Northern European countries. Nordic countries

10.04.2020

Nordic countries - this is, first of all, Finland and the Scandinavian countries. Scandinavian countries include European states, Denmark, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. Below islist of Western European countries:

V Nordic countries the main industry is mechanical engineering and shipbuilding.

Square Northern Europe is ≈ 3.5 million km². Population of the North Europe - about 26 million people.Throughout Northern Europe, 52% of men live, and 48% of women. In these parts, the population density is considered the lowest in Europe and in the densely populated southern regions it is no more than 22 people per 1 m2 (in Iceland - 3 people / m2). This is facilitated by the harsh northern climatic zone. Denmark is more evenly populated. The urban part of the northern European population is mainly concentrated in the metropolitan areas. The rate of natural growth of this area is considered low and is approximately 4%. Most of the inhabitants profess Christianity - Catholicism or Protestantism.

Norway- the main treasure of the country is its nature. Thousands of secluded bays and fjords encircle its coast, low mountains covered with forests and meadows create a unique flavor. Thousands of clean lakes and rivers give unique opportunity enjoy fishing and water sports. In the fjords, rocks rise like a sheer wall tens of meters up, and the water is so quiet that it resembles the polished surface of an emerald.

Sweden- a country of contrasts. Snow and sun, mountains and archipelagos, cold climate and warmth, thousands of years of tradition and modern technologies… Fantastic skerries and wonderful shores stretching for 2700 km among undulating expanses, dense forests and thousands of lakes.

Finlandfamous for its lakes, Northern Lights, magical Santa Claus Lapland, clear starry skies and white snow.

Denmark- these are fjords and bays, dunes and cliffs, cool shady beech forests, beautiful lakes and wide wooded plains. These are ancient estates, picturesque villages and cities, castles and monuments of past centuries. But, most importantly, no city in the world will tell you as many fairy tales as Copenhagen, the city of chimney sweeps, the Snow Queen and the Princess and the Pea, tells its guests ...

Iceland- in any corner of the country you will feel the extraordinary energy emanating from the majestic mountains and bewitching fjords, the energy of the dazzling sun in summer and the northern lights in winter; the attractive force of the cold beauty of glaciers and lava, frozen in a bizarre form at the bottom of deep canyons.

Geographical position

Northern Europe occupies the northwestern part of Eurasia. It covers countries located on Scandinavian Peninsula (Norway, Sweden) adjacent to them Finland, As well as Denmark and insular Iceland. When the Vikings lived in these territories, they instilled fear in the peoples of Europe. Sailing to the coasts, they suddenly attacked the settlements, leaving behind the ashes and the dead, and quickly disappeared into the open sea. As brave sailors, the Vikings were the ones who, as you know, discovered Iceland and Greenland.

A feature of the geographical position of the countries of Northern Europe is the coastal location. The seas have a great influence both on the climate and on the economic activity of the population. On the coasts are the capitals of states and large cities, where the majority of the population lives.

Features of nature

ReliefNorthern Europe is mostly mountainous. oldscandinavian mountainsstretched across the Scandinavian Peninsula along the coastNorwegian Sea. The rest of the territory is occupied by plains, lie onBaltic Crystal Shieldancient platform. Within its framework, igneous and metamorphic rocks of the basement - granites, quartzites and gneisses - come to the surface. Therefore, numerous rocks and boulders protrude from under a thin layer of soil everywhere. Iceland has a peculiar relief - "The Land of Fire and Ice". The island is a young site earth's crust where numerous geysers and volcanoes operate. Particularly activeHekla volcano. Iceland is considered an active volcanic region of our planet.

In the past, as a result of the cooling of the climate, a glacier sheltered Northern Europe. Moving, huge masses of ice polished rocks, smoothed the earth's surface, and formed glacial deposits - moraines. The glacier brought huge boulders to the plains. Fjords are also a consequence of ancient glaciation - narrow, winding, deep sea bays with high steep banks that cut the shores of the Scandinavian Peninsula. They were formed as a result of the flooding of river valleys and depressions deepened by the glacier.

Climate of the Nordic countries

Climate Northern Europe, despite its northern location in the temperate and subarctic zones, is not so severe. It is softened by the heat of the North Atlantic Current. Winter there is surprisingly warm enough, and summer, on the contrary, cool. Wet winds from Atlantic Ocean cause cloudy, overcast weather with rain and fog.

Due to the high rainfall (more than 1,000 mm / year) Northern Europe is rich in inland waters. The rivers, although not always full-flowing, are very short. There are many rapids and waterfalls in their channels, and the current is very turbulent. Such rivers cannot be used for navigation. But their rapid currents are a source of cheap electricity, so hydroelectric power stations are being built on the rivers. Numerous are small and large lakes, which are occupied by hollows plowed by the glacier.

Northern Europe is the land of forests. Although part of it is occupied by the tundra, however, taiga is widespread over large areas - pine-spruce forests with an admixture of birch.

The natural features of Northern Europe left their mark on the cultural traditions of the population. And now popular folk songs, dances and fairy tales, where the heroes are trolls - supernatural creatures in the form of little men. Often at various holidays you can see handmade folk costumes.

Resource availability

Northern European countries have large reserves of natural resources. Iron, copper, molybdenum ores are mined on the territory of the Scandinavian Peninsula, natural gas and oil are mined in the Norwegian and North Seas, and coal is mined on the Svalbard archipelago. Scandinavian countries have rich water resources. Nuclear power plants and hydroelectric power plants play an important role here. Iceland uses thermal water as a source of electricity.

Agricultural complex

The agro-industrial complex of the northern European countries consists of fishing, agriculture and animal husbandry. Meat predominates - a dairy direction (in Iceland - sheep breeding). Among the crops grown cereals - rye, potatoes, wheat, sugar beets, barley.

Economy

Many indicators of economic development prove that the Nordic countries are in the lead in the entire world economy. Unemployment and inflation rates, public finances and growth dynamics differ significantly from other European areas. No wonder the North European model of economic growth is recognized as the most attractive in the world community. Many of the indicators were influenced by the efficient use of national resources and foreign policy. The economy of this model is built on high-quality exported products. This applies to the production of metal products and goods of the pulp and paper industry, the timber processing industry, the machine-building industry, as well as ore deposits. The main trading partners of the Nordic countries in foreign trade are the Western European countries and the United States. Three quarters of Iceland's export structure is made up of the fishing industry.

State and national symbols

On the national flags of all the countries of Northern Europe, a characteristic cross is depicted, shifted from the center to the left. The very first flag to have such a cross is the flag of Denmark.

Nordic Passport and Labor Union

The Nordic countries (with the exception of Greenland) form a passport union established in 1954. Citizens of member countries of the union can freely cross the borders within the union without presenting and even not having a passport with them (however, identification documents are still required), as well as finding a job without obtaining a work permit. It is noteworthy that Norway, unlike Denmark, Sweden and Finland, is not a member of the European Union.

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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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. They are convenient to use in economic geographical characteristics group of Nordic countries, 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 access of the countries of the region to 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 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 geographic features include the presence warm current the Gulf Stream, which has a direct impact on the climate and economic activity of all countries of 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 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 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.

According to climatic conditions northern lands- 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 high mountains 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 contribute to economic activity person. 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 endowed 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 European average of 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 for different countries different. If for Fenoscandia main reason If natural demographic processes turned out to be natural (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 must be sought not in the standard of living or in the existing social protection, which 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). To the group major cities also include 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. Imperial policy in the national question 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, Belarusians also live.

Most of the peoples of Northern Europe belong to the Indo-European language family, where the most common languages are Germanic and Baltic. language groups. 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.

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. but 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 other large lake 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 major 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 animal. 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. but 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. Most high level 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).

Bibliography

1. Geography Grade 9 / Tutorial for the 9th grade of institutions of general secondary education with the Russian language of instruction / Edited by N. V. Naumenko/ Minsk "People's Asveta" 2011

If you do not take into account dependent regions and not fully recognized states, then Europe for 2017 covers 44 powers. Each of them has a capital in which not only its administration is located, but also the highest authority, that is, the government of the state.

In contact with

States of Europe

The territory of Europe stretches from east to west for more than 3 thousand kilometers, and from south to north (from the island of Crete to the island of Svalbard) for 5 thousand kilometers. The European powers are, for the most part, comparatively small. With such small sizes of territories and good transport accessibility, these states either closely border on each other or are separated by very small distances.

The European continent is divided territorially into parts:

western;
eastern;
northern;
southern.

All powers located on the European continent belong to one of these territories.

There are 11 countries in the western region.
In the east - 10 (including Russia).
In the north - 8.
In the south - 15.

Let's list all the countries of Europe and their capitals. We will divide the list of countries and capitals of Europe into four parts according to the territorial and geographical position of the powers on the world map.

Western

List of states belonging to Western Europe, with a list of main cities:

The states of Western Europe are washed mainly by the currents of the Atlantic Ocean and only in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula border on the waters of the Arctic Ocean. In general, these are highly developed and prosperous powers. But they are distinguished by an unfavorable demographic situation. This is a low birth rate and low level natural increase in population. In Germany, there is even a decline in population. All this has led to the development Western Europe began to play the role of a sub-region in the global system of population migration, it has become the main center of labor immigration.

Eastern

List of states located in the eastern zone of the European continent and their capitals:

The states of Eastern Europe have a lower level of economic development than their Western neighbors. But, they better preserved cultural and ethnic identity. Eastern Europe is more of a cultural and historical region than a geographical one. The Russian expanses can also be attributed to the eastern territory of Europe. And the geographical center of Eastern Europe is located approximately within Ukraine.

Northern

The list of states that make up northern Europe, including capitals, looks like this:

The territories of the states of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jutland, the Baltic States, the islands of Svalbard and Iceland are included in the northern part of Europe. The population of these regions is only 4% of the entire European composition. most big country the eight is Sweden, and the smallest is Iceland. The population density in these lands is less in Europe - 22 people / m 2, and in Iceland - only 3 people / m 2. This is due to the harsh conditions of the climatic zone. But the economic indicators of development distinguish northern Europe as the leader of the entire world economy.

South

And finally, the most numerous list of territories located in the southern part, and the capitals of European states:

The Balkan and Iberian Peninsulas are occupied by these South European powers. Industry is developed here, especially ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. The countries are rich in mineral resources. V agriculture major efforts focused on the cultivation of food products, such as:

grape;
olives;
Garnet;
dates.

It is known that Spain is the world's leading country in the collection of olives. It is here that 45% of all olive oil in the world is produced. Spain is also famous for its famous artists - Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro.

European Union

The idea of creating a single community of European powers appeared in the middle of the twentieth century, or rather after the Second World War. The official unification of the countries of the European Union (EU) took place only in 1992, when this union was sealed by the legal consent of the parties. Over time, the number of members of the European Union has expanded, and now it includes 28 allies. And states that want to join these prosperous countries will have to prove their compliance with the European foundations and principles of the EU, such as:

protection of the rights of citizens;
democracy;
freedom of trade in a developed economy.

Members of the EU

The European Union for 2017 includes the following states:

There are now applicant countries to join this foreign community. These include:

Albania.
Serbia.
Macedonia.
Montenegro.
Turkey.

On the map of the European Union, you can clearly see its geography, the countries of Europe and their capitals.

Regulations and prerogatives of EU partners

The EU has a customs policy where its members can trade with each other without duties and without restrictions. And in relation to other powers, the adopted customs tariff applies. Having common laws, the EU countries created a single market and introduced a single monetary currency - the euro. Many EU member states are part of the so-called Schengen zone, which allows their citizens to move freely through the territory of all allies.

The European Union has common governing bodies for member countries, which include:

European Court.
European Parliament.
European Commission.
The audit community that controls the EU budget.

Despite unity, the European states that have joined the community have full independence and state sovereignty. Each country uses its own national language and has its own government. But for all participants there are certain criteria, and they must meet them. For example, coordination of all important political decisions with the European Parliament.

It should be noted that since its founding, only one power has left the European community. It was Danish autonomy - Greenland. In 1985, she was outraged by the low quotas introduced by the European Union for fishing. You can also recall the sensational events in 2016 referendum in the UK, when the population voted to leave the country from the European Union. This suggests that even in such an influential and seemingly stable community, serious problems are brewing.