Exam 2: Europe

Question 1

What are the 4 general landform regions in Europe?

Answer 1

1. North European Plain
2. Alpine Mountain System
3. Central Uplands
4. Western Uplands

Question 2

What 5 major bodies of water surround Europe?

Answer 2

Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea,
North Sea, Baltic Sea) + the Atlantic Ocean

Question 3

How does the region have such good access to water transportation?

Answer 3

Rivers are connected by a system of canals & locks that allow barges to travel from the Baltic & North Seas to the Mediterranean; also between western Europe & the Black Sea

Question 4

What are the 3 major climate types?

Answer 4

1. Marine west coast climate along the Atlantic coast
2. Continental climates farther inland with hotter summers & cooler winters
3. Mediterranean climate in southern Europe

Question 5

What are some anticipated impacts of climate change?

Answer 5

• Melting sea ice and glaciers, sparse snow cover in Scandinavia, more frequent droughts in the
  Mediterranean
• Ski resorts in the Alps will experience warmer winters
  with less snow pack
• Lowland areas are expected to suffer more frequent
  heat waves

Question 5

What area is the focus of most internal and external migration?

Answer 5

directed towards
relatively wealthy and highly
urbanized core of western Europe

Question 6

What are some major themes of Europe’s population geography?

Answer 6

• Very low rates of natural growth
• Aging populations
• Widespread internal migration
• Large streams of legal and
  extralegal international migrants coming from Africa and southwest Asia/Middle East

Question 7

What are some possible consequences of low population growth?

Answer 7

labor shortages, smaller internal markets, and reduced tax revenues to support social services

Question 8

What are some general policies that have been implemented to address low pop. growth rates?

Answer 8

generous incentives (e.g., full-pay maternity and paternity
leave, subsidized or state-sponsored childcare, cash
subsidies, etc., in Germany, France, and Scandinavia)

Question 9

When was the European Economic Community founded and what was one of its main goals?

Answer 9

-1957
- main goal was free movement of people and
goods

Question 10

What was the Schengen Agreement?

Answer 10

allows for easy movement across borders

Question 11

What situation were existing asylum laws designed for? How does that compare to the refugee situation
that exists today?

Answer 11

• Existing asylum laws were designed based on
  post-WWII humanitarian efforts

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Question 12

Where have most asylum-seekers arrived in Europe?

Answer 12

the Mediterranean

Question 13

Where do immigrants tend to cluster and how does this affect assimilation?

Answer 13

in ethnic neighborhoods

-

Question 13

What has led to criticism of some refugee policies?

Answer 13

Cultural differences and high-profile violent
incidents have resulted in criticism of refugee
and migration policies

Question 14

What does France’s tradition of la ̈ıcit ́e refer to?

Answer 14

secularism?

Question 15

How has immigration contributed to the rise of far-right nationalist/populist parties?

Answer 15

Unease about growing immigrant populations
has contributed to the rise of far-right nationalist/populist parties (e.g., AfD, National Rally, 5 Star Movement, Pegida)

-

Question 16

What percentage of the population lives in cities? How have urban environments evolved over time?

Answer 16

75%
-more open and spacious cities w/grand boulevards and ornamental gardens

• Industrialization brought clusters of factories to cities, usually outside the central city

-less car dependence

Question 17

Where are Germanic languages most predominant? How did Romance languages evolve?

Answer 17

-most prevalent north of the Alps

• Romance languages evolved from vulgar (everyday) Latin
  spoken within the Roman Empire

Question 18

What resulted from the Moorish invasion of 711?

Answer 18

resulted in Muslim occupation
of the Iberian Peninsula until 1492 → Portuguese and Spanish languages still have Arabic influences today!

Question 19

What role does religion play in most Europeans’ daily lives?

Answer 19

-not a major role, still has cultural importance but not a daily one

Question 19

How do labor laws in Europe compare to the US? How does this affect hiring

Question 20

Where are Protestants vs. Catholics usually found?

Answer 20

Northern Europe is generally more Protestant whereas southern Europe is more Catholic

Question 21

What was the Cold War?

Question 22

What does the terminology First World/Second World/Third World refer to? Is it accurate to use those
terms today?

Answer 22

Eastern Bloc countries (sometimes called the
“Second World”) were under the influence of the
USSR while Western Bloc countries (“First World”)
were allied with the US
* “Third World” countries were those not aligned with
either side

-

Question 23

Who signaled the end of the Cold War?

Question 24

When was the EU created? when was the common currency implemented?

Answer 24

-1993
-1/1/1999

Question 25

What were the original economic disparities in the EU?

Answer 25

Original economic disparities were between richer
northern/central Europe and Mediterranean countries; now
also between east and west

Question 26

What were austerity programs and why were they introduced?

Answer 26

-Austerity programs were implemented in poorer Mediterranean
countries after the recession because they could not pay back their loans

Question 27

What was the first member state to leave the EU?

Answer 27

Britain