The Natural regions of Europe Main are the Iberian, Atlantic, Central, Mediterranean and Eastern. In this way, the whole territory is covered, including the British islands and the seas that are located around the continent.
The European continent is located mainly in latitudes that are known as northern, that is to say, that its territory is located mainly in the northern hemisphere of the planet.
This means that the natural regions of the continent can have hot and cold temperatures stationary throughout the year.
The central, Iberian and Atlantic regions have a slightly warmer climate than the other regions, this is due to the presence of the seas that surround them.
On the other hand, the other regions have colder and drier climates, characterized by their low rainfall and strong winds (Spicer, 2017).
Different natural regions of Europe
1- Iberian region
The Iberian Region is inhabited mostly by Spain and in a small percentage by Portugal. It has a slightly irregular relief, with some plateaus and the mountain range of Cantabria.
These subtle variations in the relief allow the presence of two types of predominant climates: wet on the coast and dry in the southern, eastern and central areas (Socialhizo, 2013).
Within this region also exist plains that are exploited mainly with agricultural activities. In the more humid areas it is common to find maize and grazing cattle and milk.
In the drier parts, the predominance is the cultivation of various products (vine, wheat, olive, sugar, tobacco and cotton). This division of the region is possible thanks to the fact that the most populated areas of the region are located in its coast, in the extreme north of the territory.
2- Atlantic Region (The Great European Plain)
This region comprises the countries of Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the Scandinavians. This is how it occupies most of the European territory, the coasts and seas of major economic importance in the world (the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean) (Commission, 2011).
The Atlantic natural region has a high and low relief, allowing it to sport diverse climates influenced by both the geography and the breezes of the Atlantic.
In this region, the summers are not exaggeratedly hot, the winters do not reach extreme temperatures and there is a constant presence of rains throughout the year. The diversity of temperatures and soils makes this one of the most exploited and populated regions of the continent.
The Scandinavian countries have marked differences in their geography due to the presence of the Fjord mountains, which give this area of the region a tundra climate. This area of the region is also close to the Arctic Circle, which is why it is rich in water resources.
In general, the flora and fauna of the Atlantic Region is characterized by many small forests, separated from each other, with conifers that do not reach much height and herbivorous mammals (caribou, reindeer and ox) and carnivores (wolves, foxes And martens).
Most of the animals that inhabit the north of the region tend to move to the south of the continent, especially when winter arrives and goes in search of food.
The countries within this natural region are noted for their high demographic concentration, their industrial development in different fields (metalworking, automotive, textile, hydrocarbons, nuclear energy, chemistry, mining, among others). They are high producers of vegetable pulps, thanks to their forest wealth.
3- Central region (Transverse Cordilleras)
Within this region are the European countries of Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Liechtenstein, Ukraine, Lithuania, Moldova, Belarus, Estonia and Latvia.
The topography of this region includes plains to the north, mountains (Alps) and basins. In this way, the predominant climates include the cold of the high mountains and the Atlantic with less extreme temperatures, rains and seasons.
It is a region with a high water wealth, which has allowed it to develop prosperous river routes. Its vegetation consists mainly of pine and lichen forests.
However, this vegetation varies depending on the height of the mountains. In general, it is a region with a tundra ecosystem in some regions and a little warmer towards the Mediterranean (University Tasks, 2012).
Its inhabitants are mainly of Germanic, Alpine, Norman and Nordic origin. Like the Atlantic region, the central region is densely populated and exploited. Therefore, it presents a vast industrial development in different fields (metalmechanics, chemistry, optics, among others).
At the agricultural level, cereals such as barley and grassland can be found for grazing of dairy cattle.
4- Mediterranean region
This region receives its name from the sea that surrounds it: Mediterranean. It is located in the southern tip of Europe and comprises the peninsulas Italica and Balkan.
In the Italic peninsula Italy can be found and in the Balkan are located Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Malta.
Its topography is characterized by mountainous elevations (Alps and Carpathians) that divide the territory in visibly different zones. It has small plains and river basins.
The climate is generally less extreme than the north of the continent, so the summers are dry and warm. On the other hand, the region has soft rains, controlled by the presence of the Alps.
There are plant species endemic to the region such as cork oak or cork tree. It is also common to see olive trees, vine and pine forests of the maritime type. Likewise, it has an exotic flora rich in mammals endemic to the area.
Good climate conditions, the richness of the region and the development of industries, mainly tourism, have made it one of the most densely populated regions in Europe.
On the other hand, the population of this region is mainly of Germanic, Hellenic and Latin origin (Society, 2017).
5- Eastern Europe
It is the second natural region of Europe that occupies a greater extension of territory. It comprises the territory of Russia, bounded by the Ural mountains and the high plateaus of Kazakhstan.
Its topography is full of contrasts, because it has vast mountain ranges, great plains and long rivers, mostly navigable.
In the center of the region there is a climate with long winters and shorter summers, this climate is known by the term continental and in general, it has low temperatures all year round.
Thanks to this, much of the aquatic fauna is composed of species such as trout, esturians and carp.
The terrestrial fauna is counted on bison and animals of great size adapted to withstand extreme temperatures. The vegetation, on the other hand, is rich in conifers.
The main economic activities of this region depend mainly on mining and agricultural production. It is, therefore, one of the least exploited and inhabited regions of Europe (Scully & Jones, 2010).
References
- Commission, E. (2011). Regions in the European Union. Luxembourg: Eurostat.
- Scully, R., & Jones, R. A. W. (2010). Europe, Regions and European Regionalism. London: Palgrave MacMillan.
- (2013). Socialhizo. Obtained from Regions of Europe: socialhizo.co.
- Society, N.G. (2017). National Geographic. Obtained from Europe: Physical Geography: nationalgeographic.org.
- Spicer, B. (May 5, 2017). Maps of The World. Retrieved from Regions of Europe: mapsofworld.com.
- University Tasks. (April 10, 2012). Obtained from Natural regions of europe: homeworksuniversitaries.com.