Western Europe Regional

Pankaj Kumar Singh

Physiography

The physiography of Western Europe can be divided into four parts.

1. the Northwestern Highlands

2. the Great European Plain

3. the Central Uplands

4. the Alpine mountain system of southern Europe

Forest

Deciduous Forest

Tundra

Coniferous Forest

Mediterranean

Grassland

7

Fisheries

Fishing• High degree of commercialization• North sea countries and Iceland• Dogger Bank in the North Sea is a famous fishing ground.• Norway is the European leader in quantity of fish caught.

Europe depends heavily on food imports.

• It is self-sufficient in milk, potatoes and rye.

• It imports wheat, corn, oil cake, soybeans, vegetable fats and oils, chilled and frozen meats, cane sugar, cocoa, coffee and tobacco; fibers (cotton and wool predominantly) and natural rubber.

ClimatesFor Western Europe, the Alps can be viewed as a climatic divide. To the

north, area enjoys a temperate and moist marine climate. South of the Alps is the dramatically different dry summer subtropical climate. The marine climate in the north normally produces a lush, green landscape.

Factors influencing the Europe's Climate

(i) Latitudinal influences

(ii)Relief: absence of mountain system from north to south, allow the on shore westerlies to blow deeper in to the land and modify the temperature

(iii) Proximity to the seas: keep the winters very mild and summers cool.

(iv) Westerlies: under the permanent influence of westerlies, fairly well distributed rainfall throughout the year, rainfall heavy in the west and decreases towards the east.

(v) North Atlantic Drift: The warm waters of the North Atlantic Drift keep the seas along the western Europe ice free.

Cool Temperate Marine Type

Oceanic influence on both the temperature and precipitation of North-western Europe is such that the climate is also referred as the north-west European Maritime climate.

Characteristics

(i) Equable climate with moderately warms summers and fairly mild winters.

(ii)Fairly well distributed rainfall throughout the year with a tendency towards a slight winter or autumn maximum from cyclonic sources.

(iii) Continental climate in central and Eastern Europe.

The little influence of ocean towards the east in the central and eastern Europe, make the climate, thus continental with extremes of temperature

Warm Temperate Western Margin

Warm Temperate Western Margin

The southern margins of Europe share a climate that is common to the Mediterranean Basin and is thus often called the Mediterranean climate.

Characteristics - Clear, dry. hot summers and moderately moist, mild winters.

Tundra Climate

The type of climate found to the north of the Arctic circle in Europe is called Tundra climate.

Characteristics

(i) Winters are long and very severe, summers are cool and brief,

(ii) Precipitation is mainly in the form of snow.

Agriculture

Despite Western Europe's high state of industrial and associated development, agriculture remains the dominant form of land use.

Three fairly distinctive types of agricultural systems can be identified:

1.Mediterranean polyculture 2.dairy farming3.mixed livestock.

Mediterranean Polyculture

Mediterranean Polyculture

Drought Resistant - along the Mediterranean coast, Several drought-resistant, deeply rooted vines, citrus fruits and trees, particularly grape and olive.

Countries - Most of the activity is extremely labor intensive. For countries like Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece,

Specialization -This region is accelerating specialization and commercialization. Vineyards are dominant within the French Mediterranean belt, citrus orchads in coastal plain, Tobacco in Italy and Greece

Improved transportation - facilities make it possible for Mediterranean growers to supply highly perishable fruits and early vegetables to the affluent markets of Britain, France, Germany. and Scandinavia.

Transhumance - involves the grazing of animals in high mountain pastures during dry summers and in the lower areas during moist winters,

The future of Mediterranean agriculture - They are close to the rich and growing markets of urbanized northern Europe,

Dairy Farming

Dairy Farming

A considerable area to the north of the Mediterranean is devoted to dairy farming, which is usually associated with rich urban populations of the Western World.

The dairy belt stretches from the British Isles and along the shores of the North and Baltic seas to Finland. A second large area of dairying has developed in the Alps of France, Switzerland, and Austria.

• Denmark, for example, has developed a strong specialization in the production of butter. Almost one-fifth of the butter in international trade originates in Denmark.

• Netherlands - Much grazing takes place on land reclaimed from the sea, land where water table is too high for the cultivation of many crops. There, specialization in the'-production of cheese, condensed and powdered milk allows the Dutch to export much of their output to markets of the world.

• United Kingdom much fluid milk is produced but is marketed locally for human consumption.

Mixed Livestock and Crop Farming

Mixed Livestock and Crop Farming

The intensive crop specialization of the Mediterranean polyculture region is generally separated from the animal-dominated dairy farming belts to the north by a broad zone in which a mixed form of farming characterizes the landscape.

Factors facilitating Mixed farming

Environmental conditions, there facilitate a wide range of agricultural activities, and the agricultural landscape is extremely mixed and varied.

Diversity in the area is also promoted by political fragmentation, which discouraged the evolution of vast regional belts of agricultural specialization such as those found in the United States and Canada, the Soviet Union, and Australia.

Lanarkshire

Lancashire

Durham, Northumberland

Nottingham, Derby

Wales

LeicestershireWarwickshireStaffordshire

Coalfield of UK

Scottish

Pennine

South Wales

Midland

Coal

W. Europe is not very rich in terms of mineral resources. However in coal it is quite rich specially Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland.

Coal : The major coalfields of Britain :

• The Scottish Fields.

• The Pennine coalfields.

• The Midland coalfields. Midland coalfields gave rise to the growth of industrial towns. 

1. The South Staffordshire coalfield is the basis of the industrial conurbation of the Black Country, of which Birmingham is the leading city.

2. Warwickshire coal field, Leicestershire coalfield.

•  The South Wales coalfield has large reserves of anthracite, bituminous and coking coal.

Ruhr – Westphalia Coalfield

Franco - Belgian Coalfield

Alsace - Lorraine Coalfield

Saar CoalfieldCentral Massif

Coal

Germany is the 2nd richest coal nation in Western Europe after the U.K.

The largest and most important coalfield is the Ruhr-Westphalia coalfield, which accounts for three quarters of Germany's output and 90 per cent of its reserves. It is along the German-French border.

France: French coal output is small and is declining only available in north-eastern France coalfield, the continuation of the Franco-Belgian coalfield from Belgium. It forms development of North-East Industrial Region which also drew coal supplies from the smaller Alsace-Lorraine fields, a north-westerly extension of the Saar coalfield. Minor coal deposits are found in the Central Massif

Belgium: Belgium's coal production is less than half what it was only ten years ago. The older field and also the larger one is the Franco-Belgian Coalfield.

1. Lorraine3. Pyrennes

Central Massif

Gallivare

Kiruna

Iron Ore

Sweden - is the leading European producer of iron ore. The deposits at Kiruna and Gallivare being of high quality. Reserves are large and ores are easily mined by open-cast methods.

France - is the next largest producer, the main iron fields being in Lorraine. These have a relatively low iron content, less than 40 per cent,

Metz-Thionville a little ore, the Pyreness and scattered fields of the Central Massif.

Britain – Less reserve and importing

Germany - Ores from Sicgerland originally supplied the Ruhr but output hasdeclined.

Hydel Power

Europe ranks 2nd in the output of H.E.P., most of its production coming from six countries: Italy, France, Norway, Sweden, West Germany, Switzerland.

Italy: Lack of coal and oil in Italy has encouraged the Italians to develop much of their water-power potential. Half of Italy's electricity output.

France: The power stations are located mainly in the rugged upland regions of the Pyrenees, the Central Massif and the French Alps. There are, also several large dams on the Saone and Rhone Rivers,

Norway: In terms of per capita water power, Norway is the greatest in the world. Major H.E.P.

Sweden: Sweden enjoys many advantages in H.E.P. development, as does Norway, except that in the north of the country heavy snow accumulation and river freezing

Industry

Coal has played a much less significant locational role in countries and regions more recently industrialized.

Italy and Sweden are among the best examples of industrialization in the absence of local supplies of coal. In both countries, hydroelectricity, a more recently perfected energy source, has played a strong role in industrial location.

But the discovery of coal and steam technology by the early nineteenth century, which started proliferating throughout Europe, the industrial production reached a new peak of efficiency. Throughout Europe, high quality coal was available in plenty. Therefore, these sources of cheap fuel became the locating points of industries.

Major industrial centres of Italy are

Milan (Manchester of Italy)-Textile industry Turin (Detroit of Italy)- Automobiles Industry.

Great Britain

The most notable feature of Britain's economy is the importance of industry, services and trade. But owing to cheaper and more efficient production in other American, European and Asian countries like Japan; old equipments, labour problems and world recession, Great Britain's industrial prowess nowhere near to its past.

Coal was the most important source of energy for the early industrialisation of Britain. But this importance gradually declined during the twentieth century and an alarming reliance on imported petroleum developed, which attracted the industries to coastal areas. However, huge deposits of petroleum and natural gas were discovered under the bed of the North Sea in the mid 1960s. This improved the situation. Britain not only became self-sufficient in petroleum production but it also became an oil-exporting nation.

4. Lancashire

2. North East England

3. Nottingham, Derby

6.South Wales

1. Midland

6. Great London

Industrial region of Britain

The Midlands - Centred at Birmingham, this is the largest industrial belt of Britain. Factors for the development this region:

(i) Central location

(ii)Presence of coal fields and

(iii) Also dense network of road and railways:

Northeast England•  This industrial region developed on the coalfields of Northumberland and

Durham and has the advantage of proximity to iron ore deposits.

• Situated near the coasts, this region specialises in iron and steel industry, with related marine, mechanical and constructional engineering, shipbuilding, chemicals and glass industry.

Industrial region of Britain

Nottinghamshire and DerbyThe whole region is very important for woollen textile industries, which are based upon

local coal, soft water from the Pennine streams for washing, bleaching and dyeing and local wool from the sheep-rearing region of Pennine. These textile mills are now highly mechanised and mostly make use of imported wool. The region has a long history of cutlery making.

The Lancashire RegionOne of the important regions of the cotton textile. Advantageous factors for the

localisation and growth of the industry(i)Availability of coal, (ii) traditional skilled labour, (iii) humid climate suitable for cotton textiles, (iv) availability of soft water from the Pennine streams, and (v) facility of import of cotton from the U.S.A. and Egypt through the port of Liverpool.

 

tile industry

Industrial region of Britain

Greater London Industrial Region - Advantages for the development of industries—

(i) It is the capital city, (ii) a leading seaport, (iii) a financial centre of international importance and (iv) its large population provided both labour and readymade market.

Important industries—Near Thames estuary cement, oil refineries Dagenham. Other market-based industries.

South WalesSouth Wales is an example of older industrial region, which has undergone

modernisation. Very foundation of the industrial development of the region was availability of coal (both anthracite and bituminous). Some amount of iron ore was also found in the region. Both coal mining and extraction of iron ore was labour intensive and attracted a large population to this valley. Based upon these, the iron and steel industry was established.

Ruhr – Westphalia ( Germany )

Germany ( The Ruhr-Westphalia Region )

• The German industries are mainly coalfield based. Thus, the industries are mostly found concentrated in and around the coal resources.

The Ruhr-Westphalia Region – factors for development of this region

Local iron ore, charcoal, water and wind power provided the basis for establishment of an iron and steel industry.

Later, with new findings of coal in the region, heavy industries on modern lines came up.

Also the development of canals such as the Lippe and Dortmund Ems and railways provided additional stimuli for the movement of bulky goods within the Ruhr.

During the same period, German Banks began their association with the industries and provided capital.

The Middle Rhine Industrial Area

The Middle Rhine Industrial Area - Factors for the Industrial Development

The Rhine River forms the main waterway of European commerce. At the confluence of Rhine and Main Rivers, a widespread industrial complex has developed.

Besides the availability of cheap water transport, there is also the convergence of rail and road routes in this region.

Other industrial regions in erstwhile West Germany

Though concentration of industries is not found in a particular place, this region includes wide range of industries scattered in several large cities.

France Industrial region

1. North East Ind.

3.Paris Ind.

2.Lorraine Ind.

Metz

Lyon

France

Compared to Britain, France is far less urbanised and industrialised. The major industrial regions of France may be divided into—

The Northeast Industrial Region - The presence of coalfields of and the relative ease with which iron ore can be brought from Lorraine or imported from Sweden have formed the very foundation of industrial growth in the region.

Lorraine - Lorraine the most important producer of steel in France, Iron and steel industries are based on local Iron ores but coal is imported. The labour force is made of local people, as well as by those who migrated from Italy, Belgium, Poland and other European countries. The transportation network is very well developed.

Metz and Lyon are the most important industrial centres.

Greater Paris Paris -Densely populated city and thus is a source of cheap labour as well as vast market.Market based Industries

Italy

Venice

Genoa

Po River

Italy

Lombardy Plain

Genoa

MilanTurin

Italy

It has the deposits of neither coal nor iron ore and most other important industrial mineral deposits that are found are widely dispersed and generally of poor or inferior quality. Much of the country has a mountainous terrain and dry climate, which is unsuitable for agriculture in the region. However, industrial growth, which mainly started in the nineteenth century, has concentrated in the north rather than the south.

Industrial Regions of Italy

1. Po River Valley (in northern Italy) most developed region includes only one-fourth of Italy's land but more than 70 per cent of its industries and 50 per cent of its population.

Factors : (i) A large supply of cheap labour (ii) Inexpensive sources of hydroelectricity from the nearby Alpine regions. (iii) The Po River, the ports of Genoa and Venice and the close network of railways in the Lombardy plain allow smooth movement of goods and workers within the region.

The Lombardy plain

The largest industrial region comprising of major industrial cities of Milan, Turin and Genoa.

Milan: industrial capital of the region and is important for textiles (silk in particular) and engineering works

Turin: noted for automobiles (Fiat), rail coaches and aircraft;

Genoa : shipbuilding and repairing industries are important.

Belgium

Based on the Franco-Belgian coalfields and some amount of local ore; heavy industries including iron and steel, manufacture of armaments, heavy chemicals have developed.

Industial Region Brussels & Antwerp

Luxembourg

Luxembourg is the iron and steel industry based upon the Minette iron ore deposits, a continuation of the Lorraine iron ore deposits of France.

Netherlands

Imported oil became more important and supplemented coal.

Rotterdam became the most important European port through which oil imports entered Europe. Part of it is forwarded to Germany and other European countries as crude oil, while part of it is refined at or near Rotterdam before forwarding. Therefore, world's'largest concentration of refineries is found in this region. Oil refineries are also found at Amsterdam, Pernis. Along with oil refineries, petrochemical units have also developed here.

Sweden

Sweden has the richest iron ore resources of Europe at Kiruna and Gallivare.

Apart from iron ore, the region has a developed hydro-electric power; high technological skills; well developed communication links—railways, roads and inland waterways; and a coastal location that facilitates imports and exports.

The problem posed by the absence of any major coal resources was solved by availability of electricity from hydel power.

Norway

The most important natural resources of Norway include spectacular scenery, hydel power, fish, forests and a variety of minerals. Based on these resources many kinds of industries have developed in Norway.

The recently discovered resources of large oil and natural gas in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea floor have made Norway a net exporter of crude oil and gas.

Hydel power is most important and accounts for 99.7 per cent of all electricity generated here.

Denmark - is a country in which agriculture plays the most important role in its economy. Danish agriculture is highly specialised and animal husbandry is well developed. Denmark thus, has industries based on agricultural and dairy products like grain milling, sugar refining, food processing, butter and cheese making, meat packing, etc.

The important towns are Odensc, Flensburg, Esbjerg and Aarhus.