European Geography (SS6G7a & b)
This body of water separates the United Kingdom from mainland France.
What is the English Channel?
Toxic emissions from factories and cars mixing with moisture in the clouds caused severe damage to Germany's Black Forest through this environmental phenomenon.
What is acid rain?
Because it is an island surrounded by water, this nation relies heavily on sea ports and shipping lanes for global trade.
What is the United Kingdom?
Most of Russia's population lives in this region of the country because of its milder climate and fertile soil.
What is European Russia (West of the Ural Mountains)?
This large sea borders Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia.
What is the Mediterranean Sea?
This major mountain range acts as a natural border separating Spain and France.
What are the Pyrenees?
In 1986, a catastrophic nuclear power plant explosion occurred in this Ukrainian town, contaminating air and soil across Europe.
What is Chernobyl?
Germany's location in Central Europe along this major river allows it to easily ship manufactured goods to neighboring countries.
What is the Rhine River?
The United Kingdom enjoys a mild, marine climate despite its high northern location because of this warm ocean current.
What is the Gulf Stream (or North Atlantic Drift)?
This southwestern European peninsula contains the nations of Spain and Portugal.
What is the Iberian Peninsula?
This flat, fertile region stretches across northern Europe and contains most of the continent's agricultural land and major cities.
What is the European Plain?
Historical emissions from coal-burning factories and heavy vehicle traffic led to severe air pollution (smog) in this island nation.
What is the United Kingdom?
Although Russia is rich in natural resources, many of them are difficult to extract and transport due to this geographic factor.
What is harsh, subarctic climate (permafrost / vast distance)?
The majority of European populations choose to settle near these two physical features for easy transport and farming.
What are rivers and plains (or coastlines)?
Name the boot-shaped nation that extends into the Mediterranean Sea.
What is Italy?
This mountain range in Russia is traditionally considered the divide between the continents of Europe and Asia.
What are the Ural Mountains?
Name two major consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on the surrounding environment or human population.
What are contaminated drinking water/soil, increased cancer rates (radiation sickness), or forced evacuations (an exclusion zone)?
Compare the ports of the United Kingdom and northern Russia: explain why the UK can trade by sea year-round while Russia cannot.
What is the Gulf Stream/North Atlantic Drift keeping UK waters ice-free, whereas Russian northern ports freeze over during winter?
Siberia in eastern Russia has a very low population density primarily due to these harsh environmental conditions.
What are extreme cold temperatures, frozen ground (permafrost), and short growing seasons?
Starting in Germany, this major European river flows east across multiple countries before emptying into the Black Sea.
What is the Danube River?
Name the country that shares land borders with Poland and France, and has Berlin as its capital.
What is Germany?
How does air pollution generated in one European country cause acid rain in neighboring countries?
What is air currents/prevailing winds carrying airborne pollutants across national borders before rain falls?
Describe how Germany's central European location acts as an advantage for international commerce.
What is serving as a central highway/crossroads connecting Western and Eastern European markets via land, rail, and major rivers?
Explain how climate differences between Southern Germany and Northern Russia affect where people choose to live.
What is Germany's mild climate allows people and farms to spread across the country, while Russia's freezing weather forces most people to live in the warmer southwest.
Name the eastern European country bordered by Russia to the east and Poland to the west where the 1986 Chernobyl disaster took place.
What is Ukraine?