Transcript Human Geography of Northwestern Europe

By: Mr. Mora
Human Geography
of
Northwestern Europe
Human Geography of NW Europe
 NW Europe shaped by thousands of years of
migrations and invasions.
 Influenced heavily by Christianity, which began with
arrival of the Romans.
 Collapse of Roman empire during A.D. 400s left sub
region vulnerable to invading Germanic Tribes.
 Starting in A.D. 1000s, armies form NW Europe fought
the crusades…series of religious wars against Islamic
states to regain control of Jerusalem, the holy land.
Human Geography of NW Europe
 Renaissance - In late 1400s, educated Europeans
developed interest in ancient Greece and…inspired
major changes in art, politics, culture, and religion.
 Protestant Reformation (1500s)- Martin Luther
launched this movement through his protest against
Catholic Church.
 Enlightenment - 1700s movt that questioned
tradition and sparked desire for greater participation
in the government…belief in the idea of progress/
improvement within governments.
Human Geography of NW Europe
 Industrial Revolution (mid 1700s) - transformed
manufacturing in Europe with change from human labor to
machines…Great Britain led the way and spread to rest of Europe
and United States.
 Industrial capitalism. Economic system in which business
leaders use profits to expand their companies…downside was
that many factory workers were poorly paid and lived in crowded
and unsanitary conditions…led to Communism.
 The Euro – Currency of the The European Union. European
Union consists of 27 member countries, and only 17 of them
adopted the Euro as their currency.
Human Geography of NW Europe
 Cold War - Post WWII power struggle between the
communist world (led by Soviet Union) and noncommunist world (led by United States).
 Immigration - Countries such as France, attracts
immigrants from its former colonies, Algeria, and
Morocco, for example.
 Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain
 Population Densities – most of NW Europe is densely
populated. Temperate climates, fertile soil, manufacturing,
and trade have historically supported large populations.
Human Geography of NW Europe
 The Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom
have the highest population densities, in NW Europe
 Religion – Christianity is the primary religion of NW
Europe, consisting mainly of Roman Catholics and
members of various Protestant sects.
 More than 70% of workers in NW Europe are
employed in service industries (tertiary activity);
among top industries are international banking and
insurance. Tourism is also another large industry.
 Southern France known for growing olives, citrus
fruits, and grapes (i.e. wine production)
Activity #1
 Discuss with your group the two most
important contributions of Northwestern
Europe to the United States. Be sure to
write them down and be prepared to
share with the class.
People & Their Environment:
Northwestern Europe
People & Their Environment
 Industrial/Human Waste - NW Europe produces much
waste due to its highly developed and industrialized
economy.
 France and other countries that border the Mediterranean
sea use the sea for waste disposal.
 Overfishing - a problem in NW Europe, where 75% of
stocks are overfished and catches are only a fraction of
what they were 15 to 20 years ago.
 Fragmentation - due to roads and railways prevents
wildlife migrations and reduces the development of healthy
ecosystems…Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg
have highest levels of fragmentation in NW Europe.
People & Their Environment
 Degradation of Marine and coastal ecosystems is occurring in
NW Europe…this trend is intensified due to overfishing,
agriculture, pollution, tourism, industrial chemicals, and coastal
development.
 Air Pollution - Manufacturing industries and the heavy use of
vehicles are the two greatest sources of air pollution in NW
Europe.
 Acid Rain - In 1970 and 1980s, industries in NW Europe built
taller smokestacks to carry off pollution..had negative effect of
drifting into national borders and mixing with clouds and falling
as Acid Rain, which causes acid deposition (i.e. wet or dry
airborne acids that fall to the ground).
 Kyoto Protocol – an amendment to the international treaty on
climate change designed to reduce the amount of greenhouse
gases emitted by specific countries.
People & Their Environment
 EU Water Framework Directive – By end of 2015, several rivers in
Europe will be required to have major restoration to meet new
regulations.
 Addressing the issues caused by acid rain - By protecting buildings
and statures with acid-resistant coatings. Bans on older vehicles that
produce higher emission in the city and surrounding suburbs. Power
plants burn natural gas instead of lignite coal, developing alternative
fuel sources such as, solar and wind power…also by imposing strict
environmental protection laws.
 Primary mission of Green Peace, Oceana, and Seas at Risk is to:
protect, restore, and improve the marine and coastal ecosystems.
Video on Protecting Europe’s Environment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTEMFKKuKxE
Activity #2
Writing Activity.
 Imagine that you live in a polluted area of
Northwestern Europe. Write a letter to the
editor of a local newspaper examining the
social impacts of advances in technology
on natural resources in the region. (This
can be a homework assignment).