All countries of southern Europe. General characteristics of the countries of southern Europe

Southern Europe (over 1696 thousand km2, 180 million people) is the second region in Europe in terms of territory (after Eastern Europe) and population.

Most of the countries of Southern Europe, with the exception of Spain, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Yugoslavia, belong to the small countries of Europe, occupying an area, each in particular, less than 100 thousand km2.

The territory of the region is quite clearly divided into three large sub-regions in the form of peninsulas - the Iberian, Apennine, Balkan.

In southern Europe, there are also islands in the northern part of the Mediterranean Sea - Crete, Sicily, Sardinia, the Balearic Islands, etc.

Southern Europe is very elongated along the parallel - at a distance exceeding 4000 km., And compressed along the meridian, barely exceeding 1000 km.

In general, the economic - geographical position of Southern Europe is characterized by the following features: 1) the proximity of the region to North Africa. Such a neighborhood has a decisive influence not only on natural features, but also on 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 length 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, diversified and influences the economic activity and beneficial economic relations of the North European countries with all continents of the world, 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.

So, the macro-region of Southern Europe is a special community, due not only to the typical features of the Mediterranean climate, but also to the similarity of historical fate, culture, traditions, and even the level of socio-economic development.

Economic - geographical assessment of natural conditions and resources. Southern Europe, although not territorially compact, is rather homogeneous in terms of morphostructural and climatic features.

Southern Europe is the most mountainous among the European macro-regions, occupying more than three quarters of its territory. The highest mountains are mainly located in the north of the region, on the borders with Western and Central-Eastern Europe. Thus, the Pyrenees separate Spain from France, the high Alps are a natural border between Italy, France, Switzerland and Austria, and the Southern Carpathians fence off the Southern region from Central and Eastern Europe with their northern slopes.

The hinterland of Southern Europe is occupied by medium-altitude mountain ranges - the Iberian mountains, the Apennine mountain system, the Balkan mountains and plateaus, as well as plains.

The mountain system of Southern Europe is located in the zone of Alpine folding. The relative youth of these structures is evidenced by geological processes that continue to this day. This is reminiscent of frequent and strong earthquakes, as well as volcanic activity.

Mountain ranges covered with Mesozoic limestone are often exposed, forming bizarre landforms in the form of steep peaks, jagged ridges, and so on. Karst phenomena are common here. Where sedimentary rocks (fliesch) protrude to the surface, soft forms of mountains are formed, mainly with rich vegetation.

One of the main natural resources of the South of Europe is a mild climate, very favorable for human life. Here it is typically Mediterranean in most of the region - dry hot summers, mild rainy winters, early springs and long warm autumns. The growing season in the region lasts 200-220 days. And in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and in Sicily - even longer. Here, the temperature regime contributes to the vegetation of plants throughout the year.

All this is a good prerequisite for growing two crops: in the winter season - low heat-loving crops (cereals, vegetables), and in the summer - late varieties of rice, tea, figs, olives, citrus fruits.

The aridity of the climate is most pronounced in summer - in the inner subregions, in particular in Central and Eastern Spain, even in the temperate climatic zone of the Middle and Lower Danube lowlands, in the east of the macroregion.

In winter, maritime air masses of temperate latitudes prevail. They bring warm heavy rains from the Atlantic.

In general, there is little rainfall. The level of moistening of the surface of the macroregion tends to decrease in the eastern and south directions. This confirms the growth of continental climate.

The territory of Southern Europe belongs to the weakly secured water resources. Their greatest shortage is felt in Greece, Italy, Spain. For the latter, this problem has become a priority. Despite this, some mountainous areas with full-flowing swift rivers have significant water resources. These include the rivers of northern Spain - the Ebro with its tributaries, the Duero, the Tajo, as well as the Dinaric Highlands, the Balkans, and others.

The land resources of Southern Europe are concentrated mainly in river valleys or in intermountain basins. The exception is the Iberian Peninsula, a large part of which is occupied by a vast plain, but it requires intensive irrigation.

Brown (Mediterranean) soils predominate in the South European macroregion, rich in minerals and are characterized by a significant content of humus. More humid northern regions, such as Portugal, northern Italy, have brown soils but are depleted in carbonates, so they must be fertilized to obtain high yields. The forest resources of Southern Europe are negligible. Only a few arrays are of industrial importance. Thus, the Iberian Peninsula is rich in cork oak forests, which allows Spain and Portugal to be the main exporters of cork products in the world. The forests on the Balkan Peninsula are well preserved, especially in the Dinaric Highlands, in the Southern Carpathians. But in general, the forest coverage of the South is very low. In some countries it does not exceed 15-20%, in Greece - 16%. In addition, the forests of the south are often devastated by fires.

The recreational resources of the South of Europe are very valuable and promising for use. Natural conditions, as well as a variety of vegetation cover, landforms, the presence of sea beaches, unique historical monuments create favorable conditions for the development of various types of tourism and recreation.

Among the mineral resources of the greatest wealth of the South European countries are ferrous ores, non-ferrous metals and non-metallic materials. The main iron ore deposits are located in Spain, which has its own iron ore base. The ores of Spain contain 48-51% of the metal, while the rich ores of Sweden and Ukraine contain 57-70% of the metal.

Significant reserves of aluminum raw materials are bauxites of Greece, copper reserves - Spain, mercury - Spain, Italy, potash salts - Spain.

The energy resources of the South European countries are represented by coal, lignite (Spain, Italy), oil (Romania, Slovenia), uranium (Spain, Portugal), but not all of them are of industrial importance.

Southern Europe is famous throughout the world for building materials, in particular marble, tuff, granite, clay, raw materials for the cement industry, etc.

Population. About 180 million people live in Southern Europe, which is more than 27.0% of the total European population. It ranks second in Europe in terms of 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 inhabitants / km2), 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 / km2, in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe this figure is much lower - more than 94 individuals/km2. Among individual countries, the most densely populated is the industrially developed and long-given state-gifted Italy (190 abs/km2), Albania (119.0 abs/km2). Less dense are such countries of the Balkan Peninsula as Croatia (85.3 ind./km2), Bosnia and Herzegovina (86.5 ind./km2), Macedonia (80.2 ind./km2) and Spain (77.5 ind./km2) . So, 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 and is second only to Northern Europe, where this figure in 1999 was almost 12%. 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 the industrialized countries of the South, the birth rate is much lower. So, in Italy - 9% with a negative growth (-1), in Slovenia - 10 people with zero natural growth. Infant mortality is slightly higher in southern European countries than in Western and Northern Europe, but four deaths per 1,000 live births are lower than in Eastern Europe. Among individual countries, it is in the Adriatic-Black Sea subregion, in particular in Albania, Macedonia, Romania and the former Yugoslavia - respectively 33, 24, 23, 22 and 18 child deaths per 1000 births. Thus, mortality is highest in post-socialist countries with low living standards.

In recent years, the average life expectancy of the population in the region has increased to 70 years for men and 76 years for women. Men live longer in Greece (75 years) and in Italy, Andorra, Malta, respectively, 74 years, and women - in Italy, Spain and Andorra, respectively, 81 years. According to UN forecasts, in the next ten years, the average life expectancy of men and women in Southern Europe should increase to 73 and 79 years, respectively.

Southern Europe is the least urbanized on the European continent. Here, 56.1% of the population lives in cities. The largest cities in the region are 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 Indo-European languages language family. The population of Italy, Spain, Romania, Portugal belongs to the Romance peoples who speak languages that are formed from ancient Latin. Their largest groups are Italians, Spaniards, Romanians. 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 South Slavic influence is strong in the language and culture of the Albanians. 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.

From non-Roman peoples on the Iberian Peninsula live the Basques, who 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.

The countries of Southern Europe are distinguished by their location on large peninsulas - the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan, deeply protruding into the Mediterranean Sea. The largest states of this part of Europe are Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. In addition to them, in Southern Europe there are several of the smallest, "dwarf" states in the world. (What do you know about them?)

Indicate the main features of the geographical location of the countries of Southern Europe. Find the capitals of the countries named in the text. Remember the main features of the nature of Ancient Italy and Ancient Greece.

The countries of Southern Europe have much in common in nature and in the economic activity of the population.

Italy is one of the oldest countries in the world, distinguished by its rich history and typically Mediterranean nature. It occupies the Apennine Peninsula, large islands in the Mediterranean - Sicily and Sardinia, as well as part of the mainland.

Mountains stretch across almost the entire territory of the country. The northern part is occupied by the largest mountain system in all of Europe and Italy - the Alps. Their mountain peaks on the northern border reach almost 5 thousand m (Mount Blanc - 4807 m). This is an area of young folding at the boundary of lithospheric plates. It coincides with the Euro-Asian seismic belt. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur here. The most famous of the volcanoes is Vesuvius. Mount Etna is located on the island of Sicily. Earthquakes are most frequent in Central and Southern Italy.

The Apennines are inferior in height to the Alps and do not exceed 3000 m above sea level. They don't have permanent snow. The Apennines are composed of limestone and sandstone, which is favorable for the formation of caves and grottoes.

There are few lowlands in Italy, they stretch in a narrow strip along the coasts. The largest - the Padan Plain - is located along the valley of the Po River. This is the main granary of the country, where fruit orchards and vineyards, grain crops, sugar beets are everywhere.

Rice. 107. In the mountainous regions of Italy

Italy is relatively poor in minerals, with the exception of mercury ore and sulfur. There are small deposits of polymetallic ores. But there are many different building materials - marble, granite, volcanic tuffs.

The great length of the country from north to south, the protection from the north by high mountains and the influence of the warm and non-freezing sea determine the climate of the country. The further south, the warmer it gets. The Padan Plain has a warm temperate climate, with hot summers but cold and foggy winters.

Much of the country has a Mediterranean climate with long, hot summers and warm, wet winters. The average January temperature is above 0°C. In winter it often rains, the sky is covered with clouds. Snow on the Apennine Peninsula falls very rarely.

Rice. 108. In the south of the Balkan Peninsula. Greece

The climate of the Alps is typical for mountains. It varies from the foot to the top, from moderately warm to cold. In the mountains, the snow does not melt for several months, and the peaks of the mountains are covered with eternal snow. In the Alps, there is especially a lot of precipitation, up to 3000 mm in the western, highest part. They are brought by damp westerly winds.

The rivers of Italy are short and fast-flowing. Unlike other European rivers, they flood in winter. The longest and deepest river is Po. It carries a huge amount of suspended particles and forms a delta when it flows into the Adriatic Sea. On the Apennine Peninsula, the largest river is the Tiber, on which the capital of the country, Rome, is located.

There are many relatively large lakes of glacial origin in the Alps. World-class resorts have been created on their beautiful shores.

The soils of Italy are favorable for agriculture, growing fruit trees, grapes.

Italy is located in a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs, but the forests are almost not preserved. The slopes of the hills and foothills are covered with dense thickets of evergreen shrubs and low trees. On the plains, the land is used for various agricultural crops.

To protect the flora and fauna in the high parts of the Alps and the Apennines, national parks have been created. In Italy, floods are not uncommon, causing great damage to the local population. The enterprises located on the coast pollute the Mediterranean Sea.

Population. In terms of population in foreign Europe, Italy is second only to Germany. The main population is Italians, their language belongs to the Romance group. The highest population density is in the north of the country, where there are many cities, and around Naples. Relatively rare population in the mountains. Many Italians live and work in neighboring Switzerland and Germany. More than half of the population lives in cities.

Italy is an industrial country. Most of the population is employed in factories and plants. Since there are not enough own minerals, imported raw materials are mostly used. The country produces a variety of cars, among which the production of cars stands out, in their manufacture Italy occupies one of the first places in the world. There are many factories that refine oil into fuel and chemical products - plastics, synthetic fibers, fabrics made from them, yarn, varnishes and paints. Almost all oil is imported from abroad, mainly from Southwest Asia and North Africa. Many industrial enterprises are located on the sea coast. Modern ships are being built in port cities. Italian motorcycles and scooters are also known. Italy is the birthplace of scooters.

High temperatures in summer and warm, wet winters favor the cultivation of a wide variety of crops. Cereals can produce two crops a year, but dry summers require artificial irrigation in many places. The main grain crop is wheat. Everyone knows the traditional Italian dish made from wheat flour - pasta, of which there are several dozen types. On the irrigated lands of the Padana Plain, large areas are occupied by rice and vegetable crops.

Rice. 109. On the Mediterranean coast

Italy is called the "main garden" of Europe, so diverse are the grown fruits - apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, figs. In the southern part of the country, and especially in Sicily, plantations of oranges, tangerines, lemons, vineyards are everywhere. Italy is second only to Spain in harvesting olives.

A large number of sunny days, beautiful nature, warm sea, an abundance of historical monuments attract millions of tourists to Italy from around the world. In Rome, a city with almost three thousand years of history, buildings and ruins of buildings built at the beginning of our era have been preserved. Part of the city is occupied by the "dwarf" state of the Vatican, where the head of the Catholic Church is located.

What changes did Italy make economic activity population?
Find the largest cities in the country on the comprehensive map of Western and Southern Europe.
Find areas where crops, rice, fruits are grown.

The article contains geographical characteristics of the region. Describes the economic features of the 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.

List of Southern European countries and their capitals

Southern Europe is a region of the globe, which is localized in the 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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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 Atlantic Ocean: 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; Since 1814, Sweden has adhered to the principle of non-participation (neutrality) in military-political blocs and military conflicts in foreign policy.

Natural conditions and resources. most characteristic feature of the geographical location of the 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 of international specialization in them, in particular those 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 the total population is constantly decreasing (19%), while the proportion of older people is increasing (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 socio-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 fully corresponds to the modern structure of the 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. The share of R&D expenditures in the 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.

AT 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).

AT 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 modes of transport, which form a complex transport network. Sea transport - main in the region. Railway transport ranks second in terms of cargo turnover and plays a major role in long-distance domestic 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 transport 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 amount of imports 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-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). Exception are: Greeks(Greek group 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).

Consider 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 there is the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church - the Vatican, which exists in the IV century. 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, in Southern Europe, for the fruit and vegetable harvest season, many employees from Eastern and South-Eastern Europe come 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, the coal industry, a significant part of shipbuilding and ferrous metallurgy.

In the second half of the 80s. XX century. Portugal experienced significant economic growth. The average GDP growth 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.

AT 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. This is due to the collapse of the 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.

The peninsulas are elongated along the meridian and are far advanced into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Their outskirts are only 1.3-44 km separated from the huge massifs of Asia and Africa by narrow straits - the Dardanelles, the Bosphorus, Gibraltar (Fig. 101). The territory is fenced off from continental Europe by a barrier of high mountains. All countries are characterized by mountainous terrain. Features of the geographical location played a significant role in the history of Southern Europe. They determine the different sizes and multiplicity of countries, the diversity of cultures and religions of the peoples inhabiting them.

Rice. 101. Strait of Gibraltar

Natural conditions and resources. The territory is part of the modern active belt of the lithosphere - the Alpine-Himalayan, which determines its high seismicity. At the intersection of the faults that broke the block of the island Sicily, there is a volcano Etna.

Etna is a stratovolcano. Its giant cone (base - 40 60 km, height - 3290 m) is "molded" from more than 200 cones and craters. Eruptions occur continuously. Several craters located along the same line "work" at the same time. The center of the eruptions is moving, and, at times, new craters grow on the slopes right before our eyes. Of these, lava flows are rushing at speeds up to 80 km / h.

The relief of each of the peninsulas is peculiar.

Most of the most massive peninsula - the Iberian - is occupied by the most extensive country in the region - Spain (503 thousand km 2). Its relief is dominated by plateaus, dissected by deep gorges (Fig. 102). In the north and south of the peninsula they are framed by mountain ranges: the highest point of the country in the Andalusian mountains - 3482 m; in the Pyrenees - the peak of Aneto (3404 m).

Vesuvius volcano(Fig. 103)

Portugal is located in the west of the peninsula. Hilly plains of its territory descends to the low coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

The second largest country in the region - Italy (301 thousand km 2) - occupies the Apennine Peninsula and the southern slopes of the Alps. Across the entire peninsula stretch the limestone Apennine Mountains (the highest point is 2914 m). Earthquakes are frequent in the Apennines; there is the only active volcano Vesuvius in mainland Europe (Fig. 103). The chain of the Alps, located perpendicular to the Apennines, from the north protects the fertile lands of the vast Padana lowland. The lowland is composed of river alluvium By(652 km) - the largest in the country. The peaks of the Alps are covered with glaciers. Descending along loose slopes, they feed numerous landslides with melt water.

The highest point of Greece, which occupies the mountainous Balkan Peninsula, is the mythological Olympus (2917 m). In the limestones and sandstones that make up the mountains, karst processes are actively taking place.

Numerous small islands are scattered in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas - rocky and impregnable (Fig. 104).

Rice. 104 Cyprus

The Mediterranean climate of the region in summer is formed by tropical air masses; so it's hot everywhere- up to +23 ... +28 ° С - and dry.

In Sicily, the absolute maximum is +45 °C. The hot breath of Africa especially often reaches this island. From the south and southeast, a strong wind blows from the hot Sahara - sirocco. It carries heat and a huge amount of dust.

In winter, westerly transport brings humid temperate air from the Atlantic. Winters are warm(+5… +12 °С). They differ in the highest humidity in Italy: 600-1000 mm of precipitation falls here annually, and up to 1000-3000 mm high in the mountains and on the western slopes. In Spain and Greece the climate is drier: 300-600 mm of precipitation per year. Due to low rainfall, hot summers and high permeability of surface rocks, there are no large rivers in the region.

Little natural vegetation has survived in Southern Europe. In the north of the peninsulas and in the mountains there are unique forests of oak (cork and stone) and pine with an undergrowth of evergreen shrubs. They occupy about 10% of the territory on the Iberian Peninsula and 20% on the Apennine. Rocks are most often covered with impenetrable maquis.

The countries of Southern Europe do not have large reserves of mineral raw materials. In Spain, Italy, Greece there are ore minerals: chromium, copper, polymetallic, mercury. But due to its geographical location, the region is extremely rich in agro-climatic resources, its natural and recreational potential is great and diverse.

Population. The total population of the region is more than 120 million people. The most populated country is Italy (more than 60 million). All countries are characterized by the first type of population reproduction. Average life expectancy is approaching 80 years. The population density - more than 100 people / km 2 - is close to the average European one. In the microstates of the Vatican and Malta, it exceeds 1000 people/km2 and is one of the highest in the world. Among large countries, Italy is the most densely populated - about 200 people / km 2 (especially the Padana and coastal lowlands). The population is much rarer in the central arid and mountainous regions of Spain and in the Italian Alps. In Italy, Spain and Greece, more than 70% of the population are city dwellers. A significant part of them live in small towns, many of which were founded in antiquity.

The population is racially and ethnically homogeneous. The vast majority of it belongs to the Mediterranean (southern) branch of the Caucasoid race. The peoples of the Romanesque group of the Indo-European family dominate, whose language was formed on the basis of Latin - Spaniards, Portuguese, Catalans, Galicians, Italians. Greeks form a special group of this language family.

For centuries, emigration prevailed over immigration in the countries of Southern Europe. In the era of the great geographical discoveries, there was a mass emigration to overseas possessions. Then - to the USA, Canada, the countries of Latin America and Australia (XIX and XX centuries) and the countries of Western and Northern Europe (second half of the XX century). Internal migrations were intensive: from underdeveloped agricultural regions to large industrial regions and centers, from villages to cities. Now the situation is reversed: immigration exceeds emigration. looking for work and a better life immigrants from North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East rushed to the countries of the region. The fight against illegal immigration is one of the most acute problems of the countries of the region.

The countries of Southern Europe are predominantly single-ethnic. In Italy, Greece, Portugal, Malta, the main nations make up 95-98%. The most multinational of the southern European countries is Spain (the Spaniards make up 70%). Almost all believers from among the Romanesque peoples are Catholics. Here is the state of the Vatican with the residence of the Pope - the spiritual leader of all Catholics in the world. Orthodoxy prevails in the east of the region. It is practiced by more than 90% of Greeks. Turks and people from North Africa practice Islam.

Economy. The level of socio-economic development of the countries of the region is comparable to the average level for the EU. In terms of GDP per capita, they are among the top 30 countries in the world. countries are well endowed with labor and certain types mineral resources, but they feel a shortage of their own fuel and energy resources. On the formation of the structure industry influenced almost complete absence of oil and natural gas in the region. Energy needs are met by oil and gas coming from Northern Europe, Russia, North Africa and the Middle East. The main part of electricity is produced at thermal power plants. In Spain, about 25% of electricity is generated by nuclear power plants. Much attention is paid to the use of renewable energy sources. In Italy and Spain, the role of hydropower is great. Solar energy is being developed. The missing part of the electricity is purchased in neighboring Germany and France. In the port cities of Italy, Spain, Greece, where imported oil is delivered, powerful oil refining and petrochemistry . This is where the main businesses are located. ferrous metallurgy also dependent on imported raw materials. Italy and Spain are respectively 2nd and 4th in the EU in terms of steel production. Electrometallurgy prevails and, as a result, the steel produced is of high quality.

The leading industry of the largest countries in the region is mechanical engineering. Its basis is the production of vehicles: cars and trucks, marine vessels. Electronics and electrical engineering, instrument making are developing at high rates. Brands of Italian refrigerators and washing machines, computers of the Olivetti company are world famous. Italy has a high level of machine tool development. Rich raw material reserves contribute to the development of production building materials . A significant part of Fig. 105. The production of pasta products (tiles, marble, cement) is exported. In the economies of the countries of the region, the role of light and food industry. 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 (Fig. 105), olive oil, grape wines, canned vegetables and fruits, and juices.

Rice. 106 Pasta production

The concentration of industries on the sea coasts is in conflict with their use by the tourism industry. Therefore, much attention is paid to the ecological culture of industrial production: the construction of treatment facilities, the use of low-waste technologies.

Favorable climate and artificial irrigation allow growing in agriculture Southern European countries have the widest range of cultures in the world. And the presence of a vast European market in the neighborhood contributes to large volumes of their production. The main crops are olive trees(Fig. 106) and grapes.

A variety of vegetables and fruits are grown everywhere: tomatoes, peaches, apricots, cherries. Subtropical crops - figs, citrus fruits - are exported in large volumes. Cereals (wheat, barley, rice), legumes and melons are produced mainly for their own needs. From industrial crops highest value have sugar beet, tobacco and cotton. In the region the main branches of animal husbandry are represented: breeding of large and small (sheep, goats) cattle, pigs, poultry. Sheep are pastured on natural pastures. The fertile lowlands, primarily the Padanskaya, are characterized by intensive stall farming. Here, as well as in suburban areas, dairy farming, pig breeding and poultry farming are concentrated.

The development of agriculture is constrained by an acute shortage of land resources. Mountain slopes are terraced for agriculture. The development of animal husbandry is limited by the lack of a forage base for cattle and competition from highly specialized farms in Western and Northern Europe.

Transport. The peninsular position of the countries influenced the development of their transport systems. In international and domestic transportation, the role of maritime transport. All countries have a large merchant fleet, part of which is leased. The charter of sea vessels is especially developed in Greece. Ferry service is constantly expanding between the Mediterranean countries. Automotive and iron roads connect all the major settlements. Through the tunnels built in the mountains, communications with the continental regions of Europe are carried out.

Italy is located at the crossroads of many international routes. Therefore, in external - more than 70% of cargo turnover - and in domestic (coastal) cargo transportation, the role of maritime transport is exceptionally large. In the domestic transportation of goods and passengers, the leading position is occupied by road transport. The main highway - the "freeway of the Sun" - connects Turin and Milan with the southernmost city of the peninsula - Reggio di Calabria.

Rice. 107. Architectural monuments of the cities of Southern Europe: 1 - Colosseum in Rome;

2 - Acropolis of Athens

Foreign economic relations. The countries of Southern Europe are characterized by a wide and varied foreign trade. They export machinery and equipment, textile products, clothing and footwear, grape wine, olive oil and citrus fruits. The value of exports to Italy and Spain is 20% of the GDP of these countries. Imports are dominated by energy resources, mineral raw materials, engineering products, meat and dairy products, and grain. The main foreign trade partners are the EU countries. Natural, historical and cultural attractions of the countries of Southern Europe annually attract more than 100 million tourists from all over the world (Fig. 107). The development of the service sector is focused on their service.

In Italy, the industrial North is far ahead in its development of the predominantly agrarian South. The largest industrial centers are located in the North - Milan, Turin, Genoa, - forming a kind of "industrial triangle". More than 2/5 of all industrial products are produced here, the most modern industries are concentrated: automotive, electronics, and the chemical industry.

The south specializes in the production of agricultural, mainly crop products. In recent years, large oil refineries and metallurgical plants have emerged in port cities on the basis of imported raw materials.

Bibliography

1. Geography grade 9 / Textbook for grade 9 institutions of general secondary education with the Russian language of instruction / Edited by N. V. Naumenko/ Minsk "People's Asveta" 2011