Transcript Welcome to Eastern Europe

Instructions
1. List every country, their capital and flag description
(you may just draw a picture if you like)
2. For each country you are to write down at least three
facts about that country
3. Take good notes because you may use them on your
test next week.
Estonia Latvia Lithuania
Three small republics occupy the eastern
shore of the Baltic Sea. In 1940, they
came under Soviet rule, but in the 1990’s
with the collapse of the Soviet Union, they
became independent democracies with
free enterprise economies.
Let’s take a look at them now.
Estonia
Estonia is the smallest of the
three Baltic countries. Low
plains, forests and swamps
cover the land. Mild Baltic
Sea winds keep the country
from getting too hot or too
cold. This country has large
deposits of oil shale, a rock
that contains oil. Most
Estonians have close ties to
the Finns. 30% of the
population is Russian.
Capital: Tallinn
City of Tallinn
Old farmhouse in
Koguva, Estonia
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Did you notice what the
street is made out of?
Latvia
Capital: Riga
Latvia’s location on the Baltic Sea has made it a
trading center. As a result, Latvia’s industrial
development is better than the other Baltic
Republics. Latvia has a mild climate over its
landscape of coastal plains, low hills and forests.
Only 53% of the population is Latvian. Under Soviet
rule, many Russians settled there. They have had
conflicts in the past and often clash today.
Beach near Cape Kolka
Riga Castle and Cathedral
Located at the tip of land, between the
Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea. Can
you find it on the map?
Located on the Daugava River
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Lithuania
Capital: Vilnius
Lithuania is the largest of
the Baltic Republics.
Although the other Baltic
Republics are Protestant,
Lithuania is largely
Roman Catholic. Flat
plains and forested hills
cover most of the country.
80% of the countries
people are Lithuanian and
most live in cities.
City of Vilnius
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City of Kaunas
How is this street different from
the streets in your hometown?
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Poland
Capital: Warsaw
Wieliczka is the location of the world’s oldest salt mines. The Vistula river
begins in the Carpathanian mountains to the south and empties into the
Baltic Sea to the north. Gdansk is a major Sea port in the north. Solidarity
is the name of the Polish Labor Union, which began in the ship yards in
the north. Most Poles are Slavs, which is a major ethnic group in the area.
The word Slav comes from Slave because they were once made slaves
by invading armies. The polish people use the Latin Alphabet. The Pope,
leader of the Roman Catholic Church, is from Poland. His name is Pope
John Paul II.
Krakow’s market square.
Horses and buggies are
waiting for tourists
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Presidential Palace
in Warsaw
Hungary
At one time Hungary and Austria were
part of a very large European Empire,
after their loss in WWI the country
became much smaller. Hungary is
landlocked. The Carpathian mountains
are to the north, but most of the country
is covered by the Hungarian Plain. Lake
Balaton, one of Europe’s largest lakes, is
located on this plain. Many foreign
business are now investing (putting
money into a company in return for a
share of the profits) in Hungarian
Businesses. The majority of Hungarians,
are Magyars, who came to eastern
Europe from central Asia. Hungarians do
not belong to the Slavic ethnic group.
Goulash is a traditional Hungarian dish.
Capital: Budapest
Marketplace in Budapest
Chain bridge across
the Danube
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Budapest Parliament
The Czech Republic and its neighbor Slovakia
once formed a larger country called
Like Poland and Hungary, they were under
communist control and closely linked to
the Soviet Union. In 1989 communist rule
was over, and in 1993, they peacefully
split into two separate countries.
Czech Republic
South of Poland and east of
Germany, this country is
landlocked. Czech’s enjoy
one of the highest standards
of living in Eastern Europe
and most live in cities. The
Elbe and Vitava rivers flow
through this country. Many
spas with hot springs are
found in the mountains of the
north, along with nature
preserves, or lands set aside
for plant and animal wildlife.
Capital: Prague
View of
Prague
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Swans in Prague
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Church of
Saint Ludmila
Slovakia
Capital: Bratislava
The Slovak and Czech people share a common heritage
but have different languages and cultures. The
Carpathian Mountains are in the north and fertile
lowlands in the south stretch to the Danube river. Most
Slovak’s are Catholic and 60% live in urban areas.
Slovakia had been a farming country but is now
developing service industries, businesses that provide
service to people rather than producing goods.
Cathedral of St.
Elizabeth
Construction began in 1345 and
ended in 1508.
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Town Hall
Bardejov, Slovakia
14th century Church of St
Egidius in the background
The Balkan Peninsula lies between the
Adriatic Sea to the east, the Black
Sea to the west and the
Mediterranean Sea to the south.
The former Yugoslav republics, plus
Romania, Bulgaria and Albania make
up this region.
Let’s take a look at them now
Romania
The Carpathian Mountains run
through northern and central
Romania. Transylvania, the setting
for many horror novels, lies in this
country. The oil industry is important
in the southeast corner of the
country. Most Romanians are
descendants of the Romans, but
like their Slavic neighbors, practice
Eastern Orthodox religion. Under
communist rule, Romanian factories
produced machinery and few
consumer goods-clothing, shoes
and other products made for people.
Capital: Bucharest
Transylvanian Village
Mamaia Beach
Mountains of Romania
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On the Black Sea
Albania
Mountains cover most of Albania,
which contributes to the countries
isolation from neighboring
countries. Albania has one of
Europe’s least developed
economies. The country is rich in
mineral resources but they lack
the technology to develop them.
Most Albanian’s are Muslim and
live in the countryside. Since the
fall of communism, many
mosques, or Muslim houses of
worship, have opened in Albania.
Capital: Tirane
Mosque of Ethem Bey
National Folk Festival
View of Gjirokastër
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Photos by Jim Rees
Berat, Albania
Located South of
Romania, Bulgaria has
a coast line on the
Black Sea. Most
Bulgarians trace their
ancestry to the Slavs.
They use the Cyrillic
alphabet and most live
in cities and towns.
Bulgarian farmers grow
many things including
roses, which are used in
making perfume.
Bulgaria
Capital: Sofia
Bulgarian farmers dressed in
traditional costumes
St. George Rotunda
built in the 3rd or 4th century
Surrounded by a Sheraton
Hotel, in Sofia, Bulgaria
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Bulgarian village in the western
Rodope Mountains
Slovenia
Croatia
Serbia and Montenegro (Yugoslavia)
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Slovenia
Capital: Ljubljana
Located in the mountainous
northwest corner of the
Balkan Peninsula, Slovenia
has the regions highest
standard of living with more
factories and service
industries than the other
republics. Most Slovenians
are Slavs who practice the
Roman Catholic religion and
use the Latin alphabet.
Relaxing in a street cafe in Ljubljana
Three Bridges a famous landmark
In the Slovenian capital.
Piran at the Slovenia coast
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View of the Slovenian
Capital, Ljubljana
Fast Facts
Croatia
Capital: Zagreb
Croatia borders the Adriatic
Sea to the east and has
many islands. Further
inland, mountains rise to a
fertile plain. Croatia is an
industrialized republic, but
they also rely on agriculture.
Most Croats are Slavs and
Roman Catholic. They use
the Latin alphabet.
Zagreb, the capital city
Telaščica National Park
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Amphitheater in Pula (Istria)
Built by the Ancient Romans
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Capital: Sarajevo
Located west of Serbia, this
country’s landscape consists of
mountains, thick forests and
fertile river valleys. Many of the
Bosnian people are Muslims.
Others are Eastern Orthodox
Serbs, or Roman Catholic
Croats. Civil War in the 1990’s
between Bosnian Serbs and
Bosnian Muslims resulted in a
division of Bosnia into two
separate regions under one
government.
Years of fighting have left it’s
mark on the countryside.
The exclamation point
means that you shouldn't
go any further, because the
area could be mined .
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Site of the 1984 Winter
Olympic Games.
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Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro united as
Yugoslavia. Inland plains and
mountains cover most of this
country. Most people belong to
two Slavic groups the Serbs and
Montenegrins. Eastern Orthodox
is the religion and they write in
the Cyrillic alphabet. Muslim
Albanians are the largest group in
the province of Kosovo. In 1998 a
conflict erupted over the
Albanian’s desire for Kosovo’s
independence from Yugoslavia.
Capital: Belgrade
Serbia is home to many ancient monasteries.
SERBIA
&
Even the goats love to
look at the beautiful view.
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St. Ivan’s Fortress and the Bay of Kotor
FYR Macedonia
Capital: Skopje
The most southern of
the republics,
Macedonians are a
mixture of many
different Balkan
peoples. Macedonia
has a developing
economy largely based
on agriculture.
Monastery on a lake.
Tobacco drying in the sun.
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Workers soak plants in the river
Children helping soak plants in
the river (used for making flax)
Our tour of Eastern Europe has come to an end.
What interesting facts have you learned?
Reference
http://www.rec.org/REC/Maps/eur_map.html
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http://www.fg-a.com/flags25.shtml
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http://www.weihermueller.de/privat/estland/NAILS.HTM
http://www.weihermueller.de/privat/litauen/NAILS.HTM
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/poland/pictures/poland_pictures.htm
http://code.ucsd.edu/%7Efrajka/pics/hungary/bpcity.html
http://www.zx81.org.uk/travel/hun016.html
http://www.czechforum.net/forum/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/513
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http://www.sofia.com/sofiaimages/07.html
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/bulgaria/pictures/bulgaria_pictures.htm
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/slovenia/pictures/slovenia_pictures.htm
http://home.pages.at/tamb/english/photos.htm
http://www.theharbins.info/bosnia_winter_2000-2001.htm
http://www.pbase.com/alangrant/serbiamontenegro2004
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://galenfrysinger.com/graphics/macedonia.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.galenfrysinger.com/macedonia.
htm&h=504&w=411&sz=78&tbnid=2gRy_l1ICsQJ:&tbnh=128&tbnw=104&start=128&prev=/i
mages%3Fq%3Dof%2Bmacedonia%26start%3D120%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN