Southern cities of Europe. Southern European countries

Southern Europe includes 8 countries and one dependent territory - Gibraltar (possession of Great Britain) (table). Feature region is the location of the smallest state-city of the Vatican, whose territory is 44 hectares, and the oldest republic in the world - San Marino

Table 5 – Southern European countries

A country	Capital	Area, thousand km
Andorra	Andorra la Vella	0,467	0,07
Vatican	Vatican	0,00044	0,001		-
Greece	Athens	132,0	10,4
Gibraltar (British)	Gibraltar	0,006	0,03
Spain	Madrid	504,7	39,2
Italy	Rome	301,3	57,2
Malta	Valletta	0,3	0,37
Portugal	Lisbon	92,3	10,8
San Marino	San Marino	0,061	0,027
Total		1031,1	118,1	Average – 115	Average – 175000

Important peculiarity of the economic and geographical position of the countries of Southern Europe, located on the peninsulas and islands of the Mediterranean Sea, is that they are all on the main sea routes from Europe to Asia, Africa and Australia, and Spain and Portugal also to Central and South America. All this, since the time of the great geographical discoveries, has affected the development of the region, the life of the countries of which is closely connected with the sea. No less significant is the fact that the region is located between Central Europe and the Arab countries of North Africa, which have multilateral ties with Europe. The former metropolises of Portugal, Italy and Spain still retain influence over some African countries. All countries (except the Vatican) are members of the UN, the OECD, and the largest are members of NATO and the European Union. Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, led by Great Britain.

Natural conditions and resources. The region is located on the peninsulas of the Mediterranean Sea - the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan. Only Italy is part of mainland Europe. The Mediterranean Sea largely determined the similarity of the natural conditions of the region. There is an acute shortage of fuel in the region. useful fossils. There is almost no oil, very little natural gas and coal. However, the rich are deposits of various metals, especially colored ones: bauxite(Greece belongs to the top three European leaders), mercury, copper, polymetals(Spain, Italy), tungsten(Portugal). Huge reserves building materials – marble, tuff, granite, cement raw materials, clay. In southern European countries it is underdeveloped river network. Large massifs forests preserved only in the Pyrenees and the Alps. The average forest cover of the region is 32%. Natural and recreational resources are extremely rich. These are warm seas, many kilometers of sandy beaches, lush vegetation, picturesque landscapes, numerous sea and mountain resorts, as well as areas favorable for mountaineering and skiing, etc. There are 14 national parks in the region. The unique natural resource potential of the region has contributed to the significant development of the agricultural sector and tourism and recreational activities in its countries.

Population. Traditionally, Southern Europe is characterized by a high birth rate, but natural population growth is low: from 0.1% per year in Italy to 0.4-0.5% in Greece, Portugal and 0.8% in Malta. Women account for 51% of the region's population. The majority of the population belongs to the southern (Mediterranean) branch of e Caucasian race. During the era of the Roman Empire, most of them were Romanized, and now people belonging to the Romanesque group predominate here Indo-European language family(Portuguese, Spaniards, Galicians, Catalans, Italians, Sardinians, Romansh). Exception are: Greeks(Greek group of the Indo-European family); Albanians(Albanian group of the Indo-European family), represented in Italy; Gibraltar (Germanic group of the Indo-European family); Maltese(Semitic group of the Semitic-Hamitic language family). The Maltese language is considered to be a dialectal form of Arabic; Turks(Turkic group of the Altaic language family) - there are many of them in Greece; Basque(in the rank of a separate family) - live in the historical region of the Basque Country in northern Spain. Population composition in the countries of the region is predominantly homogeneous. High indicators of mononationality characteristic of Portugal (99.5% Portuguese), Italy and Greece (98% Italians and Greeks each, respectively), and only in Spain there is a significant weight (almost 30%) of national minorities: Catalans (18%), Galicians (8%) , Basques (2.5%), etc. The majority of the population is Christians. Christianity is represented by two branches: Catholicism(west and center of the region); Orthodoxy(east of the region, Greece). In Southern Europe there is the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church - the Vatican, which exists in the 4th century. Some Turks, Albanians, Greeks - Muslims.

Population posted unevenly. Highest density- in fertile valleys and coastal lowlands, the smallest - in the mountains (Alps, Pyrenees), in some areas up to 1 person / km 2. Urbanization level in the region is much lower than in other parts of Europe: in Spain and Malta alone, up to 90% of the population lives in cities, and, for example, in Greece and Italy - more than 60%, in Portugal - 36%. Labor resources are about 51 million people. In general, 30% of the active population is employed in industry, 15% - in agriculture, 53% - in service sector. Recently, many employees from Eastern and South-Eastern Europe come to Southern Europe for the fruit and vegetable harvest season, who cannot find work in their own countries.

Features of economic development and general characteristics of the economy. The countries of the region still lag economically behind the highly developed countries of Europe. Although Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy are members of the EU, all of them, except Italy, lag behind the leaders in many socio-economic indicators. Italy is the economic leader of the region, belongs to highly developed industrial-agrarian countries, with a clear tendency to form a post-industrial type of economy. At the same time, the country still has significant contrasts in the development of many industries and production, in the social sphere, and in the socio-economic conditions of the North and South. Italy lags behind many highly developed countries in terms of scientific and technological development. While ahead of some Western European countries in terms of net profits from tourism, it is inferior to them in the scale and intensity of international trade and financial transactions. Spain. This is the second country in the region in terms of socio-economic development. The public sector plays a significant role in the Spanish economy, accounting for up to 30% of the country's GDP. The state carries out economic programming, controls the railways, the coal industry, a significant part of shipbuilding and ferrous metallurgy. In the second half of the 80s. XX century Portugal was experiencing significant economic growth. The average GDP growth during this period was one of the highest in the EU and amounted to 4.5-4.8% per year; in 2000, GNP was equal to $159 billion. Greece has a larger GNP than Portugal (181.9 billion in 2000). The country's industry is significantly monopolized by large local and foreign capital (mainly the USA, Germany, France and Switzerland). Up to 200 companies receive over 50% of all profits. Greece has fairly high inflation rates for EU countries (3.4% per year). Government measures to reduce it (cutting government subsidies, freezing wages, etc.) predetermine social instability.

IN MGRT The countries of the region are represented by individual branches of mechanical engineering (production of cars, household appliances, technological equipment for the light and food industries), furniture industry, production of construction products and equipment, light industry branches (fruit and vegetable canning, oilseeds - production of olive oil, winemaking, pasta, etc.). P.). Agriculture is dominated by agricultural sectors - the cultivation of various subtropical crops: citrus fruits, wood oils, grapes, vegetables, fruits, essential oil plants, etc. Due to the insufficient feed supply, livestock farming is dominated by sheep breeding and, to a small extent, beef cattle breeding. The countries of the region are actively developing merchant shipping and ship repair. They are the undisputed leaders in the development of international tourism. The warm sea, Mediterranean climate, rich subtropical vegetation, numerous monuments of ancient culture and architecture are the main factors thanks to which Southern Europe is a favorite place of recreation and entertainment for many recreationists in the world, the largest tourist center.

5. General characteristics of the countries of Eastern (Central) Europe

The countries of Eastern (Central) Europe began to be distinguished as a socio-political and economic integrity in the 90s of the twentieth century. This is due to the collapse of the former USSR and the socialist system and the formation of independent states. The region covers 10 countries (Table 6). The economic and geographical position of Eastern Europe is distinguished by the following features : delineation in the west with highly developed countries, and in the east and southeast - with Russia and the countries of South-Eastern Europe - potential markets for Eastern Europe; the passage of trans-European transport routes of meridional and latitudinal directions through the region. Over the past 10 years in EGP (economic-geographical position) of the region the following took place changes : collapse of the USSR, formation of the CIS and new countries; unification of Germany; the collapse of Czechoslovakia, as a result of which two independent states were formed: the Czech Republic and Slovakia; the appearance on the southern borders of “unstable” neighbors in relation to the military-political state - the Balkan countries, Yugoslavia.

Table 6 – Eastern European countries

A country	Capital	Area, thousand km	Population, million people/km 2	Population density, persons/km 2	GNP per capita, US dollars (2000)
Belarus	Minsk	207,6	10,0
Estonia	Tallinn	45,1	1,4
Latvia	Riga	64,5	2,4
Lithuania	Vilnius	65,2	3,7
Poland	Warsaw	312,6	38,6
Russia (European part)	Moscow	4309,5	115,5
Slovakia	Bratislava	49,0	5,4
Hungary	Budapest	93,0	10,0
Ukraine	Kyiv	603,7	49,1
Czech	Prague	78,8	10,3
Total		5829,0	246,4	Average – 89	Average – 8600

Political and socio-economic changes influenced the formation of the modern political map of Eastern Europe. As a result of the collapse of the USSR, independent states were formed: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia. A new political and economic association arose - the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The Baltic countries were not included in it. In the process of profound revolutionary changes, the countries of Eastern Europe entered a period of political and economic reforms, actively asserting the principles of real democracy, political pluralism, and a market economy. All countries in the region are members of the UN. Russia, Ukraine and Belarus are in the CIS, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary are in NATO. Natural conditions and resources. The length of the coastline (excluding Russia) is 4682 km. Belarus, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic do not have access to the World Ocean. Climate in the predominant part of the territory it is moderate continental. Natural resources. The region has significant mineral resources , in terms of their richness and diversity, it ranks one of the first places in Europe. He fully satisfies his needs in coal , brown coal . On oil and gas The mineral resources of Russia are rich, there are small reserves in Ukraine and Hungary, as well as in the south of Belarus. Peat lies in Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, in the north of Ukraine, the largest reserves of oil shale are in Estonia and Russia. Countries are forced to import a significant portion of fuel and energy resources, especially oil and gas. Ore minerals are represented: iron ores , manganese , copper ores , bauxite , mercury nickel . Among nonmetallic mineral reserves available rock salt , potassium salt , sulfur , amber , phosphorites, apatites . The average forest cover of the region is 33%. To the main recreational resources belong to the sea coast, mountain air, rivers, forests, mineral springs, karst caves. The region is home to famous seaside resorts.

Population size. On the territory of Eastern Europe, excluding Russia, there are 132.1 million people, including the European part of Russia - 246.4 million. The largest population is in Ukraine and Poland. In other countries it ranges from 1.5 to 10.5 million people. Demographic situation is quite complex, due to the consequences of the Second World War, increasing urbanization and the associated industrial development of states. As in most other European countries, natural population growth has decreased significantly in recent decades, primarily due to a sharp decline in the birth rate, and in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Slovakia it has become negative. The population is also declining - the birth rate is lower than the death rate, which has led to the aging process of the population. The gender composition of the population is dominated by women (53%). Among the inhabitants of the region, representatives of the transitional (Central European) group predominate Caucasian race . Countries have mostly heterogeneous ethnic composition . The population belongs predominantly to a bilingual family: Indo-European And Ural . Dominates the region Christianity , represented in all directions: Catholicism professed in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, by a significant number of Hungarians and Latvians; Orthodoxy - in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus; Protestantism (Lutheranism ) - in Estonia, the majority are Latvians and some Hungarians; To Uniate (Greek Catholic ) the church is inhabited by Western Ukrainians and Western Belarusians.

Population posted relatively evenly. The average density is almost 89 persons/km a. The level of urbanization is low - on average 68 %. The urban population is constantly increasing. Labor resources approximately 145 million people (56%). Industry employs 40-50 % working population, in agriculture - 20-50%, in the non-production sector - 15-20%. Since the mid-90s. XX century In the countries of Eastern Europe, economic emigration of the population in search of work and permanent income has increased significantly. Significant and intra-regional migration from the eastern regions (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus) to the economically developed western countries of the same region - Poland, the Czech Republic. Based on GDP indicators and its level per capita, the UN divides the countries of the region into 3 groups : 1) Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia (20-50% of GDP per capita from the US level); 2) Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia (10-20%); 3) Ukraine, Belarus, Russia (less than 10%). All states in the region belong to countries with an average level of socio-economic development.

IN ICCPR countries are represented by regions fuel and energy complex (coal, oil, gas), metallurgy, chemical industry (mainly by the branches of basic chemistry and coal chemistry), certain industries mechanical engineering , timber industry complex, easy (textile, knitwear, footwear, etc.) and food (meat and fish processing, sugar, oil and flour milling, etc.) industries. The agricultural specialization of countries is determined by the cultivation cereals (wheat, rye, barley, corn), technical (sugar beet, sunflower, flax, hops) and fodder crops , potatoes, vegetables and so on.. Livestock It is represented mainly by dairy and beef cattle breeding, pig farming, and poultry farming. Fishing has long been traditional in the countries along the Baltic Sea coast. Industry. The leading sector of the economy of the countries of the region is industry, mainly processing (mechanical engineering, metallurgical complex, chemical, light and food, etc.). Transport. Eastern Europe has all types of transport. An important task for the countries of the region is to bring the transport system up to EU standards. Foreign economic relations countries of Eastern Europe are still in their infancy and do not have a clearly defined orientation. Foreign trade mostly serves the needs of this region, since the products of many countries are still uncompetitive on the world market. IN export , which amounts to 227 billion dollars, is dominated by products of mechanical engineering, chemical and light industry, and some products of non-ferrous metallurgy. Foreign economic relations Ukraine with the countries of the region: significant volumes of exports of Ukrainian goods go to Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and the largest amount of imports to Ukraine - from Russia, Poland, Belarus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania. Eastern Europe is rich in resources for development recreational industry and tourism.

6. General characteristics of the countries of South-Eastern Europe

South-Eastern Europe covers 9 countries of the former socialist camp, located in the south-eastern part of Europe, not included in the region of Eastern (Central) Europe (Table 6)

Table 6 – Countries of South-Eastern Europe

A country	Capital	Area, thousand km	Population, million people/m2	Population density, persons/km 2	GNP per capita, US dollars (2000)
Albania	Tirana	28,7	3,4
Bulgaria	Sophia	110,9	8,1
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Sarajevo	51,1	3,4
Macedonia	Skop'e	25,7	2,0
Moldova	Kishinev	33,7	4,3
Romania	Bucharest	237,5	22,4
Serbia and Montenegro	Belgrade	102,2	10,7
Slovenia	Ljubljana	20,3	2,0
Croatia	Zagreb	56,6	4,7
Total		666,7		Average-95	Average – 4800

The region has a rather favorable economic and geographical position due to its location on the routes from South-West Asia to Central Europe. The states of the region border with the countries of Eastern, Southern and Western Europe, as well as South-West Asia, are washed by the Atlantic seas (Black, Adriatic), and through the Mediterranean Sea they have access to transport routes in the Atlantic Ocean. The peculiarities of the political and geographical position of the region are negatively affected by religious and ethnic conflicts (Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro). All countries in the region have economies in transition. Member of the UN, Moldova is a member of the CIS.

Natural conditions. The countries of the region are rich in diverse landscapes. Climate in most of the territory it is temperate continental, only in the south and southwest it is subtropical Mediterranean. To obtain stable harvests, large areas are irrigated here. Natural resources. Hydropower resources regions are among the most powerful in Europe. Mineral resources are varied, but the supply of them to the countries of the region is not the same. Largest reserves coal - in Transylvania (Romania), minor - west of Sofia in Bulgaria. Brown coal lies in Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Bulgaria, Albania, Slovenia. The only country in the region that is entirely self-sufficient oil and gas , - Romania. All others depend on their imports. H chernozems occupy large areas of Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova. Forests , covering over 35% of the territories are the national wealth of the countries of the region. The region has significant recreational resources. Favorable agroclimatic resources determined the development of a fairly significant agricultural sector in most countries in the region. Population. Demographic situation characterized by the same trends as in most other European countries. It is characterized by a sharp decline in the birth rate and natural increase, which is caused by socio-economic factors. There are more women than men in the region (51 and 49%). Most countries in the region are dominated by representatives of the southern group e European race. In the northern regions, the majority of the population belongs to Central European racial types . South-Eastern Europe - nationally and religiously heterogeneous region, which predetermines numerous conflicts. Constant military conflicts gave rise to significant population migrations. In the countries of the region, a large percentage national minorities , and in some of them there was territorial mixing of ethnic groups (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro). Residents of the region belong to Indo-European language family, Altaic and Uralic families . Religious composition also quite varied. The vast majority of the population professes Christianity (Orthodox - Bulgarians, Romanians, Moldovans, Serbs, Montenegrins, a significant part of Macedonians, and Catholics - Slovaks, Croats, part of Romanians and Hungarians) and Islam (Albanians, Kosovo Albanians, Bosnians, Turks). In Albania the entire population is Muslim. Hosted Population evenly. Increasingly influences population distribution urbanization , associated primarily with the movement of rural residents to cities. Labor resources make up over 35 million people. Employment in agriculture is very high - 24%, and in Albania - 55%, the highest figure for Europe, 38% of the population is employed in industry, construction and transport, 38% in the service sector. One of important issues region is to overcome the socio-demographic and religious-ethnic crisis that arose in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

Features of economic development and general characteristics of the economy. By The level of socio-economic development of the countries in the region belongs to the moderately developed ones. Only Albania meets the criteria of a developing country. The structure of the economy is dominated by industrial-agrarian countries. Each country is characterized by specific features of the transition period .

IN MGRT The countries of the region are represented by non-ferrous metallurgy, certain branches of the chemical industry (production of fertilizers, soda, perfumes and cosmetics), transport, agricultural engineering, machine tool manufacturing, furniture, light (production of clothing, shoes, leather goods) and food (sugar, oil, fruit and vegetable canning) , tobacco, wine) industry. IN agriculture agriculture traditionally predominates with the cultivation of cereals (wheat, barley, corn) and industrial crops (sugar beet, sunflower, tobacco, essential oil plants). They have significant development vegetable growing, horticulture, viticulture . In the countries of the Black Sea and Adriatic coasts, developed tourist and recreational complex .

Foreign economic relations. There are close economic ties between the countries of the region. They export products worth $33.9 billion: petroleum products, agricultural products, etc. Import ($45.0 billion) fuel, industrial goods, equipment, etc. The main ones trading partners are EU countries, CIS countries, Austria, Germany, Italy, Turkey, etc. Ukraine exports many goods to Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria, imports mainly from Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Slovenia.

The countries of Southern Europe are distinguished by their location on large peninsulas - the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan, which jut deep into the Mediterranean Sea. The largest states in this part of Europe are Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. In addition to them, in Southern Europe there are several of the smallest, “dwarf” states in the world. (What do you know about them?)

Indicate the main features of the geographical location of the countries of Southern Europe. Find the capitals of the countries named in the text. Remember the main features of the nature of Ancient Italy and Ancient Greece.

The countries of Southern Europe have much in common in nature and in the economic activities of the population.

Italy is one of the oldest countries in the world, distinguished by its rich history and typically Mediterranean nature. It occupies the Apennine Peninsula, large islands in the Mediterranean Sea - Sicily and Sardinia, as well as part of the mainland.

Mountains stretch across almost the entire territory of the country. The northern part is occupied by the largest mountain system in all of Europe and Italy - the Alps. Their mountain peaks on the northern border reach almost 5 thousand m (Mount Blanc - 4807 m). This is an area of young folding at the boundary of lithospheric plates. It coincides with the European-Asian seismic belt. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur here. The most famous of the volcanoes is Vesuvius. Mount Etna is located on the island of Sicily. Earthquakes are most frequent in Central and Southern Italy.

The Apennines are inferior in altitude to the Alps and do not exceed 3000 m above sea level. They do not have eternal snow. The Apennines are composed of limestone and sandstone, which is favorable for the formation of caves and grottoes.

There are few lowlands in Italy; they stretch in a narrow strip along the coasts. The largest, the Padan Plain, is located along the Po River valley. This is the main breadbasket of the country, where there are orchards and vineyards, grain crops and sugar beets everywhere.

Rice. 107. In the mountainous regions of Italy

Italy is comparatively poor in mineral resources, with the exception of mercury ore and sulfur. There are small deposits of polymetallic ores. But there are a lot of different building materials - marble, granites, volcanic tuffs.

The large extent of the country from north to south, protection from the north by high mountains and the influence of a warm and ice-free sea determine the climate of the country. The further south you go, the warmer it becomes. The climate on the Padan Plain is moderately warm, with hot summers but cold and foggy winters.

Most of the country has a Mediterranean climate with long, hot summers and warm, wet winters. The average January temperature is above O °C. In winter it often rains and the sky is covered with clouds. Snow falls very rarely on the Apennine Peninsula.

Rice. 108. In the south of the Balkan Peninsula. Greece

The climate of the Alps is typical of the mountains. It varies from the foothills to the peaks, from moderately warm to cold. In the mountains, the snow does not melt for several months, and the tops of the mountains are covered with eternal snow. The Alps receive particularly high precipitation, up to 3000 mm in the western, highest part. They are brought by moist westerly winds.

The rivers of Italy are short and fast flowing. Unlike other rivers in Europe, they flood in winter. The longest and deepest river is the Po. It carries a huge amount of suspended particles and forms a delta when it flows into the Adriatic Sea. On the Apennine Peninsula, the largest river is the Tiber, on which the capital of the country, Rome, is located.

There are many relatively large lakes of glacial origin in the Alps. Resorts of world significance have been created on their beautiful shores.

The soils of Italy are favorable for agriculture, growing fruit trees and grapes.

Italy is located in a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs, but almost no forests have survived. The hillsides and foothills are covered with dense thickets of evergreen shrubs and low trees. On the plains, the land is used for various agricultural crops.

National parks have been created to protect flora and fauna in the high parts of the Alps and Apennines. Floods are common in Italy, causing great damage to the local population. Enterprises located on the coast pollute the Mediterranean Sea.

Population. In terms of population in foreign Europe, Italy is second only to Germany. The main population is Italians, their language belongs to the Romance group. The highest population density is in the north of the country, where there are many cities, and around Naples. Relatively rare population in the mountains. Many Italians live and work in neighboring Switzerland and Germany. More than half the population lives in cities.

Italy is an industrial country. Most of the population is employed in factories and factories. Since our own mineral resources are insufficient, imported raw materials are mostly used. The country produces a variety of cars, among which the production of automobiles stands out; Italy ranks among the first in the world in their production. There are many factories that process oil into fuel and chemical products - plastics, synthetic fibers, fabrics made from them, yarn, varnishes and paints. Almost all oil is imported from abroad, mainly from Southwest Asia and North Africa. Many industrial enterprises are located on the sea coast. Modern ships are being built in port cities. Italian motorcycles and scooters are also known. Italy is the birthplace of motor scooters.

High temperatures in summer and warm, wet winters favor the cultivation of a wide variety of crops. Cereals can produce two harvests a year, but dry summers require artificial irrigation in many places. The main grain crop is wheat. Everyone knows the traditional Italian dish made from wheat flour - pasta, of which there are several dozen types. On the irrigated lands of the Padan Plain, large areas are occupied by rice and vegetable crops.

Rice. 109. On the Mediterranean coast

Italy is called the “main garden” of Europe, because of the variety of fruits grown - apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, figs. In the southern part of the country and especially in Sicily, there are plantations of oranges, tangerines, lemons, and vineyards everywhere. Italy is second only to Spain in olive harvesting.

A large number of sunny days, beautiful nature, a warm sea, and an abundance of historical monuments attract millions of tourists from around the world to Italy. In Rome, a city with almost three thousand years of history, buildings and ruins of buildings built at the beginning of our era have been preserved. Part of the city is occupied by the “dwarf” state of the Vatican, where the head of the Catholic Church is located.

What changes have the economic activities of the population brought to the nature of Italy?
Find the country's largest cities on a comprehensive map of Western and Southern Europe.
Find areas where grains, rice, and fruits are grown.

Southern Europe is a geographical region, which, as a rule, includes countries located on the coast, regardless of their culture and history. Thus, in addition to those powers that are included in the social concept of Europe, the western part of Turkey is often equated to this region, although this issue still remains controversial.

Countries in this region

The states that are located in this region are well known to everyone, so now we will briefly list them, and also name their capitals:

Albania - Tirana.
Serbia - Belgrade.
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sarajevo.
Cyprus - Nicosia.
Macedonia - Skopje.
Slovenia - Ljubljana.
San Marino - San Marino.
Croatia - Zagreb.
Portugal - Lisbon.
Spain Madrid.
Montenegro - Podgorica.
Monaco - Monaco.
Italy Rome.
Andorra - Andorra la Vella.
Greece - Athens.
Vatican - Vatican.
Malta - Valletta.

In addition to Turkey, there is another “disputed” country that some geographers include in this area - France. However, the majority does not accept this version, based on the fact that the climate in this state is too cold.

Geographical position

The southern part of Europe is conveniently located on peninsulas, whose shores open into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. For example, Spain and Portugal, as well as Andorra, are in Italy, San Marino and the Vatican are in Apennine, and Greece is in the Balkan. Powers such as Cyprus and Malta completely occupy separate islands located in the Mediterranean basin. It is precisely due to the fact that all these countries are facing the waters of this warm sea that the climate here has developed very mild and warm. This is what they call it - Mediterranean, and depending on the latitude, the name changes from subtropical to tropical. Southern Europe is a very mountainous area. In its western part, Spain was separated from France by the Pyrenees, in the central Alps they clearly border Italy, and in the east the Southern Carpathians approach the region.

Territory and population

The historical region of Southern Europe contains a variety of nature, terrain, cultures and people, as well as many mysteries and secrets. Its area is 1033 thousand square meters. km., and the total population is over 120 million people. However, it is impossible to say anything general about the culture of the entire region. Differences can even be seen in the fact that some countries are too urbanized, while the inhabitants of others prefer to live in villages. For example, in Spain the percentage of urbanization is 91%, in Italy - 72%, and in Portugal - only 48%. What is noteworthy is that almost all of Southern Europe is inhabited by the indigenous inhabitants of this area - Mediterranean Caucasians live here. Many countries have a minimal percentage of natural population growth. Therefore, this race is considered one of the aging on earth.

Local climate and tourism

Everyone knows that the southern cities of Europe are a real magnet for any traveler. Some people come here for sightseeing, but most people come to Mediterranean resorts to enjoy the local warmth and sun. The most important thing is that in the summer months it is not stuffy or sultry, but simply very warm. The air temperature rises to 28-30 degrees, and the coolness that comes from the sea fills the air with moisture, which makes it much easier to bear the heat. Such famous resort cities as Genoa, Malaga, Barcelona, Lisbon, Cadiz, Athens, Naples and many others annually attract millions of tourists from different parts of the world.

Nature and economics

Southern Europe is a rich region. A lot of minerals are concentrated in its depths - mercury, copper, aluminum, uranium, gas, sulfur, mica and much more. Therefore, it is well developed here. In regions remote from cities there are numerous farms, and therefore most of the rural population of Europe is engaged in livestock farming. Each of the above countries receives a significant share of their income from tourism. This region is considered one of the most visited in the world, so there are hotels and restaurants to suit every taste and budget. But still, agriculture is considered the most important, and most importantly, the most ancient in Southern Europe. Nature has decreed that it is here that olives, grapes, citrus fruits, dates, legumes, and, of course, a wide variety of vegetables and fruits grow best.

Conclusion

The region of Southern Europe is not only an attractive and picturesque corner of the world, but also a historically important territory. A significant part of world culture originated here, which later spread to other areas of the planet. The great heritage of Greece and Rome, the barbarism of Gaul and other regions of the Iberian Peninsula - all this came together into one whole and became the basis for our today's traditions.

The video lesson allows you to get interesting and detailed information about the countries of Southern Europe. From the lesson you will learn about the composition of Southern Europe, the characteristics of the countries in the region, their geographical location, nature, climate, and place in this subregion. The teacher will tell you in detail about the main country of Southern Europe - Italy. In addition, the lesson provides interesting information about a tiny country - the Vatican.

Topic: Regional characteristics of the world. Foreign Europe

Lesson:Southern Europe

Rice. 1. Map of subregions of Europe. Southern Europe is highlighted in green ()

Southern Europe- a cultural and geographical region, which includes states located on the southern peninsular and island parts of the region.

Compound:

1. Spain.

2. Andorra.

3. Portugal.

4. Italy.

5. Vatican.

6. San Marino.

7. Greece.

8. Croatia.

9. Montenegro.

10. Serbia.

11. Albania.

12. Slovenia.

13. Bosnia and Herzegovina.

14. Macedonia.

15. Malta.

16. Cyprus is sometimes included in Southern Europe

Southern Europe is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

The climate in most of Southern Europe is subtropical Mediterranean.

Almost the entire territory of Southern Europe is located within rigid-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs.

The region's population exceeds 160 million people.

Countries in Southern Europe with the largest populations:

1. Italy (61 million people).

2. Spain (47 million people).

3. Portugal and Greece (11 million people each).

At the same time, the population of the Vatican is less than 1000 people, and the population density is almost 2000 people. per sq. km.

The most numerous peoples of Southern Europe:

1. Italians.

2. Spaniards.

3. Portuguese.

The region's religious composition is diverse. In general, the southwestern countries of the region profess Catholicism, the southeastern ones - Orthodoxy, Albania and partly in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Islam.

Rice. 2. Map of religious denominations in Europe (blue - Catholicism, purple - Protestantism, pink - Orthodoxy, yellow - Islam). ()

According to the form of government, Spain, Andorra, and the Vatican are monarchies.

The most powerful economies in the region are Italy and Spain.

All countries of Southern Europe are characterized by a modern type of population reproduction.

The highest levels of urbanization are in Spain (91%) and Malta (89%).

In most countries, mining, agriculture, mountain pasture husbandry, the production of machinery and instruments, fabrics, leather, and the cultivation of grapes and citrus fruits are widespread. Tourism is very common. Spain and Italy occupy leading places in the world in tourism. The main branch of specialization, in addition to international tourism, is agriculture, in particular, this area is rich in grapes, olives, quite high rates in the cultivation of grains and legumes (Spain - 22.6 million tons, Italy - 20.8 million tons), as well as vegetables and fruits (Spain - 11.5 million tons, Italy - 14.5 million tons). Despite the predominance of agriculture, there are also industrial areas, in particular the cities of Genoa, Turin and Milan are the main industrial cities of Italy. It should be noted that they are located mainly in the north, closer to the countries of Western Europe.

Italy. Population - 61 million people (4th place in foreign Europe). Capital - Rome.

The full name is the Italian Republic. It borders with France in the northwest, Switzerland and Austria in the north, and Slovenia in the northeast. It also has internal borders with the Vatican and San Marino. The country occupies the Apennine Peninsula, the Padana Plain, the southern slopes of the Alps, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia and a number of small islands.

Italy has a variety of mineral resources, but their deposits are mostly small, scattered throughout the territory, and are often located in an inconvenient location for development. Italy is a developed industrial-agrarian country. It is characterized by a combination of highly developed industry in the north and backward agriculture in the southern regions. The economy is dominated by powerful industrial and banking monopolies. In agriculture, especially in the south, remnants of feudalism are strong and backward forms of agriculture dominate. A lot of land still belongs to large landowners. Peasants rent tiny plots of land and pay for it up to half of the harvest. Italy is poor in coal and iron ore, but in its depths there is a lot of mercury, pyrites, gas, marble, and sulfur. About 40% of the electricity consumed by Italian industry comes from hydroelectric power plants. The most powerful of them are built on northern rivers. Italy became the first country in the world to widely use the heat of groundwater to produce electricity. Several nuclear power plants have been built. Mechanical engineering occupies a leading place in industry. Italian factories produce cars, motorcycles, airplanes, and sea vessels.

Over the past twenty years, 6 million Italians have left in search of work in other countries. The army of the unemployed is constantly replenished by bankrupt peasants. In Italian agriculture, the leading place belongs to agriculture. Dairy and meat farming is developed only in the northern regions. Among the grains, the most common are wheat and corn.

Grapes are grown everywhere. The area occupied by vineyards is greater here than in any country in the world. Italy exports a lot of wine, as well as oranges, lemons, and vegetables. There are many large industrial cities in the north. The most significant of them is Milan. It is the economic capital of Italy. Industrial areas surround the city in a continuous ring. Milan's plants and factories belong to several trusts that control a significant part of the country's industry.

On the shores of the Ligurian Sea, in Northern Italy, lies the country's largest seaport - Genoa. Genoa is a large industrial city. The country's largest shipyards, oil refineries, metallurgical and machine-building plants are located here.

Of all developed countries, Italy has the sharpest territorial contrasts in the level of industrialization. In Southern Italy, less than 15% of the economically active population is employed in industry, while in the North-West it is about 40%. The vast majority of the most advanced high-tech industries are also concentrated here.

The regional policy pursued by the Italian government and the EU is aimed at eliminating the economic backwardness of a number of Central and Southern regions of the country. The industrialization carried out in these areas involves the construction of small enterprises in the light and food industries in small and medium-sized cities in Central and Southern Italy. There is an accelerated development of coastal industrial centers (Ravenna, Taranto, Cagliari in Sardinia, etc.) based on the use of imported raw materials, in particular oil.

In the structure of Italian industry there is a constant increase in the share of manufacturing - the basis of Italian industry. The leading place in the manufacturing industry is occupied by the machine-building complex, whose share exceeds 35%. These include: general mechanical engineering; production of vehicles; production of electrical and electronic equipment; metalworking and production of metal products.

There is some lag in Italy from other industrial countries in terms of scientific potential, so the country in the MGRT specializes in the production of machinery and equipment of medium and low science intensity, supplying a fairly wide range of engineering products to the world market. In particular, it is one of the largest manufacturers of agricultural machinery, electrical appliances, packaging and food processing equipment, machine tools, textile equipment, rolling stock and other vehicles.

Italy is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of consumer goods characterized by high quality and exquisite design.

Fuel and energy complex. Italy is extremely poor in energy sources and has an unfavorable energy balance. On average, only 17% of needs are covered from own resources. Almost 70% of the energy balance comes from oil. According to this indicator, Italy is comparable among post-industrial countries only to Japan: about 15% for natural gas, 7 - 8% for coal, hydro and geothermal energy. Own oil production is small - 1.5 million tons per year. Italy purchases 98% of all oil consumed abroad (over 75 million tons). Oil comes from Saudi Arabia, Libya, Russia. Italy has the largest oil refining industry in Western Europe in terms of installed capacity (200 million tons), but its utilization rate is very low. Gas is imported from Russia, Algeria, and the Netherlands. Italy purchases about 80% of solid fuel. Hard coal is imported from the USA and South Africa.

Over 3/4 of the electricity is generated at thermal power plants that use mainly fuel oil. Therefore, electricity is expensive, and imports of electricity from France are high. After the Chernobyl accident, it was decided to stop the operation of existing nuclear power plants and not build new ones. The main goals of the state energy program are saving energy consumption and reducing oil imports.

The Italian ferrous metallurgy operates on imported raw materials. Own production is insignificant - 185 thousand tons per year. Coking coal is entirely imported from abroad, mainly from the USA. Italy is a major exporter of scrap metal, as well as alloy metal ores.

The import of raw materials for the industry predetermined the location of the largest metallurgical plants on the sea coast in Genoa, Naples, Piombino, Taranto (the latter, the largest in the EU, with a capacity of 10 million tons of steel per year).

On the global market, Italy specializes in the production of thin, cold-rolled steel and steel pipes. The main products of non-ferrous metallurgy: aluminum, zinc, lead and mercury.

The country ranks second in the EU and sixth in the world in rolled metal production, accounting for 40% of ferrous metal production in the EU.

The Italian chemical industry specializes in the production of petrochemicals, polymers (especially polyethylene, polypropylene) and synthetic fibers.

The industry is highly monopolized and dominated by large firms. The ENI company ranks first in Europe in the production of acrylic fibers, second in the production of plastics, and third in the production of fertilizers. Montadison provides 1/4 of the country's chemical fertilizer production. SNIA specializes in the production of chemical fibers, plastics, dyes, plant protection products, and medicines.

Italy ranks fifth in the world in drug production.

The oldest and most important region of the chemical industry is the North-West. Due to the worsening environmental situation, lack of free space, and difficulties with power supply, this region specializes in the production of fine chemicals. Major centers are: Milan, Turin, Mantua, Savona, Novara, Genoa.

North-Eastern Italy specializes in the production of bulk petrochemical products, fertilizers, synthetic rubber (Venice, Porto Marghera, Ravenna).

Profile of Central Italy - inorganic chemistry (Rosignano, Follonica, Piombino, Terni and others).

Southern Italy specializes in the production of organic synthesis products, mineral fertilizers (Brenzi, Augusta, Jele, Torto Torres and others).

Mechanical engineering is a leading branch of Italian industry. It employs 2/5 of all industrial workers, creates 1/3 of the total value of industrial products and 1/3 of the country's exports.

The industry is characterized by a high share of transport engineering in production and exports. Italy occupies one of the leading places in the world in car production. The largest automobile company is Fiat (Italian car factory in Turin). It is multidisciplinary and produces locomotives and wagons, tractors, ship and aircraft engines, road transport vehicles, machine tools, and robots. Fiat's capital is Turin, where the Mirafiori headquarters and largest plant are located; automobile factories were also built in Milan, Naples, Bolzano, and Modena. The company has its branches in many countries around the world. In the 1960s participated in the construction of the giant VAZ plant in Tolyatti. Fiat is one of the top ten largest car manufacturers, accounting for 5.3% of global production.

Rice. 4. FIAT car from 1899. ()

Ferrari is famous for producing racing cars.

Italy's international specialization is the production of not only cars, but also motorcycles, scooters, mopeds and bicycles.

Shipbuilding is a crisis branch of transport engineering; The tonnage of ships launched annually does not exceed 250 - 350 thousand tons. reg. t. Shipbuilding centers: Monofalcone, Genoa, Trieste, Taranto.

The products produced by the electrical industry are varied - refrigerators, washing machines, televisions. The industry is characterized by a high territorial concentration in Milan, its suburbs and in the neighboring cities of Varese, Como and Bergamo.

The production of electronics products is growing. Italy produces personal computers and electronic components.

Light industry developed in Italy. The country is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of cotton and woolen fabrics, clothing and footwear, furniture, jewelry and earthenware, etc. Italy ranks second in the world in footwear production after China. Italy is famous for its designer houses.

Rice. 5. Giorgio Armani - Italian fashion designer ()

Services sector. Tourism and banking play a leading role in the industry. The most important source of income is tourism. Over 50 million tourists visit Italy every year. More than 3/4 of the total turnover of the Italian tourism business comes from three cities: Rome, Venice and Florence. Almost all tourists arriving in Rome visit the unique state of the Vatican. The so-called shopping tourism is also developing, attracting wholesalers of products from Italian small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as individual consumers of Italian clothing and shoes.

All types of transport are well developed in Italy. More than 90% of passengers and 80% of cargo are transported by cars. The main transport artery of the country is the “motorway of the sun”, connecting Turin and Milan through Bologna and Florence with Rome. In external cargo transportation, sea transport predominates; 80 - 90% of imported goods are delivered by sea. The largest ports: Genoa (cargo turnover 50 million tons per year) and Trieste (35 million tons per year). The main coastal port of the country is Naples.

Agriculture is dominated by crop production. The main crops are wheat, corn, rice (1st place in Europe; over 1 million tons per year), sugar beets. Italy is one of the world's largest and Europe's leading producers of citrus fruits (over 3.3 million tons per year), tomatoes (over 5.5 million tons), grapes (about 10 million tons per year; over 90% is processed into wine) , olives. Floriculture and poultry farming are developed.

Vatican located on Vatican Hill in the northwestern part of Rome, a few hundred meters from the Tiber. The Vatican is surrounded on all sides by Italian territory. The Vatican has a non-profit planned economy. Sources of income are primarily donations from Catholics around the world. Part of the funds comes from tourism (sale of postage stamps, Vatican euro coins, souvenirs, fees for visiting museums). The majority of the workforce (museum staff, gardeners, janitors, etc.) are Italian citizens.

Almost the entire population of the Vatican is subjects of the Holy See (Vatican citizenship does not exist).

The status of the Vatican in international law is an auxiliary sovereign territory of the Holy See, the seat of the highest spiritual leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. The sovereignty of the Vatican is not independent (national), but stems from the sovereignty of the Holy See. In other words, its source is not the population of the Vatican, but the papal throne.

Homework

Topic 6, P. 3

1. What are the features of the geographical location of Southern Europe?

2. Tell us about the Italian economy.

Bibliography

Main

1. Geography. A basic level of. 10-11 grades: Textbook for educational institutions / A.P. Kuznetsov, E.V. Kim. - 3rd ed., stereotype. - M.: Bustard, 2012. - 367 p.

2. Economic and social geography of the world: Textbook. for 10th grade educational institutions / V.P. Maksakovsky. - 13th ed. - M.: Education, JSC "Moscow Textbooks", 2005. - 400 p.

3. Atlas with a set of outline maps for grade 10. Economic and social geography of the world. - Omsk: FSUE "Omsk Cartographic Factory", 2012. - 76 p.

Additional

1. Economic and social geography of Russia: Textbook for universities / Ed. prof. A.T. Khrushchev. - M.: Bustard, 2001. - 672 p.: ill., map.: color. on

Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books and statistical collections

1. Geography: a reference book for high school students and applicants to universities. - 2nd ed., rev. and revision - M.: AST-PRESS SCHOOL, 2008. - 656 p.

Literature for preparing for the State Exam and the Unified State Exam

1. Thematic control in geography. Economic and social geography of the world. 10th grade / E.M. Ambartsumova. - M.: Intellect-Center, 2009. - 80 p.

2. The most complete edition of standard versions of real Unified State Examination tasks: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyova. - M.: Astrel, 2010. - 221 p.

3. The optimal bank of tasks for preparing students. Unified State Exam 2012. Geography: Textbook / Comp. EM. Ambartsumova, S.E. Dyukova. - M.: Intellect-Center, 2012. - 256 p.

4. The most complete edition of standard versions of real Unified State Examination tasks: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyova. - M.: AST: Astrel, 2010. - 223 p.

5. Geography. Diagnostic work in the Unified State Exam format 2011. - M.: MTsNMO, 2011. - 72 p.

6. Unified State Exam 2010. Geography. Collection of tasks / Yu.A. Solovyova. - M.: Eksmo, 2009. - 272 p.

7. Geography tests: 10th grade: to the textbook by V.P. Maksakovsky “Economic and social geography of the world. 10th grade” / E.V. Baranchikov. - 2nd ed., stereotype. - M.: Publishing house "Exam", 2009. - 94 p.

8. Textbook on geography. Tests and practical assignments in geography / I.A. Rodionova. - M.: Moscow Lyceum, 1996. - 48 p.

9. The most complete edition of standard versions of real Unified State Examination tasks: 2009. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyova. - M.: AST: Astrel, 2009. - 250 p.

10. Unified State Exam 2009. Geography. Universal materials for preparing students / FIPI - M.: Intellect-Center, 2009. - 240 p.

11. Geography. Answers on questions. Oral examination, theory and practice / V.P. Bondarev. - M.: Publishing house "Exam", 2003. - 160 p.

12. Unified State Exam 2010. Geography: thematic training tasks / O.V. Chicherina, Yu.A. Solovyova. - M.: Eksmo, 2009. - 144 p.

13. Unified State Exam 2012. Geography: Model exam options: 31 options / Ed. V.V. Barabanova. - M.: National Education, 2011. - 288 p.

14. Unified State Exam 2011. Geography: Model exam options: 31 options / Ed. V.V. Barabanova. - M.: National Education, 2010. - 280 p.

Materials on the Internet

1. Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements ().

2. Federal portal Russian Education ().

Southern Europe usually includes countries on the Mediterranean coast - the countries of the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal, Spain, Andorra), Monaco, states located on the Apennine Peninsula (Italy, Vatican City, San Marino), Greece, as well as the island states of Malta and Cyprus.

Sometimes Southern Europe also includes Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, southern regions of Ukraine such as Odessa, Kherson and Nikolaev, as well as the European part of Turkey.

Southern Europe also includes the quasi-state formation of the Order of Malta (today's territory is only one mansion in Rome and a residence in Malta).

List of countries and their capitals:

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sarajevo
Albania - Tirana
Cyprus - Nicosia
Macedonia - Skopje
San Marino - San Marino
Serbia - Belgrade
Slovenia - Ljubljana
Croatia - Zagreb
Montenegro - Podgorica
Portugal - Lisbon
Spain Madrid
Andorra - Andorra la Vella
Monaco - Monaco
Italy Rome
Vatican - Vatican
Greece - Athens
Malta - Valletta

Geographical position

It is based on the Cenozoic (Apennine, Balkan Peninsula) and Hercynian (Iberian Peninsula) folds. The relief of the countries is elevated, there are many minerals: aluminum, polymetallic, copper, mercury (Spain is one of the leaders in the production of pyrites and mercury), uranium, iron ores, sulfur, mica, gas.

Climate

Southern Europe is known for its hot climate, rich history and warm Mediterranean waters. The countries of southern Europe border with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Turkey is in the east with Syria, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Armenia, Iran, Georgia. In all countries of Southern Europe, a subtropical Mediterranean climate prevails, so in summer the prevailing temperatures are warm, about +24 °C, and in winter they are quite cool, about +8 °C. There is enough precipitation, about 1000-1500 mm per year.

Nature

Southern Europe is almost entirely located in the zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs, which was preserved only on the Mediterranean coast (a glacier was flowing, and the mountains delayed it, and the trees moved beyond the mountains). Fauna: roe deer, servals, horned goats, foxes, monitor lizards, wolves, badgers, raccoons. Flora: strawberry trees, holm oaks, myrtles, olives, grapes, citrus fruits, magnolia, cypresses, chestnuts, junipers.

Population

High population density, from 100 or more people per km². The predominant religion is Christianity (Catholicism).

Urbanization level of Southern European countries: Greece - 59%, Spain - 91%, Italy - 72%, Malta - 89%, Portugal - 48%, San Marino - 48%. Natural growth in these countries is also low: Greece - 0.1 Spain - 0 Italy - (-0.1) Malta - 0.4 Portugal - 0.1 San Marino - 0.4 From which we can conclude that in These countries are also experiencing “aging of the nation”.

Specialization in MGRT

In most countries, mining, agriculture, mountain pasture husbandry, the production of machinery and instruments, fabrics, leather, and the cultivation of grapes and citrus fruits are widespread. Tourism is very common. Spain ranks second in the world in tourism (first place is occupied by France). The main branch of specialization, in addition to international tourism, is agriculture, in particular this area is rich in grapes, olives, quite high rates in the cultivation of grains and legumes (Spain - 22.6 million tons, Italy - 20.8 million tons), and also vegetables and fruits (Spain - 11.5 million tons, Italy - 14.5 million tons). Despite the predominance of agriculture, there are also industrial areas, in particular the cities of Genoa, Turin and Milan are the main industrial cities of Italy. It should be noted that they are located mainly in the north, closer to the countries of Western Europe.

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