European Geo (Post-Midterm) Flashcards
Europe subdivisions
Northern, Eastern, Alpine, Balkan, Mediterranean and Western
Relative Location: Europe and it’s Perks
- At the heart of the land hemisphere
- Maximum efficiency for contact with the rest of the world
- Every part of ________ is fairly close to the sea
- Fairly moderated climate (warmer winters and cooler summers)
- Good for trade; good for fishing
- Navigable waterways
- Moderate distances
Europe VS USA/Canada size/location
Climate of Europe
Physical Realm of Europe
Political Realm of Europe
Europe Physical Landscapes
- Alpine System
- Greece, Balkins, Italy
- Western Uplands
- Ibirian Pennisula, Scandanavia, British Isles
- Central Uplands
- North European Lowland
von Thünen Rings (Europe)
Black dot = central city
Orange= Intensive farming + dairying
Red= Forest
Green= Increasingly extensive field crops
Yellow= Ranching, animal products
Europe Co-Location of Resources
Iron Ore + Coal
Weber predicts: Manufacturing
Europe - Coal, Ports, Manufacturing areas
Europe Diversity
Europe Population Pyramid
** look at gif
Microstates of Europe
- Small sovereign political entities
- Dependent on surrounding states
von Thünen Rings
The city is located centrally within an “Isolated State” which is self sufficient and has no external influences.
The Isolated State is surrounded by an unoccupied wilderness.
The land of the State is completely flat and has no rivers or mountains to interrupt the terrain.
The soil quality and climate are consistent throughout the State.
Farmers in the Isolated State transport their own goods to market via oxcart, across land, directly to the central city. Therefore, there are no roads.
Farmers act to maximize profits.
In an Isolated State with the foregoing statements being true, Von Thunen hypothesized that a pattern of rings around the city would develop.
There are four rings of agricultural activity surrounding the city. Dairying and intensive farming occur in the ring closest to the city.
European Supranationalism
- A venture that involves three or more states
- Political, economic, and/or cultural cooperation to promote shared objectives
- “Euro” currency
- Image below:
- EU Members
- Non-members
- Prospective members
Europe - Supranationalism 1957-1987
Agrarian Revolution
- Began in Europe in the 1750’s
- Based on new agricultural innovations
- Increased food production
- Enabled sustained population increase
- Lay the groundwork for the industrial recolution
Industrial Revolution
- Developped in the UK between 1750-1850
- Evolved from technical innovations that occured in British industry
- Proved to be a major catalyst towards increased urbanizaion
- Created a huge demand for labour
- Produced a distinct spatial pattern in Europe
- Location of raw materials were factor in where people lived
Europe - Devolutionary Issues 2004
Industrial Location Theory
- Alfred Weber published in 1909
- Examined the influences that affect industrial location
Political Revolutions
- Pre-dates both the agrarian and industrial revolutions
- A general trend towards parlimentary representation and democracy
- Peace of Westphalia (1648)
- French Revolution (1789-1795)
- Impact of nationalism (which continues today)
Political Geo Key Terms
- Nation
- a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory
- State
- a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government
- Nation-State
- a sovereign state whose citizens or subjects are relatively homogeneous in factors such as language or common descent
- Centrifugal vs. centripetal forces
Nation
a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory
State
a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government
Nation-State
a sovereign state whose citizens or subjects are relatively homogeneous in factors such as language or common descent
Centrifugal
moving or tending to move away from a center.
Centripetal
moving or tending to move toward a center.
Spatial Interaction (in Contemporary Europe)
- Movement across geographic space
- Involves contact of people in two or more places for the purposes of exchanging goods or ideas
- Principles:
- Complementarity
- Transferability
- Intervening Opportunity
Complementarity
- Two places, through an exchange of goods, can specifically satisfy each other’s demands
- One area has a surplus of an item demanded by a second area
Transferability
- The ease with which a commodity may be transported or the capacity to move a good at a bearable cost
- Rivers, Mountain Passes, Road networks (connectivity/accessibility)
- Advances in transportation technology
Intervening Opportunity
- The prescence of a nearer source of supply or opportunity that acts to dimish the attractiveness of of more distant sources and sites
Changing Population
- Falling share of the world’s population
- Fertility at all-time low
- Fewer young people
- Smaller working age population
- Boom & bust age-dependent (he didn’t go in depth on this)
- Immigration partially off-setting losses
Europe’s Political Geography
- Size matters
- Population
- Too large?
- Too small?
- Pattern?
- Area
- Large?
- Positives? Negatives?
- Large?
Europe - Supranationalism 1997-2007
Supranationalism Problems?
- Loss of autonomy
- Disparities in levels of economic development
- Technical barriers (levels of technology)
- Cultural Barriers
Devolution
The process whereby regions within a state demand and gain political strength and growing autonomy at the expense of the central gov.
