Northern European countries. northern europe northern europeans

Section Two

REGIONS AND COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

Topic 10. EUROPE

4. NORTHERN EUROPE

Northern Europe includes the Scandinavian countries, Finland, the Baltic countries. The Scandinavian countries are Sweden and Norway. Considering the general historical and cultural features of the development of the Nordic countries, Denmark and Iceland are also included.

The Baltic states are Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia. Often in popular science literature one can also find the concept of "Phenoscandia", which has a more physical and geographical origin. It is convenient to use it in the economic and geographical characteristics of a group of countries in Northern Europe, which includes Finland, Sweden, Norway.

Northern Europe occupies the territory of 1433 thousand km 2, which is 16.8% of the area of Europe - the third place among the economic and geographical macro-regions of Europe, after Eastern and Southern Europe. The largest countries in terms of area are Sweden (449.9 thousand km 2), Finland (338.1 km 2) and Norway (323.9 thousand km 2), which occupy more than three-quarters of the territory of the macroregion. Small countries include Denmark (43.1 thousand km 2), as well as the Baltic countries: Estonia - 45.2, Latvia - 64.6 and Lithuania - 65.3 thousand km 2. Iceland is the smallest among the countries of the first group in terms of area and almost twice the area of any single small country.

Nordic countries, 1999

The country	Area, thousand km 2	Population million people	Population density (person / km 2)
Denmark	43,09		122,9
Estonia	45,22		30,9
Iceland	103,00
Latvia	64,60		37,1
Lithuania	65,20		56,7
Norway	323,87		13,6
Finland	338,14		15,4
Sweden	449,96		19,7
Total	1433,08	31,6	22,0

The territory of Northern Europe consists of two sub-regions: Fenoskandії and Baltic. The first sub-region included such states as Finland, a group of Scandinavian countries - Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, along with the islands of the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. In particular, Denmark includes the Faroe Islands and the island of Greenland, which enjoys internal autonomy, while Norway owns the Svalbard archipelago. Most of the northern countries are brought together by the similarity of languages and cultures, are characterized by historical features of development and natural and geographical integrity.

The second sub-region (the Baltic countries) includes Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, which, due to their geographical position, have always been northern. However, in reality, they could be attributed to the Northern macroregion only in the new geopolitical situation that developed in the early 90s of the XX century, that is, after the collapse of the USSR.

The economic and geographical position of Northern Europe is characterized by the following features: firstly, an advantageous position regarding the intersection of important air and sea routes from Europe to North America, as well as the convenience of the countries of the region entering the international waters of the oceans; secondly, the proximity of the location to the level of highly developed countries of Western Europe (Germany, Holland, Belgium, Great Britain, France); thirdly, the neighborhood on the southern borders with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in particular Poland, where market relations are successfully developing; fourthly, land proximity to the Russian Federation, economic contacts with which will contribute to the formation of promising markets for products; fifthly, the presence of territories outside the Arctic Circle (35% of the area of Norway, 38% of Sweden, 47% of Finland). Other geographical features include the presence of the warm Gulf Stream, which has a direct impact on the climate and economic activity of all countries in the macroregion; a significant length of the coastline that runs along the Baltic, North, Norwegian and Barents Seas, as well as a predominantly platform structure of the earth's surface, the most expressive territory of which is the Baltic Shield. Its crystalline rocks contain minerals of predominantly igneous origin.

Natural conditions and resources. The Scandinavian mountains stand out clearly in the relief of Northern Europe. They were formed as a result of the uplift of Caledonian structures, which in subsequent geological epochs, as a result of weathering and the latest tectonic movements, turned into a relatively leveled surface, which in Norway is called felds.

The Scandinavian mountains are characterized by significant modern icing, which covers an area of almost 5 thousand km 2. The snow limit in the southern part of the mountains is at an altitude of 1200 m, and in the north it can drop to 400 m.

To the east, the mountains gradually decrease, turning into the Norland crystalline plateau with a height of 400-600 m.

In the Scandinavian mountains, altitudinal zoning is manifested. The upper border of the forest (taiga) in the south passes at an altitude of 800-900 m above sea level, falling in the north to 400 and even 300 m. Above the forest border there is a transitional belt 200-300 m wide, which is higher (700-900 m .) turns into a zone of mountain tundra.

In the southern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the crystalline rocks of the Baltic Shield gradually disappear under the strata of marine sediments, forming the Middle Swedish hilly lowland, which, with the rise of the crystalline base, develops into the low Spoland plateau.

The Baltic crystalline shield is lowering to the east. On the territory of Finland, it rises somewhat, forming a hilly plain (Lake Plateau), which is north of 64 ° N. sh. gradually rises and in the extreme north-west, where the spurs of the Scandinavian mountains enter, reaches the highest heights (Mount Khamti, 1328 m.).

The formation of the relief of Finland was influenced by Quaternary glacial deposits, which blocked the ancient crystalline rocks. They form moraine ridges, boulders of various sizes and shapes, which alternate with a large number of lakes, swampy depressions.

In terms of climatic conditions, the Northern Lands are the most severe part of Europe. Most of its territory is exposed to the oceanic masses of temperate latitudes. The climate of remote territories (islands) is arctic, subarctic, maritime. On the Svalbard archipelago (Norway) there is practically no summer, and the average July temperatures correspond to ... + 3 ° ... -5 °. Iceland, the furthest away from mainland Europe, has slightly better temperatures. Thanks to one of the branches of the North Atlantic Current, which runs along the southern coast of the island, here in July the temperatures are...+7°...+12°, and in January - from... -3° ...+2°. It is much colder in the center and in the north of the island. There is a lot of precipitation in Iceland. On average, their number exceeds 1000 mm per year. Most of them fall in autumn.

There are practically no forests in Iceland, but tundra vegetation prevails, in particular moss and aspen thickets. Meadow vegetation grows near warm geysers. In general, the natural conditions of Iceland are not very suitable for the development of agriculture, in particular agriculture. Only 1% of its territory, mainly onions, is used for agricultural purposes.

All other countries of Fenoscandia and the Baltics are characterized by the best climatic conditions, especially the western outskirts and the southern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, which are under the direct influence of the Atlantic air masses, stand out. To the east, the warm oceanic air is gradually transformed. Therefore, the climate here is much harsher. For example, the average January temperatures in the northern part of the west coast vary from...-4° to 0°, and in the south 0...+2°. In the interior of Fenoscandia, winters are very long and can last up to seven months, accompanied by a polar night and low temperatures. The average January temperatures here are...-16°. During the penetration of arctic air masses, the temperature can drop to ... - 50 °.

Fenoscandia is characterized by a cool, and in the north also a short summer. In the northern regions, the average July temperature does not exceed +10-...+12 0 , and in the south (Stockholm, Helsinki) - ...+16-...+ 17 0 . Frosts can pester until June and appear in August. Despite such cool summers, most mid-latitude crops are ripening. This is achieved due to the continuation of the vegetation of plants during the long polar summer. Therefore, the southern regions of the Fenoscandian countries are suitable for the development of agriculture.

Precipitation is distributed very unevenly. Most of them fall in the form of rain on the western coast of the Scandinavian Peninsula - in the territory facing the moisture saturation of the Atlantic air masses. The central and eastern regions of Fenoscandia receive much less moisture - about 1000 mm, and the northeastern - only 500 mm. The amount of precipitation is also unevenly distributed over the seasons. The southern part of the west coast receives the most moisture during the winter months in the form of rain. The maximum precipitation in the eastern regions occurs at the beginning of summer. In winter, precipitation in the form of snow prevails. In the mountainous regions and in the northwest, snow lies for up to seven months, and in the high mountains it remains forever, thus fueling modern glaciation.

Denmark in terms of natural conditions is somewhat different from its northern neighbors. Being located in the middle part of the Central European Plain, it is more reminiscent of the Atlantic countries of Western Europe, where a mild, humid climate prevails. The maximum precipitation in the form of rain occurs in winter. There is almost no frost here. The average January temperature is about 0°. Only occasionally, when the arctic air breaks through, can there be low temperatures and snowfall. The average July temperature is about + 16°.

The countries of the Baltic subregion are dominated by a maritime climate with a transitional to temperate continental climate. Summers are cool (average July temperature is ...+16...+17°), winters are mild and relatively warm. Average January temperatures vary from 0° ...-5°. The climate of Lithuania is the most continental. The amount of precipitation per year varies between 700-800 mm. Most of them fall in the second half of summer, when the harvest and fodder are completed. Under the conditions of a flat surface and relatively weak evaporation, waterlogging of the lands occurs. In general, the climate and flat terrain of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia are conducive to human economic activity. The Nordic countries are not equally endowed with mineral resources. Most of them are in the eastern part of Fenoscandia, the foundation of which is composed of crystalline rocks of igneous origin, a striking manifestation of which is the Baltic Shield. Deposits of iron, titanium-magnesium and copper-sulfide ores are concentrated here. This is confirmed by the deposits of ferruginous ores in Northern Sweden - Kirunavare, Lussavare, Gellivare. The rocks of these deposits occur from the surface to a depth of 2000 m. The iron content is very high. It is 62-65%. Apatite is a valuable associated component of these iron ore deposits.

Titanomagnetite ores occupy vast territories in Finland, Sweden, Norway, although such deposits are not distinguished by significant reserves of raw materials.

Deposits of copper pyrite ores are widespread in Fenoscandia. The largest of them are located in Finland - Outokunpu (southeast of the country). On the western coast of Finland there is also a large copper deposit - Vikhanti. In addition to copper (1.7-3.7%), ores of igneous origin also contain iron - 2.7%, zinc - 0.8, nickel - 0.1, cobalt - 0.2, sulfur - 2.7%, as well as gold - 0.8 g/t, silver 9-12 g/t. Among other areas rich in copper ore, Central Sweden stands out.

In the north of Finland, one of the world's largest chrome ore deposits, Oliyarvi, is being developed. Until recently, it was believed that the Northern lands are poor in fuel and energy resources. Only in the early 60s of the XX century, when oil and natural gas were discovered in the bottom sediments of the North Sea, experts started talking about significant deposits. It was found that the volumes of oil and gas in the basin of this water area significantly exceed all known reserves of this raw material in Europe.

By international agreements, the North Sea basin was divided among the states located along its shores. Among the Nordic countries, the Norwegian sector of the sea turned out to be the most promising for oil. It accounted for more than one-fifth of the oil reserves. Denmark has also become one of the oil-producing countries using the oil and gas-bearing region of the North Sea.

Among other types of fuel in the countries of Northern Europe, oil shale from Estonia, coal from Spitsbergen, and peat from Finland are of industrial importance.

The northern territories are well provided with water resources. Their greatest concentration is the Scandinavian mountains, in particular the western part. For total river flow resources, Norway (376 km 3) and Sweden (194 km 3) are ahead, occupying the first two places in Europe. Per inhabitant, sparsely populated Iceland stands out for full and underground water flows, respectively 255 and 93 thousand m 3. Next come Norway, Sweden, Finland.

Hydropower resources are of great importance for the Nordic countries. Norway and Sweden are best provided with hydropower resources, where significant precipitation and mountainous terrain provide the formation of a strong and uniform flow of water, and this creates good prerequisites for the construction of hydroelectric power plants. The energy potential of Norway is the largest year, it is 152 billion kW / h / year.

Land resources, especially in the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula, are insignificant. In Sweden and Finland they make up to 10% of agricultural land. In Norway - only 3%. Share of unproductive and inconvenientfor land development in Norway - 70% of the total area, in Sweden - 42%, and even in southern Finland - almost one third of the country's territory.

The situation is quite different in Denmark and in the Baltic countries. Arable land in the first occupies 60% of the total territory. In Estonia - 40%, in Latvia - 60% and in Lithuania - 70%. Soils in the northern macro-region of Europe, especially in the countries of Fenoscandia, are podzolic, waterlogged and unproductive. Requires significant reclamation.

Some lands, especially the tundra landscapes of Norway and Iceland, where moss-lichen vegetation predominates, are used for extensive reindeer grazing.

One of the greatest wealth of the Nordic countries is forest resources, that is, "green gold". Sweden and Finland stand out in terms of forest area and gross timber reserves, occupying the first and second places in Europe, respectively. Forest cover in these countries is high. In Finland it is almost 66%, in Sweden it is more than 59% (1995). Among other countries of the Northern macroregion, Latvia stands out with high forest cover (46.8%). According to some estimates, these countries occupy almost a third of European forest areas and gross timber reserves (excluding Eastern Europe). Dense coniferous forests occupy the highlands and plains of Central and Northern Sweden, the entire territory of Finland and the lower slopes of the mountain ranges of southeastern Norway and the wetlands of the Baltic countries.

Northern Europe has a variety of recreational resources: medium-altitude mountains, glaciers, fjords of Norway, skerries of Finland, picturesque lakes, waterfalls, full-flowing rivers, active volcanoes and geysers of Iceland, architectural ensembles of many cities and other historical and cultural monuments. Their high attractiveness contributes to the development tourism and other forms of recreation.

population.Northern Europe differs from other macro-regions both in terms of population and basic demographic indicators.

The northern lands are among the least populated territories. More than 31.6 million people live here, which is 4.8% of the total population of Europe (1999). The population density is low (22.0 persons per 1 km2). The smallest number of inhabitants per unit area is in Iceland (2.9 people per 1 km 2) and Norway (13.6 people per 1 km 2). Finland and Sweden are also poorly populated (with the exception of the southern coastal regions of Sweden, Norway, and Finland). Among the countries of Northern Europe, Denmark is the most densely populated (123 people per 1 km 2). The Baltic countries are characterized by an average population density - from 31 to 57 people per 1 km 2).The population growth rate in Northern Europe is very low. If in the 70s of the XX century. Since the population grew by 0.4% per year, mainly due to natural increase, then in the early 90s its growth was reduced to zero. Second half of the last decade of the 20th century. characterized by negative population growth (-0.3%). The Baltic countries have a decisive influence on this situation. In fact, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania entered the stage of depopulation. As a result, the population in the Northern macro-region of Europe is projected to show almost no growth in the coming decades. For example, in 2025, only 32.6 million inhabitants will live here.

The countries of Fenoscandia, except Sweden, are characterized by positive but low natural population growth, with the exception of Iceland, where the natural increase has remained at the rate of 9 people per 1,000 inhabitants. Such a tense demographic situation is explained, first of all, by low birth rates. The downward trend in the birth rate in European countries manifested itself in the 60s and in the early 90s of the last century in Europe was only 13 people per 1000 inhabitants, which is two times lower than the world average. In the second half of the 1990s, this trend continued, and the gap even grew somewhat. If we equate the birth rate of the Nordic countries with the average European indicator, which is 10‰, then for the Nordic countries in most cases it is greater than or equal to the European average, with the exception of Estonia and Latvia, where the birth rate is 9%.

The reasons for this decline in the birth rate of the population are different for different countries. If for Phenoscandia the main reason turned out to be natural demographic processes (increase in life expectancy, gradual aging of the population), then for the Baltic countries, the difficulties of transition to a market economy affected a slight decrease in living standards, and this could not but affect the level of childbearing. On average, in the Nordic countries, there are 1.7 children per woman, in Lithuania - 1.4, in Estonia - 1.2, and in Latvia - only 1.1 children. Accordingly, the infant mortality rate here is the highest: in Latvia - 15%, Estonia - 10% and in Lithuania - 9%, while in the macroregion this figure is 6%, and on average in Europe - 8 deaths per thousand births (1999). The mortality rate of the entire population in the Nordic countries is also quite differentiated. For the Baltic countries, it was 14%, being three points higher than the average European indicator, for the sub-region of Fenoskandiya - less than 1‰, amounting to 10 people per thousand inhabitants. In the world at that time, mortality was 9%, i.e. 2‰ below the European average and 2.5‰ below the average macroregional. The reasons for this phenomenon should be sought not in the standard of living or in the existing social protection that has developed in the countries of Northern Europe, but in the growth of population losses associated with occupational diseases, industrial injuries, various kinds of accidents, as well as with the aging of the population. The average life expectancy in the Nordic countries is high - for men it is almost 74 years, and for women more than 79 years. Sweden, Norway, Iceland stand out with the highest life expectancy - 77-76 years for men and 82-81 years for women. In Latvia, life expectancy for men and women is the lowest - 64 and 79 years respectively.

The level of urbanization in the macroregion is quite high - more than 76%. Among individual countries, the total urban population in Iceland - 92%, Denmark - 85 and Sweden - 84%. The largest city of the macro-region is the capital of Denmark - Copenhagen (1.5 million people). The group of large cities also includes Stockholm, Oslo, Gothenburg, Malmjo, Riga, Vilnius, where at least one third of the population of Northern Europe is concentrated.

Most countries of the macro-region are one-national: Sweden is home to 91% of Swedes, Finland - 90% of Finns, Norway - almost 97% of Norwegians, Denmark - more than 96% of Danes and Iceland - almost 99% of Icelanders. The Baltic countries should be considered an exception. The imperial policy in the national question of the former USSR has borne fruit. In Estonia, for example, Estonians are left with slightly more than half of the total population that lives there. The situation is somewhat better in Latvia, where Latvians make up almost 58%. Only in Lithuania, the autochthonous population significantly predominates - more than 80%. Russians predominate among national minorities (25% live in Estonia, 30% in Latvia, and 9% in Lithuania), Ukrainians, Poles, and Belarusians also live.

Most of the peoples of Northern Europe belong to the Indo-European language family, where the languages of the Germanic and Baltic language groups are the most common. The Scandinavian branch of the Germanic group of languages includes Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Icelandic. Swedish is spoken by part of the population of Finland, which lives in the south and west of the country.

The vast majority of Finnish citizens speak Finnish (including the small nomadic Sami people (Laplanders), which belongs to the Uralic language family of the peoples of the world.

Mostly the Sami live in Norway (30 thousand) and only 5 thousand - on the Finnish plateau. In summer, grazing herds of reindeer, they descend to coastal areas covered with tundra vegetation. The Sami - a people with dark hair and a low physique - were the first settlers of the remote regions of Fenoskandії. They moved here about 10 thousand years ago from Central Asia.

The video tutorial allows you to get interesting and detailed information about Northern Europe. From the lesson you will learn about the countries of Northern Europe, their features, geographical location, nature, climate, place in this subregion. The teacher will tell you in detail about one of the countries of Northern Europe - Great Britain.

Topic: Regional characteristics of the world. Foreign Europe

Lesson: Northern Europe

Sub-regions of Europe:

1. Northern Europe.

2. Southern Europe.

3. Western Europe.

4. Eastern Europe.

Rice. 1. Map of subregions of Europe ()

Northern Europe- a cultural and geographical region that includes the states of the Scandinavian Peninsula and adjacent territories, the Baltic States, Iceland and the British Isles.

Rice. 2. Map of Northern Europe ()

Share (value) of Northern Europe

According to the division of the UN, the following states belong to Northern Europe:

1. UK - London

Guernsey

Jersey Island

Isle Of Man

2. Denmark - Copenhagen

Faroe islands

3. Ireland - Dublin

4. Iceland - Reykjavik

5. Latvia - Riga

6. Lithuania - Vilnius

7. Norway - Oslo

Svalbard and Jan Mayen

8. Finland - Helsinki

Åland Islands

9. Sweden - Stockholm

The region has one of the highest life expectancy rates.

The Nordic countries are characterized by high rates of urbanization - up to 80%, in Sweden - 85%, in Iceland - 94%.

Largest cities: London, Copenhagen, Stockholm.

Most believers in Northern Europe are Protestants.

The largest economies in Northern Europe: Great Britain, Sweden, Norway. The highest GDP per person is in Norway: almost $60,000.

Almost all Nordic countries are characterized by high living standards. These countries are standards of the standard of living of the population and the development of society. Norway ranks first in the HDI ranking. Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Denmark are among the top ten leading countries in the HDI.

United Kingdom- an island nation in northern Europe, located in the British Isles. The full name of the state is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain includes Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, as well as some small overseas territories. Capital London. Great Britain has an amazing history: originally inhabited by Celtic tribes, it went from a remote Roman province to the mighty British Empire, shrinking in the middle of the twentieth century almost to its original size, without losing either its influence on the world stage or the respect of the world community.

English is now essentially the international language of communication. English is one of the six official and working languages of the UN.

The culture of Great Britain is rich and diverse, it greatly influences the culture of the world community on a global scale. Great Britain has strong cultural ties with its former colonies, especially with those states where English is the official language. A significant contribution to British culture over the past half century has been made by immigrants from the Indian subcontinent and from the Caribbean. In the process of formation of the UK, it included former independent states with different cultures.

Great Britain is a democratic country, in terms of its political structure - a parliamentary monarchy headed by the queen. The legislature of Great Britain is a bicameral Parliament. Parliament is the highest authority throughout the territory, despite the fact that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own administrative administrative structures. The Government is headed by the Monarch and directly administered by the Prime Minister, appointed by the Monarch, who is thus the President of His Majesty's Government.

Rice. 4. UK map ()

The main sectors of the UK economy are: mechanical engineering (especially the automotive industry), the chemical industry (especially organic chemistry, pharmaceuticals), light industry, agriculture, transport, services and many others.

The UK is a member of NATO and the European Union, however, the country is not part of the Euro zone, retaining its traditional national currency - the pound sterling. Great Britain is one of the leaders of the modern world. The country has nuclear weapons, is among the top ten countries in terms of GDP, is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, a member of the G7.

For more than 50 years, the head of state has been Elizabeth II, who leads the Commonwealth.

Rice. 5. Elizabeth II - Queen of Great Britain ()

Homework

Topic 6, Item 3

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

2. What are the features of the geographical position of Great Britain?

Bibliography

Main

1. Geography. A basic level of. 10-11 cells: 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: Proc. for 10 cells. educational institutions / V.P. Maksakovskiy. - 13th ed. - M .: Education, JSC "Moscow textbooks", 2005. - 400 p.

3. Atlas with a set of contour maps for grade 10. Economic and social geography of the world. - Omsk: Federal State Unitary Enterprise "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., cart.: tsv. incl.

Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books and statistical collections

1. Geography: a guide for high school students and university applicants. - 2nd ed., corrected. and dorab. - M.: AST-PRESS SCHOOL, 2008. - 656 p.

Literature for preparing for the GIA and the Unified State Examination

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

2. The most complete edition of typical options for real USE assignments: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: Astrel, 2010. - 221 p.

3. The optimal bank of tasks for preparing students. Unified state exam 2012. Geography. Tutorial / Comp. EM. Ambartsumova, S.E. Dyukov. - M.: Intellect-Centre, 2012. - 256 p.

4. The most complete edition of typical options for real USE assignments: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: AST: Astrel, 2010. - 223 p.

5. Geography. Diagnostic work in the format of the Unified State Examination 2011. - M .: MTSNMO, 2011. - 72 p.

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7. Tests in geography: Grade 10: to the textbook by V.P. Maksakovskiy “Economic and social geography of the world. Grade 10 / E.V. Baranchikov. - 2nd ed., stereotype. - M.: Publishing house "Exam", 2009. - 94 p.

8. Study guide for geography. Tests and practical tasks in geography / I.A. Rodionov. - M.: Moscow Lyceum, 1996. - 48 p.

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

12. USE 2010. Geography: thematic training tasks / O.V. Chicherina, Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: Eksmo, 2009. - 144 p.

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14. USE 2011. Geography: Standard 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 ().

The article briefly talks about the countries of Northern Europe. Indicates the distinctive features that distinguish the states of the region from other European states. The main indicators by which the Scandinavian countries are recognized and absolute leaders are considered.

Where are the Nordic countries located?

The area of the region occupies about 20% of the total Europe, and the number of inhabitants of the region is almost 4% of the total European population.

Rice. 1. Northern Europe on the map.

The Scandinavian states are:

two European states - Sweden and Norway;
Iceland;
Denmark;
the self-governing area is the Faroe Islands.

The first two countries on the list occupy the Scandinavian Peninsula, which is the largest in Europe. Denmark is located on the Jutland peninsula and neighboring islands. It is geographically close to the Scandinavian Peninsula and is separated from it by the narrow Øresund Strait. Iceland is located on the island of the same name in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is separated from the Scandinavian Peninsula by a significant area of ocean waters, which is a difference of almost a thousand kilometers.

List of Northern European countries and their capitals

The list of Northern Europe today includes the following small states:

Denmark - Copenhagen;
Latvia, Riga;
Iceland - Reykjavik;
Lithuania - Vilnius;
Finland - Helsinki;
Norway - Oslo;
Estonia - Tallinn;
Sweden - Stockholm.

Rice. 3. Skyscraper Turning Torso in Malne. Sweden..

The largest of the states of the northern European region, which are part of Scandinavia, is Sweden, whose population is 9.1 million people, and Iceland is recognized as the smallest state. Its population does not exceed 300 thousand people. About 48% of women and 52% of men live in Northern Europe.

According to the UN gradation, Great Britain, along with part of its island territories, also belongs to Northern Europe.

The development of the Nordic countries is such that today these states are becoming leaders in the world economy. States significantly stand out among other European regions in terms of inflation and unemployment.

The economic growth model of the Scandinavian countries is considered the most attractive in the world. This primarily concerns the level of efficiency in the exploitation of external and national resources.

The main characteristic of the economy of Northern Europe is that it is focused not on the quantity, but on the quality of the product produced.

Almost all parts of Northern Europe are characterized by high standards of living. Countries are benchmarks in this area including the development of society. From the report of international organizations, it is known that Norway is in first position in the world in terms of the human development index.

What have we learned?

We found out that the Scandinavian countries have the highest life rates in comparison with other European powers. We learned that the model of economic development of the northern region of Europe today is one of the most effective in the world. Supplemented existing knowledge on the subject of geography (Grade 7). We received background information on the states that are part of the region.

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Books

, Chernysheva O.V., Komarov A.A. (Ed.). The collection chronologically covers the period from the early Middle Ages to the present day. Of particular interest are materials on modern and recent history: political events in Sweden - elections in ...
Northern Europe. Problems of history. Issue 8, . The collection chronologically covers the period from the early Middle Ages to the present day. Of particular interest are materials on modern and recent history: political events in Sweden - elections in ...

Geographical position. The region is located on the northwestern outskirts of Eurasia, washed by the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It includes part of the continent - the plains Fennoscandia and the largest peninsula in Europe - Scandinavian, as well as islands - Iceland and the Spitsbergen archipelago. The Northern Europe region includes five countries: Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland.

geological structure, relief, minerals. Most of the mountainous Scandinavian Peninsula, midlands and plains of Fennoscandia correspond to the Baltic Shield of the ancient East European Platform. The deflection of this platform occupies the Baltic Sea. The Scandinavian mountains and the Svalbard archipelago are located in the area of ancient folding. And the island of Iceland is the top of the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rising above the ocean - a modern rift that separated North America from Eurasia in the recent geological past.

Iceland is an island created by volcanic activity. Its surface is a lava plateau, and out of 150 island volcanoes, 26 are active (Fig. 93). The most active of them - Hekla- a fissure volcano that cuts through a volcanic mountain range. In the Middle Ages, it was considered the "gates of hell." Life on the island is literally "life on the volcano". The internal heat of the Earth causes hot springs - geysers - to pulsate. There are about 30 of them in Iceland. Every 2 hours, a mixture of water and steam from the Grila geyser - the “Jumping Witch” erupts at a height of a volcano in Iceland of 15 meters. And the most active is Strokkur, it erupts every 10-15 minutes.

Rice. 93. Eruption

Scandinavian mountains - the center of ancient glaciation, from here the glacier "slid" to the plains of Europe. On the slopes of the mountains, he carved deep trough valleys, turning off the coast into fjords. The coasts are bordered by numerous small islands polished by the glacier - skerries. On the plains - in Fennoscandia - the glacier plowed out many lake basins elongated in the direction of its movement, which are interspersed with winding ribbons of hills. The crystalline rocks of the Scandinavian mountains and Fennoscandia contain iron and uranium ores. Large reserves of oil and natural gas are concentrated in the Norwegian zone of the North Sea shelf.

Climate, inland waters, landscapes. The northern location of the region is due to long cold winters and short cool (+8 ... +16 ° С - depending on latitude) summers. However in winter, the severity of the climate is noticeably softened by the North Atlantic Current. Numerous cyclones form over its warm waters, reinforcing the Icelandic low - an area of low pressure. They are picked up and transported to the continent by the western transfer. Therefore, there is a lot of precipitation everywhere. Combined with low winter temperatures, this contributes to the formation of glaciation.

In Iceland, located at the Arctic Circle, but in the center of the ocean and currents, it is warm in winter (from -1 ° to +2 ° С) and very windy. Fennoscandia is protected from the influence of the current by the Scandinavian mountains, and continental air dominates here. Therefore, in the northeast Lapland, the coldest winters on the Scandinavian Peninsula (up to -14 °С), and in the southeast - the warmest summer (up to +17 °С). Precipitation is also unevenly distributed: on the lowlands of Fennoscandia, about 500 mm of precipitation falls annually, and on the western windward slopes of the Scandinavian mountains - up to 2000 mm.

The glacier covers 60% of the territory of the Svalbard archipelago, which lies near the 80th parallel. And the most powerful in Europe is the Icelandic glacier with a thickness of 1000 m. In the Scandinavian mountains, glaciers occupy slopes from a height of 1800 m.

The rivers of the region are numerous, short and very full-flowing.

In the mountains they are fast, abound in waterfalls. A particularly dense river network on the plains of Finland and Sweden is in the region of lakes, which occupy here, respectively, 8% and 10% of the territory. The lakes are mainly glacial-tectonic and glacial. And in Iceland - volcanic, often with warm water heated by internal heat.

In Sweden, there are more than 4 thousand lakes with an area of more than 1 km 2. The largest lake is Vänern. Its area is more than 5.5 thousand km 2, and the depth is 119 m. The lake basin is a fault processed by an ancient glacier (Fig. 94). Therefore, the bottom and shores are rocky. Underground nutrition is key, the water in the lake is clear and cold (6-7 ° C). Due to constant strong unrest, it freezes late - by February (and in the widest part - not every year). The lake is connected by canals and rivers to the North and Baltic Seas, and to another large lake in Northern Europe - Vättern.

Rice. 94. Venern

The slopes of the Scandinavian mountains are covered with heaths and taiga of pine and spruce. In the south, the taiga gives way to broad-leaved oak, elm and maple forests (in Sweden) and mixed forests (in Finland). The flat part of Northern Europe is the most forested part of Eurasia. There are many swamps in Fennoscandia.

Population. The total population of the Nordic countries is about 25 million people. Most of the inhabitants in Sweden - 9 million people, the least - in Iceland - 0.3 million. Norway has 4.9 million people, Finland - 5.4 million, Denmark - 5.5 million. All countries are characterized low population growth rates. The birth rate only slightly exceeds the death rate. For the countries of Northern Europe, the problem of the aging of the nation is very relevant. In terms of life expectancy (about 80 years), they are leading in the world and have the highest (15-17%) proportion of older people.

The share of Danes, Norwegians, Finns, Swedes and Icelanders in the total population of their countries still exceeds 90%. However, in large cities there are numerous immigrants from other countries of Europe, Asia and Africa. Most of the believing population belongs to the Protestants. By European standards, Northern Europe is a sparsely populated region. The average population density is from 3 people / km 2 in Iceland to 21 people / km 2 - in Sweden. The exception is densely populated Denmark - 129 people / km 2. Due to harsh environmental conditions the population is concentrated in the south along the coasts of the Baltic and North Seas. The interior mountainous regions and polar regions are the least populated in Europe. High level of urbanization: in Iceland 94%, Sweden 84%, Norway 80% and Finland 65%. Cities are mostly small, located on the coast. More than 1 million people have only agglomerations around Copenhagen and Stockholm. The rural population lives on hamlets, solitary farms or in small fishing villages.

economy . The formation of the economy of Norway and Iceland was decisively influenced by the sea shores washing them, rich in fish and sea animals. On the economic development of Finland and Sweden - extensive coniferous forests covering the territory of the countries. The richness of the subsoil allowed Sweden to become a major exporter of iron ore. The flat relief, mild climate and lush meadows of Denmark were ideal conditions for the development of animal husbandry.

Traditional areas of economic activity currently continue to be branches of international specialization. However the main part of the GDP of the countries of the region is formed in the sphere of non-material production. A "socially oriented" type of economy has been created here. A high level of development has been achieved by science, the sphere of education and medical care for the population, trade, public catering.

Industry.In terms of per capita electricity production, the Nordic countries are world leaders. The absolute leader is Norway, where more than 30 thousand kWh is produced per inhabitant. The main part of electricity is produced at thermal power plants. The development of thermal power engineering in Norway was facilitated by the discovery of large deposits of oil and natural gas on the shelf of the North Sea. In terms of their production, Norway is in 7th place in the world and is the largest exporter of them in Europe. In Sweden, rich in uranium ores, about 50% of electricity is produced at nuclear power plants.

Rice. 95. Use of inexhaustible sources of energy (sun and wind)

In all countries, much attention is paid to the development of alternative energy based on the use of renewable energy sources (Fig. 95). Wind energy is developed in Denmark. In Sweden and Finland, organic waste is processed into biogas. Iceland uses geothermal energy.

Leading industry in the region- mechanical engineering . It is most powerfully developed in Sweden, which produces automobiles, electronics and electrical engineering, machine tools, and equipment for the pulp and paper industry. In all countries, except Iceland, shipbuilding is developed. Swedish, Norwegian and Danish shipyards build tankers and container ships, Finnish shipyards build icebreakers and tugboats. Developing at a fast pace non-ferrous metallurgy based on the use of cheap hydropower and certain types of local ore raw materials. Norway is a major producer of primary aluminum, Sweden - copper, lead and zinc, Finland - copper, nickel, chromium. The traditional branch of the Swedish industry remains ferrous metallurgy based on the extraction of local iron ores. Enterprises make a big contribution to the economic development of Finland, Sweden and Norway forestry, woodworking and pulp and paper industry . The main logging operations are concentrated in the north of these countries (Fig. 96). Sawmilling centers are located in logging sites or at the mouths of rafting rivers. Sweden and Finland are traditionally among the ten leading countries in the world in terms of logging, production of sawn timber, paper and cardboard. Most of the products are exported.

Agriculture. animal husbandry provides about 70% of the production of marketable agricultural products in the region. A significant part of it is exported. The basis of animal husbandry is the breeding of highly productive dairy and beef cattle (Fig. 97). Bacon pig breeding is developed. Poultry farming has been put on an industrial basis. In Iceland and Norway, sheep breeding, traditional for the region, has been preserved, in the northern regions of Norway and Finland - reindeer breeding. The highest level of development crop production Denmark stands out. Winter wheat and potatoes are grown here. Industrial crops are produced - sugar beet (in Denmark) and fiber flax (in Finland). Gardening and vegetable growing are developing in the suburbs. In Iceland, greenhouse heating has been widely developed, based on the use of hot spring water.

Fishing - one of the oldest occupations of the peoples of Northern Europe. Fishing (herring, cod, mackerel and shrimp) is carried out in the Barents and North Seas, in the waters of the Arctic Ocean. A significant part of fish and fish products is exported (Fig. 98, 99).

Transport and foreign economic relations. In transport, a particularly significant role belongs to the types that allow communication between the countries of the region and mainland Europe. Foreign trade transportation provides nautical transport. Norway is one of the countries in the world with the most powerful merchant fleet. There are regular passenger ferry crossings between the main ports of the countries of the region and neighboring states. The basis of foreign economic relations is trade with European countries. Oil and oil products, lumber, pulp and paper, ships and cars, iron ore are exported. Food is exported: fish and fish products, butter, cheese, Rice. 100. Norwegian landscape drinks.

All countries have excellent conditions for development international tourism . Numerous tourists are attracted by the natural, historical and cultural attractions of the countries of the region (Fig. 100).