Europe — Location and Physical Features

Europe lies entirely in the north temperate zone. It extends from about 36°N latitude in the south to 72°N latitude in the north and from about 10°W longitude in the west to 60°E longitude in the east.

Europe is surrounded by water bodies on three sides. The Arctic Ocean lies to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, European part of Turkey, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia are called the Balkans.

North European plains are vast areas of low, flat and gently rolling plains extending from the Ural Mountains in the east to the Atlantic Ocean coast in the west. Their westward extension is in the British Isles. These plains are broad in the eastern part, in Russia, and narrows down towards the west. North European plains consist of Great Hungarian Plain in Hungary, the Plains of Lombardy in Italy and the Plains of Andalusia in Spain. At some places, hills have been eroded into basins, like the Paris Basin in france.

Three important rivers which flow through this region are:

1. Rhine
2. Volga
3. Danube

Central uplands lie between the north European plains and the Alpine mountain system. They stretch from the Atlantic Ocean coast of Spain in the west, through France, Germany and Poland.

Four uplands which are part of the central uplands are:

1. The Meseta in Spain
2. The Massif Central and the Vosges in France
3. The Black Forest in Germany
4. The Ardennes in Belgium

Mountains found in the western part of the Alpine mountain system are:

1. The Alps Mountains which form the centre of the Alpine mountain system and spread over most of Switzerland, and parts of Austria, France, Germany and Italy.
2. The Pyrenees Mountains which is located between Spain and France.
3. The Cantabrian Mountains which is located in northern Spain.
4. The Sierra Nevada Mountains which is located in southern Spain.
5. The Apennines Mountains which lie in the peninsula of Italy.

Mountains found in the eastern part of the Alpine mountain system are:

1. The Carpathian Mountains which form the northern branch of Alpine mountain system.
2. The Balkan Mountains which form the northern branch of Alpine mountain system.
3. The Dinaric Alps Mountains which form the southern branch of Alpine mountain system.
4. The Caucasus Mountains which are located on the eastern side of the Alpine mountain system.

Glaciation during the Ice Age has formed many lakes in Europe.

Lakes located in Russia, Switzerland, Italy and Sweden are:

1. Russia - Lake Ladoga
2. Switzerland - Lake Geneva
3. Italy - Lake Como
4. Sweden - Lake Vanern

Europe is separated from Asia by the Caspian sea.

The northern part of the north-western highlands is called the Fennoscandian Shield.

The Apennine Mountains are located in the peninsula of Italy .

The longest river of Europe is the Volga .

Finland is called the 'Land of Thousand lakes'.

Europe looks like a peninsula extending westwards of the Asiatic landmass. Large arms of the seas have penetrated deep into the land and have created smaller peninsulas. That is why Europe is called the 'peninsula of peninsulas'.

The rivers of eastern Europe are not as useful as the rivers of western Europe since most of the eastern rivers freeze in winter and do not provide inland waterways throughout the year like western rivers.

The Ural mountains in the east and Caucasus mountains in the south-east separate Europe from Asia.

The British Isles comprise United Kingdom and Ireland .

Andorra is one of the tiny nations of Europe.

Europe is divided into four physical divisions. They are:

1. The north-western highlands
2. The north European plains
3. The central uplands
4. The Alpine mountain system

False

Corrected Statement — The plains of Lombardy are part of the north European plains.

Gibraltar

Belarus

Explanation— Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg are called the Benelux Countries ('Be' for Belgium, 'ne' for the Netherlands and 'lux' for Luxembourg).

Meseta

Mt Elbrus

Titicaca