of the Pyrenees. It is more massive than other Mediterranean peninsulas; its outlines, formed by fault lines, are almost rectilinear; the surface structure is dominated by plateaus and blocky mountains with small areas of lowlands.

The basis of the Iberian Peninsula is the Meset massif, composed of crystalline rocks and bordered from the north and south by mountain structures of the Alpine orogenic belt. From the side of the Atlantic Ocean, the peninsula is limited by a fault system, which is characterized by strong seismicity.

Meseta is characterized by a combination of plains with blocky mountains. Its inner parts, where the folded base is covered by strata of sedimentary rocks and the heights are 500-800 m, form the plateau of Old (in the north) and New (in the south) Castile. On their outskirts rise folded-block ridges, massifs and plateaus, composed of crystalline (Cantabrian, Iberian mountains) and limestone rocks (Central Cordillera, Catalan and Toledo mountains). The highest height (up to 2600 m) and the complexity of the structure reaches the Central Cordillera, which separates the plateaus of Old and New Castile from each other. In the south and southeast rise the folded ranges of the Cordillera Betica, or Andalusian mountains.

The Pyrenees serve as an important physical and geographical boundary between the Mediterranean and Central Europe. This mountain system, in terms of average height, is the second in Europe after the Alps, although its highest peaks are significantly inferior to the highest parts of the Alps. Yielding to the Alps in height, the Pyrenees are much less dissected and inconvenient to cross. The highest is the middle part of the mountains, composed of crystalline rocks. Peak Aneto in the Maladeta massif reaches a height of 3404 m. A significant role in the formation of the relief of this part of the Pyrenees belongs to the ancient glaciation, during which the highest parts of the mountains were covered with glaciers that left behind giant cirques. Sharp, impregnable peaks, steep slopes and wild gorges are characteristic of the highest part of the Pyrenees, which is almost devoid of passes, there are no railways or highways. To the west and east the mountains gradually decrease. Their outlying parts are not composed of crystalline rocks, but limestone and loose deposits, crossed by mountain passes, along which railways and highways are laid, connecting Spain with France. However, there are relatively few through routes through the Pyrenees. The first railway through these mountains was built only in 1915.

In the west, the Pyrenees merge with the Cantabrian Mountains, the eastern part of which - the Biscay Mountains - orographically, tectonically and geologically serves as a continuation of the Pyrenees. West Side The Cantabrian Mountains - The Asturian Mountains (over 2500 m) are composed of more ancient rocks, have a great height, the relief is distinguished by sharp forms. The northern slope facing the Bay of Biscay is especially steep and strongly dissected. It is traversed by narrow, gorge-like valleys, through which turbulent streams rush down.

The southern mountain system of the Iberian Peninsula (Andalusian Mountains) is close to the Alps. It begins above the Strait of Gibraltar with a high rock and stretches to the northeast. The continuation of the Andalusian mountains can be traced in the form of low rises in the Balearic Islands. Probably, in the past, this mountain system merges with the northern Apennines and the Alps.

The Andalusian mountains consist of two zones, different in relief and geological structure. The southern crystalline zone is higher. Its array - the Sierra Nevada (Snowy Mountains) - reaches 3482 m (Mount Mulasen). On the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, snowfields remain for almost the entire summer and there is a small cirque glacier, the southernmost in Europe. Traces of Quaternary glaciation and strong erosional dissection create features of a typical high-mountain relief in many parts of the crystalline zone. A longitudinal tectonic basin separates from the crystalline outer limestone zone with a wide development karst relief. In deep tectonic basins, a dense population is concentrated and agriculture is developed. On the Mediterranean side, the Andalusian mountain system is girded by the hilly, cultivated and densely populated Andalusian Riviera.

The lowlands encircle the peninsula also in the west, southwest and southeast. Between the Meseta and the Andalusian mountains in the Guadalquivir river basin is the Andalusian lowland, in the west at the foot of the Meseta - the Portuguese, in the southeast - the Murcia and Valencia. The flat, dune-girdled shores of these lowlands are interrupted by deep lagoons protruding into the land, in which the major port cities of Spain and Portugal are located. In the southwest of Spain it is Cadiz, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean - the capital of Portugal, Lisbon.

The Apennine region includes the Apennine Peninsula, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, etc.

The Alpine tectonic structures of the Apennines in the extreme south merge with the Hercynian structures of the Calabria Peninsula. This combination is also characteristic of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.

The ancient Paleozoic massif of Tyrrenida sank in the Neogene and Quaternary, forming the Tyrrhenian Sea and islands. This was accompanied by volcanic activity, which does not fade even now: Vesuvius, Etna, Stromboli.

In the relief, a large role is played by water erosion. Quaternary glaciation in the mountains was limited.

The basis of the relief is the Apennine mountain system, which crosses the Apennine Peninsula along its entire length and passes to the island of Sicily. In the north, the Apennines merge with the Maritime Alps. There is no clearly defined border between these two mountain systems, and in tectonic terms, the Northern Apennines are a direct continuation of the Alps. In the west and east, between the mountains and the seashore, there are strips of flat or hilly relief, which are not related in structure to the Apennines.

In the north, the Apennines stretch along the coast of the Gulf of Genoa, limiting the Padan plain from the south. The narrow strip between the mountains and the sea is called the Riviera: French - in the west, Italian - in the east. Within the peninsula, the Apennines deviate to the southeast and retreat quite far from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Up to the upper reaches of the Arno River, the mountains are called the Northern Apennines. In this part, they are composed of Paleogene, mostly loose rocks and rarely exceed 2000 m. The predominance of clay deposits in the structure of the Northern Apennines creates conditions for the development of landslide phenomena, which are intensified due to the destruction of forests. Many settlements in the Northern Apennines are located in deep tectonic basins. The ancient city of Florence is located in one of these basins.

To the south, the Central Apennines are composed of Mesozoic limestones and break up into high massifs, separated by deep basins and tectonic valleys. The slopes of the massifs are mostly steep and bare. The highest parts of the mountains experienced glaciation, and glacial forms are clearly expressed in their relief. The highest peak of the Apennines - Mount Corno Grande in the Gran Sasso d'Italia massif - reaches 2914 m and is a typical carling with a sharply defined peak and steep slopes. The extermination of forests contributed to a very strong development of karst formation processes in the Central Apennines.

In the very south of the Apennines, they come very close to the Tyrrhenian coast and in some places cut off directly to the sea. Orographically, the Apennines continue on the Calabrian Peninsula under the name of the Calabrian Apennines. But the mountains of Calabria have a different age and a different structure than the rest of the Apennines. This is a dome-shaped massif composed of crystalline rocks, leveled and uplifted by faults. Obviously, it is part of an older structural complex that existed on the site of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and experienced faults and subsidence in the Neogene.

The coastal strips of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas on the Apennine Peninsula have a different structure and relief. The strip along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea reaches its greatest width in the north, where, among a low hilly plain, separate crystalline massifs rise - part of the same ancient land as the mountains of Calabria. Further south, ancient and young volcanic formations begin to play an important role in the structure and relief of the Predapennines. There rises a number of extinct volcanoes and stretches plains composed of volcanic rocks and dissected by rivers. On a hilly volcanic plain stands the capital of Italy, Rome. There are many hot springs in the area. Even further south, near Naples, rises the double cone of Vesuvius, one of the most active volcanoes in Europe. The vast areas around Vesuvius are covered with lava that erupted during numerous eruptions, and covered with masses of volcanic ash. The strongest volcanic eruption at the beginning of our era led to the death of three cities: Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia, located at its foot. As a result of excavations that began back in the 19th century, Pompeii was partially freed from under the thickness of volcanic rocks and turned into a museum-reserve, widely known throughout the world.

From the side of the Adriatic Sea, at the foot of the Apennines, there is an elevated hilly strip, which is called the Subapennines. In the southern part of the Subapennina, they pass into a karst limestone plateau up to 1000 m high, which stretches from the Gargano Peninsula to the Salentina Peninsula.

The island of Sicily is almost entirely occupied by mountains, which are a tectonic continuation of the Apennines. Low-lying areas are only along the coasts. In the east of the island rises the highest and most active volcano in Europe - Etna, reaching 3340 m in height. Etna is not only the highest volcano in Europe, but also one of the most active active volcanoes on Earth. Its eruptions occurred over a long period of time with intervals of 3-5 years, more than 100 of them were strong and prolonged, claiming many human lives.

To the north of Sicily, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, is a group of volcanic Aeolian Islands, some of them permanently active volcanoes. The wide distribution of volcanism in this part of the region is associated with the lines of recent faults, along which the land that formerly occupied the Tyrrhenian Sea subsided. The sinking also caused the formation of the Straits of Messina and Tunnis and the separation of Europe from North Africa.

The islands of Corsica and Sardinia were connected with the rest of the land even in the Neogene. Both islands are mountainous, especially Corsica, whose mountains reach a height of 2700 m and are composed of crystalline rocks.

At the base of the Balkan Peninsula is the ancient Hercynian Thracian-Macedonian massif, a fragment of the Aegean, which sank in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. From ancient land there are islands in the Aegean Sea. Alpine folds in the west and north. The surface of the region is mountainous, the plains occupy small spaces. In morphostructural terms, alpine formations are distinguished (in the west and south - the Dinaric Highlands, the North Albanian Alps (Prokletie), Pindus, Epirus, the mountains of Crete) and Hercynian in the Thracian-Macedonian massif (Pirin, Rila, Rhodopes, Olympus, West Macedonian mountains ).

In the west - the Dinaric Highlands. It has two structural and morphological belts: the western one - plateau-like from Mesozoic limestones and the development of karst processes, and the eastern one - with alternation of Paleozoic and Mesozoic sandstones, shales, limestones and crystalline rocks. Max. the height in the southeastern part is the Durmitor massif, 2522 m. On the mountain plateaus there are numerous karst fields up to 60 km long, at the bottom of their lacustrine sediments and clay deposits (terra rossa). Other karst forms are widespread: karr fields, funnels, caves. This relief is best expressed on the Karst plateau - a classic example. Towards the Adriatic, the mountains drop steeply. Along the coast of the island there are ridges parallel to the coast (Dolmatian type). The coast is ingressive in nature and shows signs of recent subsidence and flooding.

To the south of Lake Skadar is the Albanian lowland with numerous hills from 50 to 400 m. Strong swamping.

In the east of the Dinaric Highlands - the complexly built mountainous regions of Shumadia, Macedonia, the northeast of the Peloponnese and the island of Euboea - Paleozoic sandstones, shales, and crystalline rocks predominate. Karst processes are poorly developed. Domed peaks, gentle slopes.

Middle Thracian-Macedonian massif of Hercynian age from block uplifts and tectonic depressions. Most high education- Rila mountains (highest point 2925 m), Rhodopes, Pirin, Osogovska-Planina, Shar-Planina. The mountains are separated by tectonic basins and fault zones, the large ones have a meridional strike with the valleys of the rivers Vardar, Struma, Morava.

A continuation of the Dinaric Highlands - the Pindus Mountains (Zmolikas, 2637 m) stretch from north to south for 200 km - from limestone and flysch. The ridges are dissected by deep river valleys. Even further to the southeast are isolated mountain ranges limited by faults (Olympus, 2917 m; Parnassus, 2457 m).

The Peloponnese peninsula is strongly dissected, in the center of the Sparta plateau. Connected to the rest of Greece by the Corinth Canal (length 6.3 km, built in 1897).

In the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula, the plains are Thessalian, Upper Thracian, Lower Thracian, Thessaloniki.

Upper and Lower Thracian are located in the trough zone. The first of lacustrine and river sediments, with a flat surface with residual mounds of outcrops of crystalline rocks.

Lower Thracian from Neogene marine sandy-argillaceous sediments. farming centers.

In the west and north there are folds of Alpine age, at the base of the peninsula - the ancient Hercynian Thracian-Macedonian massif - a fragment of the Aegean. In the west of the Dinaric Highlands, there are thick strata of Mesozoic limestones - a wide distribution of karst forms: karst fields, funnels, depressions, caves, underground rivers, fields. The Karst Plateau is an area of ​​classically pronounced karst landforms.

The mountains and the peninsular position played a big role in the transport system of Southern Europe. Maritime transport plays an important role in international and domestic transportation. All countries have a large merchant fleet, part of which is leased. The charter of sea vessels is especially developed in Greece. Air transport is developing intensively, carrying out both domestic and international passenger transportation. All the largest settlements of the region are interconnected by roads and railways. Through the tunnels built in the mountains, communications with the continental regions of Europe are carried out.

The formation of the industrial structure was affected by the almost complete absence of oil and natural gas in the region - the most important sources of energy and raw materials. Mineral fuels are supplied from the countries of Northern Europe, Russia, North Africa and the Middle East. As a result, the placement of industry is characterized by an attraction to the sea coasts. Most of the enterprises of the oil refining and petrochemical industries, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, and light industry are concentrated here. The bulk of electricity is produced at thermal power plants running on fuel oil and natural gas.

In Spain, 25% of electricity is produced by nuclear power plants. In conditions of shortage of mineral fuel, the use of renewable energy sources is relevant. In Italy and Spain, the role of hydropower is great. Numerous hydroelectric power plants, providing cheap energy, are built on mountain rivers in the Alps and the Pyrenees. The increasing development of the economy of the countries of Southern Europe, receives the use of solar energy.

In the port cities of Italy, Spain, Greece, where imported oil is delivered, a powerful oil refining and petrochemical industry has been formed. Ferrous metallurgy also depends on imported raw materials. Large deposits of coal and iron ore are only in Spain, but their reserves are significantly depleted. Therefore, enterprises for the production of ferrous metals are also concentrated in port centers. Electrometallurgy prevails, as a result, the steel produced in these countries is of high quality.

Leading industry in major countries ah of the region is engineering. Its basis is the production of vehicles - cars and trucks, marine vessels. Recently, electronics and electrical engineering, instrumentation has been developing at a high pace. The brands of Italian refrigerators and washing machines, computers of the Olivetti company are world famous. In Italy, machine tool building has reached a high level.

Traditionally important role in the economic development of the economies of the countries of southern Europe, light and food industries play. The countries are major producers of cotton and woolen fabrics, knitwear, clothing and footwear, furniture, and jewelry. The food industry specializes in the production of pasta, olive oil, grape wines, vegetable and fruit preserves, juices.

Rich reserves of various building stone and raw materials for the cement industry contribute to the development of production. A significant part of the products (facing tiles, marble, cement) is exported.

A feature of agriculture in the countries of Southern Europe is the predominance of crop production over animal husbandry. The reason for this sectoral structure lies in natural conditions. The warm Mediterranean climate, combined with artificial irrigation, makes it possible to grow the world's most diverse range of agricultural plants. And the presence of a vast European market in the neighborhood contributes to the production of subtropical crops in large volumes. The disadvantage is the limited land suitable for the day of agriculture. The use of mountain slopes for agriculture is possible only with the help of terracing, which has been common in the Mediterranean countries for a long time. The most characteristic crops of the region are olives and grapes. A variety of vegetables and fruits are grown everywhere. Tomatoes stand out among vegetables, peaches, apricots, and cherries stand out among fruits. Most of the typical subtropical crops - figs, citrus - are exported. Cereals (wheat, barley, rice), legumes and gourds are produced for own needs. From industrial crops highest value have sugar beet, tobacco and cotton.

The development of animal husbandry has always been hampered by the lack of a forage base. IN last years, unable to withstand the competition of highly specialized farms in Western and Northern Europe, livestock production is declining. All the main branches of animal husbandry are represented in the region: breeding of large and small (sheep, goats) cattle, pigs, birds. Sheep are bred everywhere on natural pastures. Depending on the season, the herds are moved. Stable animal husbandry is combined with agriculture and is characteristic of the fertile lowlands, primarily of the Podan Plain in Italy. Here, as well as in the suburban areas of large cities, dairy farming, pig breeding and poultry farming are concentrated. Seafood plays an important role in the diet of the inhabitants of the region.

The development of the service sector is aimed at serving numerous foreign tourists. More than 180 million tourists from all over the world visit the countries of Southern Europe every year. They are attracted by favorable climate, warm sea combined with mountainous terrain, unique architectural ensembles of cities, high level of service in numerous hotels and restaurants. Mountain resorts are very popular. The traditional place of pilgrimage for believers is the Vatican. Annual income from foreign tourism in each of the major countries in the region is tens of billions of dollars.

In terms of population, Southern Europe, with about 180 million people, is the second largest region in Europe (after of Eastern Europe) and by population. Among the southern European countries, three countries stand out with the largest population: Italy (57.2 million people), Spain (39.6 million people) and Romania (22.4 million people), which account for two-thirds of the population, or 66.3% of the total number of residents in the region.

In terms of population density (106.0 individuals / km 2), Southern Europe exceeds the European average by 74%, but is inferior among the inner European regions to industrialized Western Europe, where the population density is 173 individuals / km 2.

Among individual countries, the industrially developed Italy (190 individuals / km 2), Albania (119.0 individuals / km 2) stands out with the highest population density. Less dense are such countries of the Balkan Peninsula as Croatia (85.3 individuals / km 2), Bosnia and Herzegovina (86.5 individuals / km 2), Macedonia (80.2 individuals / km 2) and Spain (77.5 individuals /km 2). Thus, the center of Southern Europe - the Apennine Peninsula is the most densely populated, in particular the fertile Padana Plain and most of the coastal lowlands. The least densely populated are the highlands of Spain, where there are less than 10 people per km2.

In the South European macro-region, the birth rate is almost the same as in the Western European macro-region - 11 children per 1,000 inhabitants. Among individual countries, Albania occupies the first place in this indicator, where the birth rate reaches 23 people per 1 thousand inhabitants per year, and the natural increase is 18 people. On the second - Macedonia, where these figures are 16 and 8, respectively, and on the third - fourth - Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In industrial developed countries ah southern Europe, the birth rate is much lower. So, in Italy - 9% with a negative growth (-1), in Slovenia - 10 people with zero natural growth.

Southern Europe is the least urbanized on the European continent. Here, 56.1% of the population lives in cities. largest cities Athens (3662 thousand), Madrid (3030), Rome (2791), Belgrade, Zaragoza, Milan, Naples, Bucharest and others. Most of the southern cities were founded a very long time ago, back in the pre-Christian era. In many of them, monuments of the ancient period and later eras (Rome, Athens and dozens of other equally famous southern cities) have been preserved.

Southern Europe is quite racially homogeneous. The population of the region belongs to the Mediterranean or southern branch of the Caucasian large race (white). Her characteristic features are small stature, dark wavy hair and brown eyes. Almost the entire population of southern Europe speaks the languages ​​of the Indo-European language family. The population of Italy, Spain, Romania, Portugal belongs to the Romanesque peoples who speak languages ​​that are formed from ancient Latin. In the high Alpine regions of Italy live Ladino, Friuli, who speak Romansh, in Spain - Catalans and Galicians. Portugal is settled by the Portuguese. Southern Slavs live on the Balkan Peninsula. These include Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Slovenes and Macedonians. The South Slavic peoples belong to the Mediterranean race. In addition to the Slavs, Albanians and Greeks live here. The language and culture of the Albanians is strongly influenced by the South Slavic influence. Ethnic Greeks are the descendants of the ancient Greeks - Hellenes, who were strongly influenced by the Slavs. The anthropological type of modern Greeks differs from the ancient Greek, speech has changed.

Figure 3 - National composition Southern Europe

Of the non-Roman peoples, the Basques live on the Iberian Peninsula and inhabit a small area of ​​northern Spain. These are the descendants of the Iberians - an ancient population who have preserved their language and cultural elements. Most of the population of Romania are Romanians, who formed into a single nation from two close peoples - the Vlachs and the Moldavians.

Thus, the economic and geographical position of Southern Europe is characterized by the following features:

1) the proximity of the region to North Africa. This neighborhood has a decisive influence not only natural features, but also the ethnogenesis of the peoples living here;

2) proximity to the countries of Southwest Asia, rich fuel and energy resources, which are lacking in Southern Europe;

3) the wide extent of maritime borders with the Atlantic Ocean, with the seas of the Mediterranean basin, in particular the Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Aegean, as well as the western part of the Black Sea, has influenced and is affecting the economic activity and beneficial economic relations of the North European countries with all continents of the world in many ways;

4) The Mediterranean is an ancient region of human civilization, it is also called the "cradle of European civilization", because Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome had a decisive influence on the historical fate of neighboring countries and all of Europe.

In most countries of Southern Europe, the mining industry, agriculture, mountain pasture animal husbandry, the production of machinery and instruments, fabrics, leather, the cultivation of grapes and citrus fruits are widespread. Tourism is very common. The main branch of specialization, in addition to international tourism, is agriculture, in particular, this area is rich in grapes, olives, quite high rates in the cultivation of cereals and legumes, as well as vegetables and fruits. Despite the predominance of agriculture, there are also industrial zones, in particular, the cities of Genoa, Turin and. It should be noted that they are located mainly in the north, closer to the countries Western Europe.

The article contains geographical characteristics region. Talks about economic features countries of southern Europe. Contains interesting historical facts.

Briefly about the countries of Southern Europe

Southern Europe is the cradle of the greatest ancient civilizations, as well as the birthplace of the championing of Christianity throughout Europe. This region has produced the world's greatest explorers and conquerors. Southern Europe has a grandiose history. Evidence of this can be architectural structures and monuments of art.

The region's economy is based on:

• mining industry;
• animal husbandry;
• agriculture;
• the manufacture of machines and devices;
• skin;
• textiles;
• cultivation of agricultural and horticultural crops.

The main branch of specialization is agriculture. In addition, tourism infrastructure is actively developed in Southern Europe.

Rice. 1. San Marino.

The largest industrial centers are located in the northern regions of the region.

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Rice. 2. Italy on the map.

The region also includes a state formation - the Order of Malta, the current territory of which is only one mansion in Rome and a residence in Malta.

On the territory of the region, as a rule, the climate of subtropical Mediterranean orientation prevails.

List of Southern European countries and their capitals

Southern Europe - region the globe, which is localized in southern European latitudes.

Rice. 3. Maltese representation in Rome.

The states that make up the content of the region are located for the most part on the Mediterranean coast.

Belgrade received city status in the 2nd century. This happened during the existence of the Roman Empire. Around the year 520, Slavic people began to inhabit the city.

The total population is close to 160 million people.

States of Southern Europe and their capitals:

• Albania - Tirana;
• Greece - Athens;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sarajevo;
• Vatican - Vatican;
• Italy Rome;
• Spain Madrid;
• Macedonia - Skopje;
• Malta - Valletta;
• San Marino - San Marino;
• Portugal - Lisbon;
• Slovenia - Ljubljana;
• Serbia - Belgrade;
• Croatia - Zagreb;
• Montenegro - Podgorica.

The geographical specificity of the countries of Southern Europe, which are located on the peninsular and island areas of the Mediterranean, is that they are located on the main sea routes from Europe to Asia, Africa, and Australia. All states of the region are historically and economically closely connected with the sea.

What have we learned?

We found out which of the states that make up the region is the smallest, as well as which countries are included in Southern Europe. We learned the reason for the economic stability of some states of Southern Europe. Get an idea of ​​the geographic location of the region.

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There are different classifications for dividing countries into regions. There are geographic ones, there is a UN classifier, there are copyright ones. Therefore, there is no doubt only that Southern Europe is the one by the Mediterranean Sea, because this sea washes precisely the south of Europe. We will include in Southern Europe:

• Andorra, southern Spain and Portugal
• Monaco,
• states located on the Apennine Peninsula (Italy, Vatican, San Marino),
• Greece
• island states of Malta and Cyprus.

Sometimes Southern Europe also includes Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the southern regions of Ukraine and the European part of Turkey. But if memory serves, we have already entered them into.

important peculiarity of the situation of the countries of Southern Europe, which are located on the peninsulas and islands of the Mediterranean Sea, is that they are located on the main sea routes from Europe to Asia, Africa and Australia, and Spain and Portugal are also ports on the way to America. All these countries, their history and economy are closely connected with the sea.

Equally important is the fact that the region is located between the rest of Europe and the countries of North Africa. Although the relations of the countries are carried out through the sea, these relations are multilateral and centuries-old. There were times when immigrants from Africa claimed leadership in this region, then vice versa - the north of Africa became colonies of Portugal, Italy and Spain. And Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, led by Great Britain, i.e. still a colony (to put it bluntly).

The relief of the region is an alternation of lowlands, hilly ridges and individual mountain ranges up to 1000 m high.

Southern Europe. Climate

Southern Europe is a region dominated by a subtropical climate. The coast is dry and hot, especially in summer. Vegetation on the coast is practically absent, bare land and rocks. The waters of the Mediterranean Sea will delight you with pleasant temperatures starting from May. The average temperature in summer is about +24 °C, in winter it is quite cool - about +8C. Rainfall is about 1000-1500 mm per year.

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Inland waters

Southern Europe has a mountainous relief and a subtropical climate with dry summers, which form the peculiar conditions for the formation of a river network. Rivers are generally steep and shallow. On many of them, especially on the Iberian Peninsula, there are rapids in the lower reaches. The amount of water in the rivers fluctuates greatly throughout the year. In winter, during the rains, the rivers are quite muddy due to suspension from the banks and the bottom of the channel. In summer, the rivers become shallow, and some in the south of Italy and Greece dry up completely in the summer.

Flora and fauna

Even the names themselves are unusual: strawberry trees, holm oaks, myrtles, olives, grapes, citrus fruits, magnolia, cypresses, chestnuts, junipers. Animal world roe deer, servals, markhors, foxes, monitor lizards, wolves, badgers, raccoons. But the places where it all grows or runs to look for more - as it was written above, especially on the coast, the area is deserted from vegetation.

Population and economic activity

Traditionally, Southern Europe has a high birth rate, but the natural population growth is low. Peoples: Spaniards, Italians, Portuguese, Greeks. Population density, from 10 or more people per km² (someone wrote that this is a high density!?). The predominant religion is Catholicism.

Table 4 - Nordic countries

Northern Europe has a favorable economic and geographical position, which is determined by the following traits : demarcation of the countries of the region into Western and Eastern Europe; access to the seas of the Atlantic Ocean: the Baltic, Northern, Norwegian and two seas of the Arctic Ocean - Greenland and Barents; location at the intersection of important sea and air routes from Europe to North America; land proximity to Russia, which offers the prospect of close contacts and a huge sales market, as well as maritime proximity to the Baltic countries, influence their political and economic situation; neighborhood on the southern borders with highly developed EU countries (three countries of the region - Denmark, Sweden and Finland - are members of the EU).

There are many similarities in the historical development, geographical location, language and culture of the peoples of the Nordic countries. All countries are members UN: Denmark, Iceland, Norway - members of NATO; Sweden since 1814 foreign policy adheres to the principle of non-participation (neutrality) in military-political blocs and military conflicts.

Natural conditions and resources. most characteristic feature geographical location Nordic countries is their location near the sea, which greatly influenced both the nature and the economy of the region. Most of Finnoscandinavia (the area that covers the Scandinavian Peninsula and Finland) is located within the Baltic Shield, so fuel minerals there is no. Stocks oil on the shelf of the North Sea (Norwegian sector) - 1.2 billion tons, natural gas - 1995 billion m 3. Finland has significant peat reserves (25 million tons). Sweden belongs to the most wealthy raw uranium countries in Europe. The crystalline rocks of the Baltic Shield are rich in iron ore with iron content from 25 to 40% (Sweden), copper and lead (Finland).

Mountain rivers are the source hydropower resources . The countries of the region are sufficiently provided with fresh water. The great wealth that is called "green gold" here is Forest. Natural and recreational resources very peculiar, especially in Iceland - a country of geysers and active volcanoes, located near the Arctic Circle. Features of the natural resource potential of the Nordic countries led to the development of industries in them international specialization, in particular related to the use of marine (shipbuilding, fish processing), forestry (timber processing, pulp and paper industry), mineral resources (fuel and energy, metallurgical industries).

Population.

By peculiarities of population reproduction countries of the region belong to the 1st type. Growth rate of the population are positive, but minimal: from 0.2% (in Denmark) and 0.3% (in Finland) to 1.1% (in Iceland). The region has one of the highest in the world life expectancy : in Sweden - 73 years (men) and 79 years (women), in Iceland - 76 years (men) and 81 years (women). The proportion of children in total strength population (19%), increasing - the elderly (16%). In terms of number, women predominate over men (51 and 49%, respectively). The peoples of northern Europe mostly belong to the northern group of the big caucasian race . In the north of Scandinavia, in Lapland, the Saami live, who are classified as transitional. laponoid race, which absorbed elements of the Caucasoid and Mongoloid races.

Ethnic composition largely homogeneous. The inhabitants of the region belong to two large language families - Indo-European and Uralic. By religious signs all countries belong to the Protestant branch of Christianity, dominated by Lutheranism. Traditionally, religion has a significant impact on social and political life, since the countries of Northern Europe belong to the clerical, and only citizens of the Protestant faith are entitled to hold public positions in them.

Population placement extremely uneven, which is primarily due to the natural conditions of the region. The average population density is the lowest in Europe - from 10 to 5 people / km 2. Northern Europe - urbanized region , the proportion of the urban population ranges from 63% in Finland to 92% in Iceland. Human Resources make up over 13 million people. The labor resources of the Nordic countries are traditionally characterized by a high level of education and vocational training. Accordingly, the cost of labor is quite high.

Features of economic development and general characteristics of the economy.

The Nordic countries are one of the most economically developed in the world. They formed a special model of social economic development (“general welfare society”, the so-called “Scandinavian socialism”), defined by the following traits : high standard of living, lack of sharp contrasts between rich and poor; a significant level of taxes (55% of profits); the average housing area is 400 m 2, Sweden ranks 1st in the world in terms of housing per capita (445 apartments for every 1000 people); 504 cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2 cars per family), up to 500 televisions and 681 telephones; high social security: officially the duration of the working week is 40 hours, in practice the average is 37 hours, paid leave is 5 weeks, expenses for children under 16 are paid, loans are provided for apartments.

Highly developed healthcare system: there are an average of 25 doctors per 10,000 people. Low unemployment, which averages 5.3% in the region. The countries of Northern Europe account for about 1% of the population and 3% of the GDP and industrial output of developed countries, but in terms of GDP per capita, they belong to the 15 most developed countries in the world. All countries in the region have a positive increase in production (from 4.8% per year in Finland to 0.7% in Norway) and insignificant indicators of average annual inflation. The Scandinavian countries have a very high standard of living.

With a relatively small population, the Nordic countries are characterized by a high level of industrial development and intensive agriculture. The sectoral structure of their national economies is fully in line with modern structure economies of other highly developed countries (the share of agriculture and mining in the structure of GNP is from 2 to 4%, only in Iceland it reaches 15% due to the intensive development of fishing and sheep breeding); manufacturing and construction on average for the region account for 28% of GNP; the service sector - 67%, since a shift took place in the structure of the GNP of the Nordic countries, similar to structural changes in the world economy in general: the share of the service sector in the GNP increased, the share of agriculture decreased, and the importance of the latest high-tech industries increased. Share of R&D spending in structure of GDP is constantly increasing and amounts to 3.3% in Sweden, 2.4% in Finland, 1.8% in Denmark and Norway, and 1.4% in Iceland. Sweden has become the world leader in recent years in terms of the share of R&D spending in GDP, ahead of the US (2.5%) and Japan (2.7%), while Finland ranked fifth.

IN MGRT countries of the region represented by individual sectors of the fuel and energy complex (oil and hydropower), non-ferrous metallurgy; aluminum, copper, mechanical engineering (production of ships, automobiles, electrical products and communications), a highly developed timber industry complex (production of lumber, pulp, paper), food industries (fish processing, meat processing, dairy and butter and cheese).

IN agriculture Intensive animal husbandry predominates (dairy and beef cattle breeding and pig breeding). In areas located beyond the Arctic Circle, reindeer are bred, and in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, sheep. Agriculture (mainly in the southern regions of the region) is represented by fodder crops; potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, barley and rye are grown. Fishing and maritime merchant shipping have long been of great importance in the life of countries.

Industry.

The countries of the region are dominated by manufacturing industry with a significant share of the power industry, the extraction of minerals and the development of forests (except for Denmark and Iceland). In the world division of labor, the main branches of specialization are energy, metallurgy, timber processing, and mechanical engineering.

Agriculture- one of the most productive sectors of the economy of the countries of the region. Agricultural labor productivity high in all countries. According to statistics, one Danish farmer can feed 150 people (American and English - 60, German and French - up to 40 people). In the region's agriculture, there is a pronounced livestock direction, which accounts for 70-80% of agricultural production. crop production is of secondary importance.

Transport.

The countries of the region and their regions are interconnected (except for Iceland) by all means of transport, which form a complex transport network. Sea transport - main in the region. Railway transport ranks 2nd in terms of cargo turnover and plays a major role in domestic long-distance transport in Sweden and Finland.

Lake transport developed in Sweden and Finland, where the lakes are connected by canals and have access to the sea. Motor transport creates significant competition for rail transport. Air Transport developed, in international air transportation an important role is played by CAC - the association of airlines of the Scandinavian countries. Directly from North Sea offshore platforms underwater pipelines oil is transported to the UK and natural gas to Germany.

The countries of the region are quite active subjects foreign economic relations. They work out 2 % industrial products of developed countries and give 5% of their exports. The main trading partners are the countries of the European Union and the USA. The foreign economic interests of the countries of the region also reach Ukraine: significant volumes of its exports go to Finland and Sweden. Norway and Denmark, and the largest number import to Ukraine - from Finland, Denmark, Sweden. Nordic countries have significant development resources tourist and recreational activities .

Southern Europe includes 8 countries and one dependent territory - Gibraltar (possession of Great Britain) (table). feature region is the location here of the smallest state-the city of the Vatican, whose territory is 44 hectares, and the oldest republic in the world - San Marino

Table 5 - Countries of Southern Europe

The country	Capital	Area, thousand km	Population, million people / km 2	Population density, persons / km 2	GNP per capita, USD (2000)
Andorra	Andorra la Vella	0,467	0,07
Vatican	Vatican	0,00044	0,001		-
Greece	Athens	132,0	10,4
Gibraltar (UK)	Gibraltar	0,006	0,03
Spain	Madrid	504,7	39,2
Italy	Rome	301,3	57,2
Malta	Valletta	0,3	0,37
Portugal	Lisbon	92,3	10,8
San Marino	San Marino	0,061	0,027
Total		1031,1	118,1	Medium - 115	Medium - 175000

important feature of the economic and geographical position of the countries of Southern Europe , located on the peninsulas and islands of the Mediterranean Sea, is that they are all on the main sea routes from Europe to Asia, Africa and Australia, and Spain and Portugal - also to Central and South America. All this, since the time of the great geographical discoveries, has affected the development of the region, the life of the countries of which is closely connected with the sea. No less significant is the fact that the region is located between Central Europe and the Arab countries of North Africa, which have multilateral ties with Europe. The former metropolises of Portugal, Italy and Spain still retain influence on some African countries. All countries (except the Vatican) are members of the UN, the OECD, and the largest are members of NATO and the European Union. Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations led by Great Britain.

Natural conditions and resources.

The region is located on the Mediterranean peninsulas- Iberian, Apennine and Balkan. Only Italy is part of mainland Europe. The Mediterranean Sea largely determined the similarity of the natural conditions of the region. There is an acute shortage of fuel in the region useful fossils. There is almost no oil here, very little natural gas and coal. However, the rich are deposits of various metals, especially colored ones: bauxite(Greece belongs to the top three European leaders), mercury, copper, polymetals(Spain, Italy), tungsten(Portugal). Huge reserves building materials - marble, tufa, granite, cement raw materials, clay.

underdeveloped in southern European countries river network. Large arrays forests survived only in the Pyrenees and the Alps. The average forest cover of the region is 32%. Natural and recreational resources are extremely rich. These are warm seas, many kilometers of sandy beaches, lush vegetation, picturesque landscapes, numerous sea and mountain resorts, as well as areas favorable for mountaineering and skiing, etc. There are 14 national parks in the region. The unique natural resource potential of the region has contributed to the significant development of the agricultural sector and tourism and recreational activities in its countries.

Population.

Traditionally, Southern Europe is characterized by a high birth rate, but the natural population growth is low: from 0.1% per year in Italy to 0.4-0.5% in Greece, Portugal and 0.8% in Malta. Women account for 51% of the region's population. The majority of the population belongs to the southern (Mediterranean) branch of e caucasoid race. During the era of the Roman Empire, most of them were Romanized, and now peoples belonging to the Roman group predominate here. Indo-European language family(Portuguese, Spaniards, Galicians, Catalans, Italians, Sardinians, Romansh). An exception are: Greeks(Greek group of the Indo-European family); Albanians(Albanian group of the Indo-European family), represented in Italy; Gibraltar (Germanic group of the Indo-European family); Maltese(Semitic group of the Semitic-Hamitic language family).

Think that Maltese is a dialectal form of Arabic; Turks(Turkic group of the Altaic language family) - there are many of them in Greece; Basques(in the rank of a separate family) - live in the historical region of the Basque Country in northern Spain. Composition of the population in the countries of the region is mostly homogeneous. High indicators of mono-ethnicity characteristic of Portugal (99.5% - Portuguese), Italy and Greece (98% of Italians and Greeks, respectively), and only in Spain a significant weight (almost 30%) of national minorities: Catalans (18%), Galicians (8%), Basques (2.5%), etc. Most of the population - Christians . Christianity is represented by two branches: Catholicism(west and center of the region); Orthodoxy(East of the region, Greece). In Southern Europe is the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman catholic church- The Vatican, which exists IV Art. Part of the Turks, Albanians, Greeks - Muslims.

Population posted uneven. highest density- in fertile valleys and coastal lowlands, the smallest - in the mountains (Alps, Pyrenees), in some areas up to 1 person / km 2. Level urbanization in the region is much lower than in other parts of Europe: only in Spain and Malta, up to 90% of the population lives in cities, and, for example, in Greece and Italy - more than 60%, in Portugal - 36%. Human Resources make up about 51 million people. In general, 30% of the active population is employed in industry, 15% - in agriculture, 53% - in service industry. Recently, many employees from Eastern and South-Eastern Europe come to Southern Europe for the fruit and vegetable harvest season, who cannot find work in their own countries.

Features of economic development and general characteristics of the economy.

The countries of the region still lag economically behind the highly developed states of Europe. Although Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy are members of the EU, but all of them, except Italy, lag behind the leaders in many socio-economic indicators. Italy is the economic leader of the region, belongs to highly developed industrial and agricultural countries, with a clear trend towards the formation of a post-industrial type of economy. At the same time, contrasts in the development of many industries and production, in the social sphere, in the socio-economic conditions of the North and South, are still significant in the country.

Italy lags behind many highly developed countries in terms of scientific and technological development. Outstripping some countries of Western Europe in terms of net income from tourism, it is inferior to them in terms of the scale and intensity of international trade and credit and financial transactions. Spain. It is the second country in the region in terms of socio-economic development. In the Spanish economy, a significant role is played by the public sector, which accounts for up to 30% of the country's GDP. The state carries out economic programming, controls the railways, coal industry, a significant part of shipbuilding and ferrous metallurgy.

In the second half of the 80s. XX century. Portugal experienced significant economic growth. Average growth GDP during this period was one of the highest in the EU and amounted to 4.5-4.8% per year, in 2000 the GNP was 159 billion dollars. Greece has a larger GNP than Portugal (181.9 billion in 2000). The country's industry is significantly monopolized by large local and foreign capital (mainly the United States, Germany, France and Switzerland). Up to 200 companies receive over 50% of all profits. Greece has rather high inflation rates for EU countries (3.4% per year). Government measures to reduce it (cutting state subsidies, freezing wages, etc.) predetermine social instability.

IN MGRT countries of the region are represented individual branches of mechanical engineering (production of automobiles, household appliances, technological equipment for the light and food industries), the furniture industry, the production of building products and equipment, light industries (fruit and vegetable canning, oilseed - production of olive oil, winemaking, pasta, etc.) . Agriculture is dominated by branches of agriculture - the cultivation of various subtropical crops: citrus fruits, wood oils, grapes, vegetables, fruits, essential oil plants, etc.

Due to the insufficient forage base, livestock breeding is dominated by sheep breeding and, in small volumes, beef cattle breeding. The countries of the region are actively developing merchant shipping and ship repair. They are the undisputed leaders in the development of international tourism. Warm sea, Mediterranean climate, rich subtropical vegetation, numerous monuments of ancient culture and architecture are the main factors due to which Southern Europe is a favorite place for recreation and entertainment for many tourists in the world, the largest tourist center.

5. General characteristics of the countries of Eastern (Central) Europe

The countries of Eastern (Central) Europe as a socio-political and economic integrity began to single out in the 90s of the XX century. It has to do with the collapse former USSR and the socialist system, the formation of independent states. The region covers 10 countries (Table 6).

The economic and geographical position of Eastern Europe is distinguished by the following features:

Land surveying in the west with highly developed countries, and in the east and southeast - with Russia and the countries of Southeast Europe - potential markets for Eastern Europe;

Passage through the region of trans-European transport routes of the meridional and latitudinal directions.

Over the past 10 years in EGP(economic and geographical position) of the region, the following changes:

The collapse of the USSR, the formation of the CIS and new countries;

German unification;

The collapse of Czechoslovakia, as a result of which two independent states were formed: the Czech Republic and Slovakia;

The appearance on the southern borders of "unstable" in relation to the military-political state of the neighbors - the Balkan countries, Yugoslavia.