Europe is the second-smallest continent. However, its strategic position in relation to Asia and Africa, as well as navigable rivers and fertile soil, have made Europe a dominant economic, social, and cultural force throughout recorded history.
Europe’s physical geography, environment and resources, and human geography can be considered separately.
Europe’s rich agricultural and industrial diversity has made the
continent
a center of trade and commerce for centuries. It is centrally located between the two other “Old World”
continents
, Africa and Asia. This tradition of exchange prompted the early and rapid urbanization of the
continent
, recognizable in many dynamic cities that make up most of Europe.
Climate and Agriculture
Europe enjoys a mild and temperate
climate
. Unique wind patterns and ocean currents keep Europe warmer than other landmasses at similar latitudes. Most of Europe lies north of New York City, for instance, but few European countries experience the cold winters familiar to the New England region of the United States. This mild
climate
allows Europe to produce a variety of agricultural products.
Strong westerly winds bring mild maritime air from the Atlantic during the winters and summers. These strong winds prevent cold Arctic air from penetrating the interior of the
continent
most of the time. As such, Europe maintains steady temperatures throughout the year. The ocean current known as the North Atlantic Drift brings warm water from the tropical Atlantic toward the
continent
. This water further warms westerly winds and air masses, providing Europe with much of its precipitation.
Europe’s
climate
falls under two categories: marine west coast and Mediterranean. Each of these
climates
supports a variety of agricultural products. The marine west coast climate covers much of northwestern Europe except for Scandinavia and the mountainous regions of Eastern Germany, Poland, and Switzerland. Mild summer and winter temperatures and consistent rainfall and cloud cover characterize this
climate
. Principal crops include wheat, rapeseed, and potatoes. Livestock, such as sheep and cattle, are an import source of meat, dairy, and wool products. Some of the world’s finest cheeses come from this climatic region.
The Mediterranean climate covers the majority of Southern Europe, including Spain, Portugal, southern France, southern Italy, and Greece. Hot, nearly rainless summers and mild, rainy winters characterize this
climate
. Olives and grapes are two
important
crops
that have thrived in this
climate
for more than a thousand years. Spain, Italy, and Greece are the top three producers of olives in the world. France, Italy, and Spain are the top three world producers of grapes used for wine.
Forestry and Fishing
Forestry
, the management of trees and other vegetation in forests, is an
important
industry in Europe. Forest industries produce more than $600 billion every year.
Forestry
and timber industries employ 3.7 million people, and account for 9 percent of Europe’s manufacturing gross domestic product (GDP).
Europe’s most
important
forest industries are woodworking, paper products, and construction and furniture products. The
continent
is a prominent exporter of value-added forest products, which are finished goods made from raw materials. Europe’s value-added forest products include quality papers, furniture, and wood-based panels.
Europe also has a thriving non-wood
forestry
sector, which includes mushroom and truffle gathering, fruit and berry collection, and cultivation of medicinal plants, honey, and cork. Europe accounts for 80 percent of total cork production worldwide.
Europe represents roughly 5 percent of global fisheries and aquaculture production. Wild catches are taken primarily in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
Important
catches include Atlantic herring, sprat, blue whiting, and Atlantic mackerel. Leading fishing countries are Spain, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and France. Together, these nations account for about half of all of Europe’s fish catches.
Aquaculture
is also a major activity in Europe.
Aquaculture
is the farming of freshwater and
marine
species in controlled
environments
.
Aquaculture
represents roughly 20 percent of Europe’s fishery production.
Important
aquaculture
species are Mediterranean mussel, rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, and European sea bass.
European fish production has decreased every year for the last 20 years. In many areas, the fisheries are threatened. The Mediterranean and Adriatic seas supported a strong tuna
fishery
for centuries. Today, many in the fishing industry worry that bluefin tuna may become extinct in the Mediterranean by 2050. Nonprofit organizations are pressuring the European Union to reduce fishing capacity, promote responsible consumption, and invest in the enforcement of quotas and sustainable practices.
Mining and Drilling
While Europe is home to some of the world’s largest
mining
companies, it is not a major producer of metals. Certain countries, however, are major producers of particular metals, such as chromium in Turkey, titanium in Norway, and silver in Poland. The
continent
’s top five metals in terms of percentage of total world production are: chromium (10.7 percent in 2008), used in stainless steel, dyes, and pigments; silver (8.5 percent); zinc (7.7 percent), used as an anti-corrosion agent; lead (7.5 percent); and titanium (7.1 percent), used in aircraft, armor plating, naval ships, and spacecraft.
Europe also produces a number of minerals used in
industrial
applications. The
European Union
, a group of 27 countries, is either the largest or second-largest world producer of feldspar, used in the production of ceramics and for archaeological dating processes; kaolin, used in ceramics, medicine, toothpaste, and cosmetics; magnesite, used in steelmaking and rubber production; perlite, used in plasters, insulation, and ceiling tiles; and salt.
Europe has limited deposits of oil and natural gas, which are drilled for energy and fuel. Russia has some of the largest
oil
deposits on the planet, although most of them are in the remote Asian part of the country. Russia is also the world’s largest exporter of
natural gas
. Norway has significant
oil
deposits, and is the world’s second-largest exporter of
natural gas
. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom are Europe’s other major producers of
natural gas
. The United Kingdom’s offshore facilities in the North Sea are Europe’s second-largest producer of
oil
.
Offshore
exploration and drilling are expected to increase as onshore reserves become depleted and technological advancements make
offshore
practices easier. This will be especially
important
for Europe’s energy future, which relies on
imports
for at least half of its gas needs. To offset the reliance on
imported
oil
, many European countries are
investing
in
sustainable
energy sources, such as solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, and nuclear energy.
The Built Environment
As a result of its high level of human and
economic
development, Europe is a complex and mostly urban
continent
. Urban areas have developed
unique
economic
and cultural significance that reflect both their local geographies and the broader European community. Three urban areas that demonstrate this are Frankfurt, Germany; The Hague, Netherlands; and Tallinn, Estonia.
Frankfurt, Germany, has an estimated population of 2,295,000 and is an international center of
commerce
, finance, and transport. Frankfurt’s central European location has promoted an extensive
transportation
infrastructure of air, rail, and road options. Frankfurt is a hub of European travel.
Frankfurt is also a banking and
commerce
hub, housing the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the European Central Bank, and the German Federal Bank, along with more than 300 national and international bank headquarters. It also hosts a number of
important
trade
fairs, including the world’s largest motor show, book fair, and music fair.
The Hague, Netherlands, has a population of about 629,000 and is known as the “International City of Peace and Justice” and the “Second UN City.” (New York is the first.) The Hague is home to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), two
important
institutions of the United Nations. The ICC tries people accused of “crimes against humanity,” such as genocide and ethnic cleansing. The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is similar to the International Criminal Court, but limited to crimes surrounding the wars of the 1990s in the Balkan Peninsula.
The Hague is also home to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), founded in 1899. The PCA is the oldest institution for international dispute resolution. One of the city’s most well-known buildings is the Peace Palace, nicknamed the “seat of international law.” The Peace Palace houses the ICJ and PCA.
Tallinn, Estonia, has an estimated population of 413,000 and is developing into a European center of information technology. The city is home to the software developers at Skype, known for its influential internet voice-call program, and Kazaa, a popular music file-sharing system. Scholars believe Tallinn’s 50-year-old Institute of Cybernetics led to the city’s early adoption of internet-based technologies.
Estonia’s booming technology industry makes it one of the most
economically
dynamic countries in Europe. Foreign
investors
regularly visit Tallinn, and the city was recognized as a European Capital of Culture in 2011.
Europe has a number of state-of-the-art engineering marvels addressing the region’s concern with energy,
transportation
and communication, and development. The Langeled pipeline, completed in October 2007, is the world’s largest underwater pipeline. It brings Norwegian
natural gas
to the United Kingdom. The pipeline runs approximately 1,167 kilometers (725 miles) through the North Sea, beginning at the Ormen Lange Gas Process Terminal in Norway and ending at the Easington Gas Terminal in England. The pipeline also has a connector that could expand the network even further and throughout mainland Europe.
The Millau Viaduct, completed in December 2004, is the tallest bridge in the world. It is part of a highway that unites Paris and Montpellier, France. The bridge connects two plateaus that are divided by a deep river valley. It carries four lanes of traffic 270 meters (886 feet) above the valley. The bridge is more than 2,460 meters (8,000 feet) long, and its highest supporting mast reaches 343 meters (1,125 feet)—taller than the Eiffel Tower. In 2006, the Millau Viaduct received the Outstanding Structure Award from the International Association for Bridge and Structural
Engineering
for its innovative design and advancement of bridge construction technologies.
The Venice Tide Barrier Project, expected to be complete in 2014, will protect the coastal city of Venice, Italy, from destructive high tides that have
threatened
the city for hundreds of years. The project will consist of 78 giant steel panels across the three inlets that allow water to surge from the Adriatic Sea into Venice’s lagoon. Each panel, weighing 272 metric tons (300 tons) and measuring 28 meters (92 feet) wide by 20 meters (65 feet) high, will be fixed to concrete bases dug into the seabed. When a
high tide
is predicted, the hollow panels will be filled with compressed air, forcing them to rise and form a barrier to the incoming waves. The project, however, has been the source of political feuding and
environmental
concerns.
