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Culture Population Patterns Objectives • Explain how Europe’s physical geography influences its population density and distribution. • Describe the effects of industrialization and urbanization on Europe’s people. • Discuss how recent patterns of migration have influenced European culture. Ethnic Diversity • Europe consists of more than 30 countries and about 160 ethnic groups. • Ethnic Tensions In the Balkan Peninsula, serious fighting erupted during the 1990s among ethnic groups that once formed the country of Yugoslavia. Ethnic Diversity (cont.) Why do you think different ethnic groups are often in conflict with one another? Possible answers: Each group wants the right to maintain its customs, religion, and language. Each group fears that another will become strong enough to force it to assimilate. Since cultural identity often is based on deeply held belief systems, groups may see new or different ways of thinking and behaving as threats. Population Characteristics • Europe is the 6th largest continent • It is the 3rd largest in population. • Europe has some of the most densely populated cities in the world. Why do you think Europe is the third most populated continent despite its relatively small land area? Possible answers: Within its small area, Europe offers rich farmland, temperate climate, waterways, and other natural resources that encourage high concentration of population. Urbanization • The Industrial Revolution transformed Europe from a rural, agricultural society into an urban, manufacturing society. • Today about 75 percent of all Europeans live in cities. • Europe’s largest cities face the challenge of overcrowding and pollution. • European cities offer a unique mixture of old and new ways of life. Population Movements • Population movements have been a continual part of Europe’s history. • Despite immigration, Europe’s overall population is shrinking because of low birthrates. Do you think Europe’s shrinking population is an advantage or a disadvantage? Why? Possible answers: It is an advantage because it will relieve the overcrowded areas, and there will be more resources to go around. It is a disadvantage because there may be a labor shortage again, and an aging population will have to be supported by fewer younger workers. A Changing Europe • Inequalities among social classes and substandard working conditions for the poor led to the rise of communism–a philosophy that called for economic equality in which the workers would control the means of production. • Toward the end of the 19th century, working conditions in Europe began to improve. A Changing Europe (cont.) • During the 1900’s Eastern Europe came under Soviet Communist control, but western Europe backed democracy and received support from the United States. • A divided Germany became a “hot point” of the Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. A Changing Europe • During the Cold War, the western European democracies were more economically productive than the eastern European communist countries. •After years of popular unrest, the Soviet-backed communist governments of eastern Europe collapsed in 1989. • Throughout much of eastern Europe during the 1990s, free elections installed democratic leaders who encouraged the rise of market economies. Cold War Propaganda A Changing Europe (cont.) • In western Europe, steps were taken toward economic and political unity. • The European Union (EU) became the organization promoting this goal. • There are currently 25 member countries in the European Union. Quality of Life • Western Europeans generally enjoy a higher standard of living than eastern and southern Europeans do. • Eastern Europeans are still recovering from years of communist rule or the ravages of recent conflicts. Quality of Life (cont.) • Education Europeans are among the world’s best-educated people. • Most European countries have literacy rates above 90 percent. State-Sponsored Human Services • Many European countries provide citizens with social welfare programs for health care, higher education, and social security. • Large portions of national budgets fund these programs. Quality of Life (cont.) Why do you think the fall of communism resulted in challenges for eastern Europe? Possible answers: Drastic political changes have required many adjustments. Businesses converting to private ownership need to cut costs, and many workers find themselves without jobs. Some social services have disappeared, forcing people to become more self-sufficient.