Transcript Slide 1 - rww2coursecontent

Mediterranean Europe
Mr. Jeremy Rinkel
MAP
Spain
• Is very isolated and “well-guarded”
• Pyrenees Mountains block access from
the rest of Europe
• Steep Cliffs are located along the
coastlines of the Mediterranean and
Atlantic
Spain
• High plateaus from most of Spain
• Most rivers in Spain are un-navigable due
to very dangerous rapids
Spain (Climate)
• Mediterranean climate
– Mild and rainy winters
– Hot and dry summers
• Moist Atlantic winds provide the area with
adequate rainfall for farmers to raise corn
and cattle.
Spain (The Economy)
• 18% of exports are agricultural
• Has recently shifted to exporting its natural
resources
• Spain’s major export in transportation
equipment
Spain (Cities)
• Bilbao
– Industrial center (due to iron ore for steel)
• Barcelona
– The largest port city
– Center for manufacture of plastics and textiles
• Madrid
– Largest city and the nation’s capital
– Many problem (immigration, pollution, traffic)
Spain (Regions)
• Northern- (Basque)
– Fewer than 1 million
– One of the richest areas
– Throughout history have been persecuted
• Catalonia (region surrounding Barcelona)
– Pushing for using a Spanish/French language
Portugal
• Capital: Lisbon
• Is about the size of Indiana
• Population about 10 million
• Has a history due to its world exploration
in the 15th Century
Agriculture and Economy
• Receives abundant rainfall for farming
– Grains (wheat)
– Barley
– Olive oil (in the South) is a major export
• Cork and cork products
– Are made from oak trees and are also a major
export
History
• Portugal became a trading nation
• Lisbon became a very valuable port city
• Signed a treaty with Spain in 1494 dealing
with the expansion of colonial regions in
Latin America and Africa.
The Future
• Economy was once based on agriculture,
but is changing
• Industries and the production of clothing
paper, and cork have became important
• Is working to improve the literacy rate
(87%)
• Faces many challenges (including
industrial pollution)
Italy
• Looks like a giant boot
• Is formed around the Apennine Mountains
– Mostly under 10,000 feet
• Very active seismically (volcanoes and
earthquakes
• Sicily’s Mount Etna erupted in 1985
Climate and Vegetation
• Alps run east to west on the northern
border of the country
– Its tall peaks block the moisture from the
Atlantic
• Mediterranean climate
– Hot and dry summer/cold and wet winter
Climate and Vegetation
• Trees have been taken off hillsides to
overpopulation
– Mostly scrub vegetation remains
– Soil has eroded due to overgrazing by sheep
and goats
• 1960’s- 1/3 worked on farms
• 2008- less than 10% work in agriculture
Overpopulation
• 58 million people
• The populated areas are extremely
crowded
• Unemployment in rural areas is high,
especially in Southern Italy
• Since WWII, the southern populations
have moved to the north to seek jobs in
factories
A Growing Economy
• Automobiles, home appliances and metal
goods have been the most successful
• Previous to 1950, fairly poor and was
largely agricultural
• European Union helped provide a market
for Italy’s products
• Italian goods could be sold at a lower price
due to lower wages
Northern Italy
• Known as European Italy
• The Po River Valley
– Most productive agricultural area
– Raise wheat and rice
• Ski resorts in the Alps attract visitors year
around (Tourism
Northern Italy
• Dairy farms are profitable and productive
• Venice
– Pollution problems
– Subsidence (geological phenomena in which
a ground in an area sinks
– Very popular with tourists
– Has a network of canals that serve as streets
Central Italy
• Rome
– Chosen as capital due to central location and
it was the capital of the Roman Empire
– The Colosseum and Forum are still standing
today
• Vatican City
– World headquarters of the Roman Catholic
Church
– St. Peter’s Basilica
Central Italy
• Florence
– Main cultural city
– Made famous by many painters including
Michelangelo during the Renaissance
Southern Italy
• Includes the islands of Sicily and Sardina
• Poor roads make travel very difficult
• Agriculture is not very profitable due to
poor soil and outdated farming techniques
• Naples- port city (worst poverty in Europe)
– Poverty due to lack of jobs for the population
Greece
• Has geographic and historical ties to the
Mediterranean
• Is a member of the European Union and
NATO
• The birthplace of culture that reached “full
expression in Western Europe”
Land
• Includes about 1,450 islands
• Southern Greece is the product of tectonic
forces (earthquakes, volcanoes)
Agriculture and Mountains
• Mount Olympus (9,570 feet)
• Narrow coastal plains allow farmers to
raise wheat and other grains
• Olive and citrus groves also exist
• On the mountain sides, sheep and goats
are raised
Athens
• The capital of Greece
• One of the youngest capital cities in
Europe, although many monuments in the
cities have stood for centuries
• 1/3 of the population live in or near the city
• Major traffic issues
Focus on the Sea
• Piraeus
– Major harbor for exporting products
• Relies heavily on the export of products by
sea
• Has one of the world’s largest commercial
shipping fleets
• Shipbuilding is an important industry
Focus on the Sea
• The sea enables Greece to maintain
contact with its many islands
• Many people make a living fishing
• Tourism has become very popular due to
the sparkling clear water and gleaming
beaches
Crete
• Island with a history
• Was once the center of culture
• Some believe tsunamis wiped out this
area
• Tsunami- giant waves caused by tectonic
activity