The level of development of southern Europe. Agriculture in southern europe

In industry, the branches of processing agricultural raw materials are traditionally powerful, as well as food, light, furniture, etc. In recent decades, the manufacturing industry has been actively developing.

The energy sector focuses on imported fuels: oil is imported from Libya and Iran, and gas from Russia and Algeria. The total electricity production in the countries of Southern Europe is 618.3 million kW. In the electric power industry, a significant share of hydroelectric power plants in Italy they produce up to 1/3 of electricity, in Spain - almost half, in Portugal - more than 60%. Nuclear power engineering is developed only in Spain (8 nuclear reactors, producing 19% of electricity). In Italy, after a referendum in 1988, 4 nuclear reactors were closed.

Metallurgy. In the region, especially in Spain, ferrous metallurgy and some non-ferrous industries are developed: aluminum, copper, lead-zinc.

Mechanical engineering. The industry is of international importance, in particular, transport engineering (FIAT - Italy and SEAT - Spain, which generally produce more than 4.5 million passenger cars annually). FIAT is the largest private concern in the region (29 thousand workers and employees), uniting more than 100 companies and concentrates in its hands most (1.3 million, more than 80%) of the production of passenger cars in the country, and also controls about 15% European automotive market. Its headquarters as well as the main automobile plant are located in Turin.

Precision engineering and instrument making are well developed in the region. Italy ranks first in the world in the production of certain types of household appliances - refrigerators, washing machines, gas stoves (trade marks ARISTON, INDESIT, ZANUSSI, ARDO, at the factories of the company "Merloni" produce 3200 washing machines daily. The company "Olivetti" is known for the production of office and office equipment.Shipbuilding and ship repair are represented in Malta (the Maltese ones are still state-owned and are the largest in the Mediterranean).

Chemical industry. In the structure of the industry, petrochemistry occupies a significant place (it develops due to imported raw materials), the production of acids, soda, mineral fertilizers, etc. is growing, primarily in Spain, which is rich in various chemical raw materials. The largest Italian chemical concern is Montadison. Portugal is one of the world's leading suppliers of organic chemical raw materials - agar-agar, which is obtained from seaweed and used to produce gelatin. Its main buyer is Japan.

The building materials industry specializes in the production of tiles and wall tiles, roof tiles, sanitary equipment, etc. This industry has gained significant development in Spain, Italy, Portugal.

Timber and woodworking industry. Although the region is not rich in forest resources, Italy and Spain have been famous in Europe for the production of expensive furniture since the Middle Ages. And now these countries are known for their natural wood furniture as well as prefabricated consumer furniture. Portugal and Spain are the world's leading producers of cork (cork bark).

Light industry. Its largest industry is cotton, it operates mainly on imported raw materials. In all countries of the region, the garment, textile, footwear industry is developed (Italy ranks first in the export of footwear in the world) industry. Greece is known for its fur products (since ancient times, products have been made here from fur trimmings imported from all over the world) from mink.

Food industry. The industry operates primarily on its own raw materials. The canning, wine, flour and cereal, macaroni, and tobacco industries are internationally specialized. Portugal is one of the leading countries in the world for the production of canned sardines in olive oil. From time immemorial, the winemaking of the countries of the region has been famous: Italy shares first place with France, and Spain ranks third in the world in wine production. The most famous Portuguese wines are Port (from the city of Porto) and Madeira (from the name of the island of Madeira with its famous grape varieties). The Spanish arched wines Malaga and Sherry are also world famous.

South European countries pay great attention to the development of labor-intensive industries (production of household appliances, light, furniture, food, etc.), involving a significant army of able-bodied people in production. This, to some extent, restrains economic emigration from the countries of the region.

general characteristics farms in southern Europe... For a long time in terms of economic development, the countries of Southern Europe were significantly inferior to the countries of Western and Northern Europe... However, at the end of the XX century. thanks to sound economic policies and assistance from the European Union, they managed to overcome the gap. Today, the level of socio-economic development of the countries of Southern Europe is comparable to the average EU d / w. The main features of the economic development of the countries of Southern Europe are: good provision of labor resources and certain types of mineral resources; development of the economy in conditions of a lack of its own fuel and energy resources; a significant role in the economy of the countries of agriculture, and in it - the predominance of crop production over livestock; development of a powerful tourism business associated with the presence of a large number of historical and architectural monuments, as well as the exceptionally favorable natural conditions of the Mediterranean.

Industry. The formation of the structure of the industry was affected by almost complete absence of oil and natural gas in the region - the most important sources of energy and raw materials... Mineral fuel supplies are carried out from the countries of Northern Europe, Russia, North Africa and the Middle East. As a result, the location of industry is characterized by a tendency towards sea coasts. Most of the enterprises of the oil refining and petrochemical industries, ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy, and light industry are concentrated here. The bulk of electricity is generated at thermal power plants using fuel oil and natural gas. In Spain, 25% of electricity is generated by nuclear power plants. In conditions of a shortage of mineral fuels, the use of renewable energy sources is relevant. In Italy and Spain, hydropower plays an important role. Numerous hydroelectric power plants, providing cheap energy, are built on mountain rivers in the Alps and Pyrenees. Increasing development farms in southern Europe, gets the use of solar energy.
In the port cities of Italy, Spain, Greece, where imported oil is delivered, a powerful oil refining and petrochemical industry has been formed. Ferrous metallurgy also depends on imported raw materials. Large deposits of coal and iron ore are found only in Spain; however, their reserves are significantly depleted. Therefore, enterprises for the production of ferrous metals are also concentrated in port centers. Electrometallurgy prevails, as a result - steel produced in these countries is of high quality... Mechanical engineering is the leading industry in large countries of the region. It is based on the production of vehicles - cars and trucks, sea vessels. Recently, electronics and electrical engineering and instrument making have been developing at a high rate. The brands of Italian refrigerators and washing machines, computers of the "Olivetti" company are world famous. In Italy, the machine tool industry has reached a high level.
Traditionally important role in economic development farms in southern Europe light and food industries play. The countries are major producers of cotton and woolen fabrics, knitwear, clothing and footwear, furniture, and jewelry. The food industry specializes in the production of pasta, olive oil, grape wines, canned vegetables and fruit, juices. Rich reserves of various building stone and raw materials for the cement industry contribute to the development of production. A significant part of the products (facing tiles, marble, cement) are exported.
Agriculture. The peculiarity of the rural farms in southern Europe - the predominance of crop production over livestock production. The reason for this sectoral structure lies in natural conditions. The warm Mediterranean climate combined with artificial irrigation allows for the world's most diverse range of agricultural crops... And the presence of a large European sales market in the neighborhood contributes to the production of subtropical crops in large quantities. The disadvantage is the limited amount of land suitable for farming. The use of mountain slopes for agriculture is possible only with the help of terracing, which has long been widespread in Mediterranean countries. The most characteristic crops for the region are olives and grapes. A variety of fruits and vegetables are grown everywhere. Among vegetables, tomatoes are distinguished by production volumes, from fruits - peaches, apricots, cherries. Most of the typically subtropical crops - figs, citrus fruits - are exported. Cereals (wheat, barley, rice), legumes and melons are produced on a daily basis. The most important industrial crops are sugar beets, tobacco and cotton.
The development of animal husbandry has always been constrained by a lack of fodder.... In recent years, unable to withstand the competition of highly specialized farms in Western and Northern Europe, the production of livestock products has been declining. All the main branches of animal husbandry are represented in the region: breeding of large and small (sheep, goats) cattle, pigs, poultry. Sheep are widely bred on natural pastures. The herds are distilled depending on the season. Stable animal husbandry is combined with agriculture and is characteristic of the fertile lowlands, especially for the Podan plain in Italy. Here, as well as in the suburban areas of large cities, dairy farming, pig farming and poultry farming are concentrated. Seafood plays an important role in the nutrition of the inhabitants of the region.
Transport and services. On the transport system farms in southern Europe strongly influenced by the peninsular position. Sea transport plays an important role in international and domestic transport. All countries have a large merchant fleet, part of which is leased. The freight of sea vessels is especially developed in Greece. Aviation transport is actively developing, carrying out both domestic and international passenger transportation... All major settlements in the region are connected by road and rail. Through the tunnels built in the mountains, connections are made to the continental regions of Europe.
The development of the service sector is aimed at serving numerous foreign tourists. More than 100 million tourists from all over the world visit the countries of Southern Europe every year. They are attracted by the favorable climate, the warm sea combined with the mountainous terrain, the unique architectural ensembles of the cities, and the high level of service in numerous hotels and restaurants. Mountain resorts are very popular. The traditional place of pilgrimage for believers is the Vatican. Annual revenues from foreign tourism in each of the major countries in the region amount to tens of billions of dollars.

Economic and geographical position of Southern Europe

Southern Europe is very elongated along the parallel - at a distance exceeding 4000 km and compressed by the meridian, barely passing 1000 km. The main links with the outside world for most of them are carried out by sea.

Although the macroregion is not territorially compact, it is rather homogeneous in terms of morphostructural and climatic characteristics.

Figure 2 - Mountain systems of Southern Europe

Southern Europe is the most mountainous among the European macro-regions (Figure 2).

There are three physical and geographical regions: Iberian, Apennine, Balkan.

The Iberian Peninsula is located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and is influenced by both of these basins. It forms the westernmost, Atlantic outpost of the Mediterranean. The peninsula is close to Africa, from which it recently separated geologically, and is isolated from the rest of Europe by the wall of the Pyrenees Mountains. It is more massive than the other Mediterranean peninsulas; its outlines, formed by fault lines, are almost rectilinear; the structure of the surface is dominated by plateaus and blocky mountains with small areas of lowlands.

The basis of the Iberian Peninsula is the Meseta massif, composed of crystalline rocks and bordered from the north and south by the mountain structures of the Alpine orogenic belt. From the side of the Atlantic Ocean, the peninsula is limited by a system of faults, which is characterized by strong seismicity.

The combination of plains with blocky mountains is typical for Meseta. Its inner parts, where the folded base is covered by strata of sedimentary rocks and the heights are 500-800 m, form the plateaus Old (in the north) and New (in the south) Castile. On their outskirts, folded-block ridges, massifs and plateaus, composed of crystalline (Cantabrian, Iberian mountains) and limestone rocks (Central Cordillera, Catalan and Toledo mountains), rise. The greatest height (up to 2600 m) and the complexity of the structure is reached by the Central Cordillera, which separates the plateau of Old and New Castile from each other. In the south and southeast, the folded ridges of the Cordillera Betica, or Andalusian mountains, rise.

The Pyrenees serve as an important physical and geographical border between the Mediterranean and Central Europe. This mountain system in average height is the second in Europe after the Alps, although its highest peaks are significantly inferior to the highest parts of the Alps. Yielding to the Alps in height, the Pyrenees are much less dissected and inconvenient to cross. The highest is the middle part of the mountains, composed of crystalline rocks. Peak Aneto in the Maladeta massif reaches a height of 3404 m. A significant role in the formation of the relief of this part of the Pyrenees belongs to the ancient glaciation, during which the highest parts of the mountains were covered with glaciers, leaving behind giant circuses. Sharp, inaccessible peaks, steep slopes and wild gorges are characteristic of the highest part of the Pyrenees, which is almost devoid of passes, there are no railways or highways. To the west and east, the mountains are gradually decreasing. Their marginal parts are not composed of crystalline rocks, but limestones and loose sediments, crossed by mountain passes, along which railways and highways are laid, connecting Spain with France. However, there are relatively few through paths through the Pyrenees. The first railway through these mountains was built only in 1915.

In the west, the Pyrenees merge with the Cantabrian Mountains, the eastern part of which - the Biscay Mountains - orographically, tectonically and geologically serves as a continuation of the Pyrenees. The western part of the Cantabrian Mountains - the Asturian Mountains (over 2500 m) are composed of more ancient rocks, have a greater height, the relief is distinguished by its sharpness of forms. The northern slope, facing the Bay of Biscay, is especially steep and strongly dissected. It is crossed by narrow, gorge-like valleys, through which violent streams rush down.

The southern mountain range of the Iberian Peninsula (Andalusian Mountains) is close to the Alps. It begins over the Strait of Gibraltar with a high cliff and extends to the northeast. The continuation of the Andalusian Mountains is traced in the form of low uplifts in the Balearic Islands. Probably, in the past, this mountain system merged with the northern Apennines and the Alps.

The Andalusian mountains consist of two zones, different in relief and geological structure. The southern crystalline zone is higher. Its massif - Sierra Nevada (Snowy Mountains) - reaches 3482 m (Mount Mulasen). On the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, snowfields persist for almost the entire summer and there is a small tar glacier, the southernmost in Europe. Traces of Quaternary glaciation and strong erosional dissection create features of a typical alpine relief in many areas of the crystalline zone. A longitudinal tectonic depression separates the outer limestone zone from the crystalline one with a wide development of karst relief. In deep tectonic depressions, a dense population is concentrated and agriculture is developed. On the Mediterranean side, the Andalusian mountain system is surrounded by the hilly, cultivated and densely populated Andalusian Riviera.

Lowlands encircle the peninsula also in the west, southwest and southeast. Between Meseta and the Andalusian mountains in the Guadalquivir river basin is the Andalusian lowland, in the west at the foot of Meseta - Portuguese, in the southeast - Murcia and Valencia. The flat, dune-lined shores of these lowlands are interrupted by deep lagoons jutting into the land, in which the major port cities of Spain and Portugal are located. In the south-west of Spain, it is Cadiz, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean - the capital of Portugal, Lisbon.

The Apennine region includes the Apennine Peninsula, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, etc.

Alpine tectonic structures of the Apennine Mountains in the extreme south are joined with the Hercynian structures of the Calabria Peninsula. This combination is also typical for Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.

The ancient Paleozoic Tyrrhenian massif sank in the Neogene and Quaternary, and the Tyrrhenian Sea and islands were formed. This was accompanied by volcanic activity that does not fade even now: Vesuvius, Etna, Stromboli.

Water erosion plays an important role in the relief. Quaternary glaciation in the mountains was limited.

The basis of the relief is the Apennine mountain system, which crosses the Apennine Peninsula along its entire length and passes to the island of Sicily. In the north, the Apennines merge with the Maritime Alps. There is no clearly defined border between these two mountain systems, and tectonically, the Northern Apennines are a direct continuation of the Alps. In the west and east, between the mountains and the sea coast, strips of flat or hilly relief are distinguished, which are not related to the Apennines in structure.

In the north, the Apennines stretch along the coast of the Gulf of Genoa, bordering the Padan plain from the south. The narrow strip between the mountains and the sea is called the Riviera: French - in the west, Italian - in the east. Within the peninsula, the Apennines deviate to the southeast and recede quite far from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Up to the upper reaches of the Arno, the mountains are called the Northern Apennines. In this part, they are composed of Paleogene, mostly loose rocks and rarely exceed 2000 m. The predominance of clay deposits in the structure of the Northern Apennines creates conditions for the development of landslide phenomena, which are intensified due to the destruction of forests. Many settlements in the Northern Apennines are located in deep tectonic basins. The ancient city of Florence is located in one of these hollows.

To the south, the Central Apennines are composed of Mesozoic limestones and break up into high massifs, separated by deep basins and tectonic valleys. The slopes of the massifs are mostly steep and bare. The highest parts of the mountains have experienced glaciation, and glacial forms are clearly expressed in their relief. The highest peak of the Apennines - Mount Corno Grande in the Gran Sasso d'Italia massif - reaches 2,914 m and is a typical carling with a sharply defined peak and steep slopes. Extermination of forests contributed to a very strong development of karst processes in the Central Apennines.

In the very south, the Apennines are very close to the Tyrrhenian coast and in some places drop off directly to the sea. Orographically, the Apennines continue on the Calabrian peninsula called the Calabrian Apennines. But the mountains of Calabria are of a different age and structure than the rest of the Apennines. It is a dome-shaped massif composed of crystalline rocks, leveled and raised by faults. Obviously, it is part of an older structural complex that existed on the site of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and experienced faults and subsidence in the Neogene.

The coastal strips of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas on the Apennine Peninsula have a different structure and relief. The strip along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea reaches its greatest width in the north, where separate crystalline massifs rise among a low hilly plain - part of the same ancient land as the mountains of Calabria. Further to the south, ancient and young volcanic formations begin to play a large role in the structure and relief of the Predapennines. A number of extinct volcanoes rise up there and stretches of plains made of volcanic rocks and dissected by rivers. On a hilly volcanic plain is the capital of Italy, Rome. There are many hot springs in the area. Further south, in the Naples region, the double cone of Vesuvius rises - one of the most active volcanoes in Europe. Vast areas around Vesuvius are covered with lava, which poured out during numerous eruptions, and covered with masses of volcanic ash. A violent volcanic eruption at the beginning of our era led to the death of three cities: Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia, located at its foot. As a result of excavations that began in the 19th century, Pompeii was partially freed from under the volcanic rocks and turned into a museum-reserve, widely known throughout the world.

On the side of the Adriatic Sea, at the foot of the Apennines, there is an elevated hilly strip called the Subapennines. In the southern part, the Subapennines turn into a karst limestone plateau up to 1000 m high, which stretches from the Gargano Peninsula to the Salentina Peninsula.

The island of Sicily is almost entirely occupied by mountains, which are a tectonic continuation of the Apennines. There are low-lying areas only along the coast. In the east of the island rises the highest and most active volcano in Europe - Etna, reaching 3340 m in height. Etna is not only the highest volcano in Europe, but also one of the most active active volcanoes on Earth. Its eruptions took place for a long time at intervals of 3-5 years, and more than 100 of them were strong and prolonged, which claimed many lives.

To the north of Sicily, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, lies a group of volcanic Aeolian Islands, some of which are permanent volcanoes. The wide spread of volcanism in this part of the region is associated with the lines of recent faults, along which the land that previously occupied the Tyrrhenian Sea subsided. The sinking also caused the formation of the Messinian and Tunnisian straits and the separation of Europe from North Africa.

The islands of Corsica and Sardinia were associated with the rest of the land in the Neogene. Both islands are mountainous, especially Corsica, whose mountains reach a height of 2700 m and are composed of crystalline rocks.

At the base of the Balkan Peninsula is the ancient Hercynian Thracian-Make-Don massif, a fragment of the Aegeis, which plunged in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. The islands in the Aegean Sea remained from the ancient land. In the west and north, there are folds of Alpine age. The surface of the region is mountainous, the plains occupy small spaces. In morphostructural terms, alpine formations are distinguished (in the west and south - the Dinaric Highlands, the North Albanian Alps (Prokletie), Pindus, Epirus, the mountains of Crete) and Hercynian in the Thracian-Macedonian massif (Pirin, Rila, Rhodope, Olympus, West Macedonian mountains ).

In the west - the Dinaric Highlands. It has two structural and morphological belts: the western - plateau-like of Mesozoic limestones and the development of karst processes and the eastern - with alternating Paleozoic and Mesozoic sandstones, shales, limestones and crystalline rocks. Mach. the height in the southeastern part is the Durmitor massif, 2522 m. On the mountain plateaus there are numerous karst fields up to 60 km long, at the bottom of their lacustrine sediments and clay deposits (terra-rossa). Other karst forms are widespread: karr fields, craters, caves. This relief is best expressed on the Karst plateau - a classic example. The mountains drop abruptly to the Adriatic. Along the coast of the island, ridges parallel to the coast (Dolmatinsky type). The coast is ingressive and shows signs of recent subsidence and inundation.

To the south of Lake Skadar is the Albanian lowland with numerous hills from 50 to 400 m. Strong waterlogging.

In the east of the Dinaric Highlands, the complex mountainous regions of Shumadia, Macedonia, the northeast of the Peloponnese and the island of Euboea are dominated by Paleozoic sandstones, shales, and crystalline rocks. Karst processes are poorly developed. Domed peaks, gentle slopes.

The middle Thracian-Macedonian massif of the Hercynian age from block uplifts and tectonic depressions. The highest formations are the Rila mountains (the highest point is 2925 m), the Rhodope Mountains, Pirin, Osogovska Planina, Shar Planina. The mountains are separated by tectonic hollows and fault zones, the large ones have a meridional strike with the valleys of the Vardar, Struma, Morava rivers.

The continuation of the Dinaric Highlands - the Pindus Mountains (Zmolikas, 2637 m) stretch from north to south for 200 km - from limestone and flysch. The ridges are dissected by deep river valleys. Even further to the southeast are isolated mountain ranges bounded by faults (Olympus, 2917 m; Parnas, 2457 m).

The Peloponnese peninsula is highly dissected, in the center of the Sparta plateau. It is connected to the rest of Greece by the Corinth Canal (6.3 km long, built in 1897).

In the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula, the Thessalian, Upper Thracian, Lower Thracian, Salonika plains.

Upper and Lower Thracian are located in the trough zone. The first of lacustrine and river sediments, with a flat surface with residual hills of crystalline rock outcrops.

Lower Thracian from Neogene marine sandy-clayey sediments. Farming centers.

In the west and north, there are folds of Alpine age, at the base of the peninsula - the ancient Hercynian Thracian-Macedonian massif - a fragment of the Aegean. In the west of the Dinaric Highlands, there are thick strata of Mesozoic limestones - a wide distribution of karst forms: tarn fields, craters, depressions, caves, underground rivers, and fields. The Karst Plateau is an area of \u200b\u200bclassically expressed karst landforms.

The mountains and peninsular position have played a large role in the transport system of southern Europe. Sea transport plays an important role in international and domestic transport. All countries have a large merchant fleet, part of which is leased. The freight of sea vessels is especially developed in Greece. Air transport is developing rapidly, providing both domestic and international passenger transportation. All major settlements in the region are connected by road and rail. Through tunnels built in the mountains, connections are made to the continental regions of Europe.

The formation of the structure of the industry was influenced by the almost complete absence of oil and natural gas in the region - the most important sources of energy and raw materials. Mineral fuel supplies are carried out from the countries of Northern Europe, Russia, North Africa and the Middle East. As a result, the location of industry is characterized by a tendency towards sea coasts. Most of the enterprises of the oil refining and petrochemical industries, ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy, and light industry are concentrated here. The bulk of electricity is generated at thermal power plants using fuel oil and natural gas.

In Spain, 25% of electricity is generated by nuclear power plants. In conditions of a shortage of mineral fuels, the use of renewable energy sources is relevant. In Italy and Spain, hydropower plays an important role. Numerous hydroelectric power plants, providing cheap energy, are built on mountain rivers in the Alps and Pyrenees. The growing development of the economy of the countries of Southern Europe, receives the use of solar energy.

In the port cities of Italy, Spain, Greece, where imported oil is delivered, a powerful oil refining and petrochemical industry has been formed. Ferrous metallurgy also depends on imported raw materials. Large deposits of coal and iron ore are found only in Spain, but their reserves are significantly depleted. Therefore, enterprises for the production of ferrous metals are also concentrated in port centers. Electrometallurgy predominates, as a result - the steel produced in these countries is of high quality.

Mechanical engineering is the leading industry in large countries of the region. It is based on the production of vehicles - cars and trucks, sea vessels. Recently, electronics and electrical engineering and instrument making have been developing at a high rate. The brands of Italian refrigerators and washing machines, computers of the "Olivetti" company are world famous. In Italy, the machine tool industry has reached a high level.

Traditionally, light and food industries play an important role in the economic development of the economy of the countries of Southern Europe. The countries are major producers of cotton and woolen fabrics, knitwear, clothing and footwear, furniture, and jewelry. The food industry specializes in the production of pasta, olive oil, grape wines, canned vegetables and fruit, juices.

Rich reserves of various building stone and raw materials for the cement industry contribute to the development of production. A significant part of the products (facing tiles, marble, cement) are exported.

A feature of agriculture in southern Europe is the predominance of crop production over livestock production. The reason for this sectoral structure lies in natural conditions. The warm Mediterranean climate, combined with artificial irrigation, allows for the world's most diverse range of agricultural crops. And the presence of a large European sales market in the neighborhood contributes to the production of subtropical crops in large quantities. The disadvantage is the limited amount of land suitable for farming. The use of mountain slopes for agriculture is possible only with the help of terracing, which has long been widespread in Mediterranean countries. The most characteristic crops for the region are olives and grapes. A variety of fruits and vegetables are grown everywhere. Among vegetables, tomatoes are distinguished by production volumes, and from fruits - peaches, apricots, and cherries. Most of the typically subtropical crops - figs, citrus fruits - are exported. Cereals (wheat, barley, rice), legumes and melons are produced on a daily basis. The most important industrial crops are sugar beets, tobacco and cotton.

The development of animal husbandry has always been constrained by the lack of a forage base. In recent years, unable to withstand the competition of highly specialized farms in Western and Northern Europe, the production of livestock products has been declining. All the main branches of animal husbandry are represented in the region: breeding of large and small (sheep, goats) cattle, pigs, poultry. Sheep are widely bred on natural pastures. The herds are distilled depending on the season. Stable animal husbandry is combined with agriculture and is characteristic of the fertile lowlands, especially for the Podan plain in Italy. Here, as well as in the suburban areas of large cities, dairy farming, pig breeding and poultry farming are concentrated. Seafood plays an important role in the nutrition of the inhabitants of the region.

The development of the service sector is aimed at serving numerous foreign tourists. More than 180 million tourists from all over the world visit the countries of Southern Europe annually. They are attracted by the favorable climate, the warm sea combined with the mountainous relief, the unique architectural ensembles of the cities, and the high level of service in numerous hotels and restaurants. Mountain resorts are very popular. The traditional place of pilgrimage for believers is the Vatican. Annual revenues from foreign tourism in each of the major countries in the region amount to tens of billions of dollars.

In terms of population, Southern Europe, with about 180 million people, is the second largest region in Europe in terms of territory (after Eastern Europe) and in terms of population. Among the southern European countries, three countries stand out with the largest population: Italy (57.2 million people), Spain (39.6 million people) and Romania (22.4 million people), in which two-thirds of the population lives, or 66.3% of the total number of people living in the region.

In terms of population density (106.0 individuals / km 2), Southern Europe exceeds the average European indicators by 74%, but is inferior among the inner European regions to industrialized Western Europe, where the population density is 173 individuals / km 2.

Industrialized Italy (190 individuals / km 2) and Albania (119.0 individuals / km 2) stand out with the highest population density among individual countries. The lower density is distinguished by such countries of the Balkan Peninsula as Croatia (85.3 individuals / km 2), Bosnia and Herzegovina (86.5 individuals / km 2), Macedonia (80.2 individuals / km 2) and Spain (77.5 individuals / km 2) / km 2). Thus, the center of Southern Europe - the Apennine Peninsula is the most densely populated, in particular the fertile Padan plain and most of the coastal lowlands. The least densely populated highlands of Spain, where there are less than 10 people per km 2.

In the southern European macro-region, the birth rate is almost the same as in the Western European macro-region - 11 children per 1000 inhabitants. Albania ranks first among individual countries for this indicator, where the birth rate reaches 23 people per 1,000 inhabitants per year, and the natural increase is 18 people. On the second - Macedonia, where these indicators are 16 and 8, respectively, and on the third - fourth - Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the industrialized countries of southern Europe, the birth rate is much lower. So, in Italy - 9% with a minus growth rate (-1), in Slovenia - 10 people with a zero natural increase.

Southern Europe is the least urbanized on the European continent. Here, 56.1% of the population lives in cities. The largest cities in the region are Athens (3662 thousand), Madrid (3030), Rome (2791), Belgrade, Zaragoza, Milan, Naples, Bucharest, etc. Most of the southern cities were founded a very long time ago, in the pre-Christian era. Many of them have preserved monuments from the ancient period and later eras (Rome, Athens and dozens of other equally famous southern cities).

Southern Europe is racially homogeneous. The population of the region belongs to the Mediterranean or southern branch of the Caucasian large race (white). Her characteristic features small stature, dark wavy hair and brown eyes. Almost the entire population of southern Europe speaks the languages \u200b\u200bof the Indo-European language family. The population of Italy, Spain, Romania, Portugal belongs to the Romance peoples who speak languages \u200b\u200bthat are formed from ancient Latin. In the high alpine regions of Italy there are Ladino, Friuli who speak the Romansh language, in Spain - Catalans and Galicians. Portugal is settled by the Portuguese. South Slavs live on the Balkan Peninsula. These include Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Slovenes and Macedonians. South Slavic peoples belong to the Mediterranean race. In addition to the Slavs, Albanians and Greeks live here. The language and culture of the Albanians is strongly influenced by the South Slavic influence. Ethnic Greeks are descendants of the ancient Greeks - the Hellenes, who were strongly influenced by the Slavs. The anthropological type of modern Greeks differs from the ancient Greek, the speech has changed.

Figure 3 - National composition of Southern Europe

Of the non-Romanic peoples, the Basques live on the Iberian Peninsula, who inhabit a small region of northern Spain. These are the descendants of the Iberians, the ancient population, who preserved their language and cultural elements. The majority of the Romanian population are Romanians, who were formed into a single nation from two closely related peoples - the Vlachs and Moldavians.

Thus, the economic and geographical position of Southern Europe is characterized by the following features:

1) the proximity of the region to North Africa. This neighborhood has a decisive influence not only on natural features, but also on the ethnogenesis of the peoples living here;

2) proximity to the countries of South-West Asia, rich fuel and energy resources, which are not enough in Southern Europe;

3) the wide length of the maritime borders with the Atlantic Ocean, with the seas of the Mediterranean basin, in particular the Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Aegean, as well as the western part of the Black Sea, has diversified influence and influences on the economic activity and beneficial economic relations of the North European countries with all continents of the world;

4) The Mediterranean is an ancient region of human civilization, it is also called the "cradle of European civilization", because Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome had a decisive influence on the historical fate of neighboring countries and all of Europe.

In most of the countries of Southern Europe, the mining industry, agriculture, mountain-pasture animal husbandry, the production of machinery and equipment, fabrics, leather, and the cultivation of grapes and citrus fruits are widespread. Tourism is very common. The main industry of specialization, in addition to international tourism, is agriculture, in particular, this region is rich in grapes, olives, rather high rates in the cultivation of cereals and legumes, as well as vegetables and fruits. Despite the predominance of agriculture, there are also industrial zones, in particular, the cities of Genoa, Turin, etc. It should be noted that they are located mainly in the north, closer to the countries of Western Europe.

8 countries and one dependent territory - Gibraltar (owned by Great Britain) belong to Southern Europe (tab.). Feature the region is the location here of the smallest state-city of the Vatican, whose territory is 44 hectares, and the oldest republic in the world - San Marino

Table 5 - Countries of Southern Europe

An important the peculiarity of the economic and geographical position of the countries of Southern Europelocated on the peninsulas and islands of the Mediterranean Sea, is that they are all on the main sea routes from Europe to Asia, Africa and Australia, and Spain and Portugal - also to Central and South America. All this since the time of the great geographical discoveries has affected the development of the region, the life of the countries of which is closely connected with the sea. No less significant is the fact that the region is located between Central Europe and the Arab countries of North Africa, which have multilateral ties with Europe. The former metropolises Portugal, Italy and Spain still retain influence in some African countries. All countries (except the Vatican) are members of the UN, OECD, and the largest are members of NATO and the European Union. Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations led by Great Britain.

Natural conditions and resources. The region is located on the Mediterranean peninsulas - Iberian, Apennine and Balkan. Only Italy is part of mainland Europe. The Mediterranean Sea has largely determined the similarity of the natural conditions of the region. There is an acute shortage of fuel in the region. usefulfossils. There is almost no oil here, very little natural gas and coal. However, the rich are deposits of various metals, especially colored: bauxite (Greece belongs to the top three European leaders), mercury, copper, polymetals (Spain, Italy), tungsten(Portugal). Huge reserves building materials – marble, tuff, granite, cement raw materials, clays.Underdeveloped in southern European countries river network.Large arrays forestssurvived only in the Pyrenees and the Alps. Average forest cover of the region is 32%. Natural and recreational resources are extremely rich. These are warm seas, many kilometers of sandy beaches, lush vegetation, picturesque landscapes, numerous sea and mountain resorts, as well as areas favorable for mountaineering and skiing, etc. There are 14 national parks in the region. The unique natural resource potential of the region has contributed to the significant development of the agricultural sector and tourism and recreation activities in its countries.

Population. Traditionally, Southern Europe is characterized by a high birth rate, but natural population growth is low: from 0.1% per year in Italy to 0.4-0.5% in Greece, Portugal and 0.8% in Malta. Women account for 51% of the region's population. The majority of the population belongs to the southern (Mediterranean) branch of e european race... During the era of the Roman Empire, most of them were romanized, and now they are dominated by peoples belonging to the Romanesque group. indo-European language family (Portuguese, Spanish, Galician, Catalan, Italians, Sardinians, Romansh). An exceptionmake up: greeks (Greek group of the Indo-European family); albanians (an Albanian group of the Indo-European family) represented in Italy; Gibraltar (Germanic group of the Indo-European family); maltese (Semitic group of the Semitic-Hamitic language family). Maltese is considered to be a dialectal form of Arabic; turks (Turkic group of the Altai language family) - there are many of them in Greece; basques (in the rank of a separate family) - live in the historical region of the Basque Country in northern Spain. Population composition in the countries of the region it is predominantly homogeneous. High indicators of mono-nationality typical for Portugal (99.5% - Portuguese), Italy and Greece (98% of Italians and Greeks, respectively), and only in Spain a significant weight (almost 30%) of national minorities: Catalans (18%), Galicians (8%) , Basques (2.5%), etc. The majority of the population - christians... Christianity is represented by two branches: catholicism (west and center of the region); orthodoxy (region east, Greece). In southern Europe, there is the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church - the Vatican, which exists in the IV century. Part of the Turks, Albanians, Greeks - muslims.

Population posteduneven. Highest density - in fertile valleys and coastal lowlands, the smallest - in the mountains (Alps, Pyrenees), in some areas is up to 1 person / km 2. Urbanization levelin the region is much lower than in other parts of Europe: only in Spain and Malta up to 90% of the population live in cities, and, for example, in Greece and Italy - more than 60%, in Portugal - 36%. Labor resources make up about 51 million people. In general, 30% of the active population is employed in industry, 15% - in agriculture, 53% - in service sector... Recently, many employees from Eastern and Southeastern Europe have come to Southern Europe for the fruit and vegetable harvest season, who cannot find work in their own countries.

Features of economic development and general characteristics farms.The countries of the region are still lagging economically behind the highly developed states of Europe. Although Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy are members of the EU, all of them, except Italy, lag behind the leaders in many socio-economic indicators. Italyis the economic leader of the region, belongs to highly developed industrial-agrarian countries, with a clear tendency to form a post-industrial type of economy. At the same time, contrasts in the development of many industries and production, in the social sphere, in the socio-economic conditions of the North and South are still significant in the country. Italy lags behind many highly developed countries in terms of scientific and technological development. It is ahead of some Western European countries in terms of net profits from tourism, but is inferior to them in terms of the scale and intensity of international trade and credit and financial transactions. Spain.It is the second country in the region in terms of socio-economic development. The public sector plays a significant role in the Spanish economy, accounting for up to 30% of the country's GDP. The state carries out economic programming, controls the railways, the coal industry, a significant part of shipbuilding and ferrous metallurgy. In the second half of the 80s. XX century Portugal experienced a significant economic recovery. The average GDP growth during this period was one of the highest in the EU and amounted to 4.5-4.8% per year; in 2000, the GNP was equal to 159 billion dollars. Greecehas a larger GNP than Portugal (181.9 billion in 2000). The country's industry is significantly monopolized by large local and foreign capital (mainly the USA, Germany, France and Switzerland). Up to 200 companies receive over 50% of all profits. Greece has quite high inflation rates for the EU countries (3.4% per year). Government measures to reduce it (cutting government subsidies, freezing wages, etc.) predetermine social instability.

IN MGRT the countries of the region are represented by individual branches of mechanical engineering (production of cars, household appliances, technological equipment for light and food industries), furniture industry, production of construction products and equipment, light industry (fruit and vegetable canning, oilseed - production of olive oil, winemaking, pasta, etc.) P.). Agriculture is dominated by the branches of agriculture - the cultivation of various subtropical crops: citrus, wood oils, grapes, vegetables, fruits, essential oil plants, etc. Due to insufficient fodder base, sheep breeding and beef cattle breeding prevail in animal husbandry. The countries of the region are actively developing commercial shipping and ship repair. They are the undisputed leaders in the development of international tourism. Warm sea, Mediterranean climate, rich subtropical vegetation, numerous monuments of ancient culture and architecture are the main factors, thanks to which Southern Europe is a favorite place for recreation and entertainment of many recreationalists in the world, the largest tourist center.

5. General characteristics of the countries of Eastern (Central) Europe

The countries of Eastern (Central) Europe as a socio-political and economic integrity began to be identified in the 90s of the XX century. This is due to the collapse of the former USSR and the socialist system, the formation of independent states. The region covers 10 countries (Table 6). The economic and geographical position of Eastern Europe is distinguished by the following features : land surveying in the west with highly developed countries, and in the east and southeast - with Russia and the countries of South-Eastern Europe - potential sales markets for Eastern Europe; passing through the region of the trans-European transport highways of the meridional and latitudinal directions. Over the past 10 years in EGP (economic and geographical position) of the region, the following changes : the collapse of the USSR, the formation of the CIS and new countries; unification of Germany; the collapse of Czechoslovakia, as a result of which two independent states were formed: the Czech Republic and Slovakia; the appearance on the southern borders of neighbors “unstable” in relation to the military-political state - the Balkan countries, Yugoslavia.

Table 6 - Countries of Eastern Europe

Political and socio-economic changes have influenced the formation of the modern political map of Eastern Europe. As a result of the collapse of the USSR, independent states were formed: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia. A new political and economic association has emerged - the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The Baltic countries were not included in it. In the process of profound revolutionary changes, the countries of Eastern Europe entered a period of political and economic reforms, actively asserting the principles of real democracy, political pluralism, and a market economy. All countries in the region are members of the UN. Russia, Ukraine and Belarus - in the CIS, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary - in NATO. Natural conditions and resources.The length of the coastal strip (excluding Russia) is 4682 km. Belarus, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic have no access to the World Ocean. Climate in the overwhelming part of the territory - moderately continental. Natural resources... The region has significant mineral resources , for their richness and diversity, it occupies one of the first places in Europe. He fully satisfies his needs for coal , brown coal ... On oil and gas rich mineral resources of Russia, there are insignificant reserves in Ukraine and Hungary, as well as in the south of Belarus. Peat lies in Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, in the north of Ukraine, the largest reserves of oil shale are in Estonia and Russia. A significant part of fuel and energy resources, especially oil and gas, the countries are forced to import. Ore minerals are represented: iron ores , manganese , copper ores , bauxite , mercury nickel ... Among non-metallic there are reserves rock salt , potassium salt , sulfur , amber , phosphorites, apatites ... Average forest cover of the region is 33%. To the main recreational resources owns the sea coast, mountain air, rivers, forests, mineral springs, karst caves. The region is home to the most famous seaside resorts.

Population.132.1 million people live on the territory of Eastern Europe excluding Russia, including the European part of Russia - 246.4 million. The largest population is in Ukraine and Poland. In other countries, it ranges from 1.5 to 10.5 million people. Demographic situation is quite complex, due to the consequences of World War II, the increase in urbanization and the associated industrial development of states. As in most other European countries, natural population growth in recent decades has significantly decreased, primarily due to a sharp decline in the birth rate, while in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Slovakia it has become negative. The population is also declining - the birth rate is lower than the death rate, which has led to the aging process of the population. By sex composition of the population, women predominate (53%). Representatives of the transitional (Central European) group prevail among the inhabitants of the region of the European race ... Countries are mostly heterogeneous ethnic composition ... The population belongs mainly to a bilingual family: indo-European and ural ... The region is dominated by christianity , represented by all directions: catholicism profess in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, a significant number of Hungarians and Latvians; orthodoxy - in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus; protestantism (lutheranism ) - in Estonia, the majority of Latvians and part of the Hungarians; to uniate (greek Catholic ) the churches are overlapped by Western Ukrainians and Western Belarusians.

Population posted relatively evenly. The average density is almost 89 persons / km a. The level of urbanization is low - on average 68 %. The urban population is constantly increasing. Labor resources approximately 145 million people (56%). The industry employs 40-50 % working population, in agriculture - 20-50%, in the non-production sphere - 15-20%. Since the mid-90s. XX Art. in the countries of Eastern Europe, the economic emigration of the population in search of work and permanent earnings has increased significantly. Perceptible and intraregional migration from the eastern regions (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus) to the economically developed western countries of the same region - Poland, the Czech Republic. In terms of GDP and its level per capita, the UN divides the countries of the region into 3 groups : 1) Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia (20-50% of GDP per capita of the US level); 2) Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia (10-20%); 3) Ukraine, Belarus, Russia (less than 10%). All states in the region belong to countries with an average level of socio-economic development.

IN MGPP countries are represented by regions Fuel and energy complex (coal, oil, gas), metallurgy, chemical industry (mainly by branches of basic chemistry and coal chemistry), by individual branches mechanical engineering , timber industry complex, easy (textile, knitted, shoe, etc.) and food (meat and fish processing, sugar, oil and flour milling, etc.) industry. The agricultural specialization of countries is determined by the cultivation cereals (wheat, rye, barley, corn), technical (sugar beet, sunflower, flax, hops) and forage crops , potatoes, vegetables etc.. Livestock represented mainly by dairy and meat cattle breeding, pig breeding, poultry farming. Fishing has long been a tradition in the countries of the Baltic Sea coast. Industry.The leading sector of the economy of the countries of the region is industry, mainly processing (mechanical engineering, metallurgical complex, chemical, light and food, etc.). Transport.All types of transport are available in Eastern Europe. An important task for the countries of the region is to bring the transport system up to EU standards. Foreign economic relations Eastern European countries are still being formed and do not have a clearly expressed orientation. Foreign trade for the most part serves the needs of this region's own, since the products of many countries are not yet competitive on the world market. IN export , which is 227 billion dollars, dominated by the products of mechanical engineering, chemical and light industry, some products of non-ferrous metallurgy. Foreign economic relations Of Ukraine with the countries of the region: significant volumes of Ukrainian exports go to Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and the largest number of imports to Ukraine is of Russia, Poland, Belarus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania. Eastern Europe is rich in resources for development recreational and tourism.

6. General characteristics of the countries of South-Eastern Europe

Southeastern Europe covers 9 countries of the former socialist camp, located in the southeastern part of Europe, which were not included in the region of Eastern (Central) Europe (tab. 6)

Table 6 - Countries of South-Eastern Europe

The region has a rather advantageous economic and geographical position due to its location on the routes from South-West Asia to Central Europe. The states of the region border on the countries of Eastern, Southern and Western Europe, as well as South-Western Asia, are washed by the Atlantic seas (Black, Adriatic), and through the Mediterranean they have access to transport routes in the Atlantic Ocean. Religious and ethnic conflicts (Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro) negatively influence the peculiarities of the region's political and geographical position. All countries in the region have economies in transition. They are members of the UN, Moldova is a member of the CIS.

Natural conditions... The countries of the region are rich in diverse landscapes. Climate most of the territory is temperate continental, only in the south and southwest is subtropical Mediterranean. Large areas are irrigated here to obtain stable yields. Natural resources. Hydropower resources regions are among the most powerful in Europe. Mineral resources diverse, but the provision of them to the countries of the region is not the same. Largest reserves coal - in Transylvania (Romania), minor ones - to the west of Sofia in Bulgaria. Brown coal occurs in Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Bulgaria, Albania, Slovenia. The only country in the region that is entirely provided with its own oil and gas , - Romania. All others depend on their import. H black soils occupy large territories of Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova. The woods covering over 35% of the territories are the national wealth of the countries of the region. The region has significant recreational resources. Favorable agroclimatic resources caused the development of a fairly significant agricultural sector in most countries in the region. Population. Demographic situation characterized by the same trends as in most other European countries. It is characterized by a sharp decline in the birth rate and natural increase, which is due to socio-economic factors. There are more women in the region than men (51 and 49%). Most countries in the region are dominated by representatives of the southern group e europeoid race.In the northern regions, the majority of the population belongs to central European racial types . Southeast Europe - a nationally and religiously heterogeneous region that predetermines numerous conflicts. Constant military conflicts gave rise to significant population migrations. In the countries of the region, a large percentage of national minorities , and in some of them there was a territorial mixing of ethnic groups (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro). The inhabitants of the region belong to indo-European language family, Altai and Uralic families . Religious composition is also quite varied. The vast majority of the population professes christianity (Orthodox - Bulgarians, Romanians, Moldovans, Serbs, Montenegrins, a significant part of Macedonians, and Catholics - Slovaks, Croats, part of Romanians and Hungarians) and islam (Albanians, Kosovans, Albanians, Bosnians, Turks). In Albania, the entire population is Muslim. Placed population evenly. Increasingly affects the distribution of the population urbanization associated primarily with the movement of rural residents to cities. Labor resources make over 35 million people. Employment in agriculture is very large - 24%, and in Albania - 55%, the highest figure for Europe, 38% of the population, employed in industry, construction and transport, 38% - in the service sector. One of important issues the region is overcoming the socio-demographic and religious-ethnic crisis that arose in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

Features of economic development and general characteristics of the economy. Bythe level of socio-economic development of the region's countries belong to the average developed. Only Albania meets the criteria for a developing country. In terms of the structure of the economy, industrial-agrarian countries prevail. Each country is characterized by specific features of the transition period .

IN MGRT the countries of the region are represented by non-ferrous metallurgy, certain branches of the chemical industry (production of fertilizers, soda, perfumery and cosmetic products), branches of transport, agricultural engineering, machine-tool construction, furniture, light (clothing, footwear, leather goods) and food (sugar, oil, fruit and vegetable products). , tobacco, wine) industry. IN agriculture traditionally dominated by farming with cultivation cereals (wheat, barley, corn) and industrial crops (sugar beet, sunflower, tobacco, essential oil plants). Significant development have vegetable growing, horticulture, viticulture ... In the countries of the Black Sea and Adriatic coasts, a developed tourist and recreational complex .

Foreign economic relations.There are close economic ties between the countries of the region. They export products worth 33.9 billion dollars: oil products, agricultural products, etc. Import ($ 45.0 billion) fuel, industrial goods, equipment, etc. trade partners are the EU, CIS, Austria, Germany, Italy, Turkey, etc. Ukraine exports a lot of goods to Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria, imports - mainly from Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Slovenia.

Southern Europe, as a rule, includes countries on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea - the countries of the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal, Spain, Andorra), Monaco, states located on the Apennine Peninsula (Italy, Vatican, San Marino), Greece, as well as the island states of Malta and Cyprus.

Sometimes Southern Europe also includes Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, southern regions of Ukraine such as Odessa, Kherson and Nikolaev, as well as the European part of Turkey.

The quasi-state formation of the Order of Malta also belongs to Southern Europe (today's territory is only one mansion in Rome and a residence in Malta).

List of countries and their capitals:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sarajevo
• Albania - Tirana
• Cyprus - Nicosia
• Macedonia - Skopje
• San Marino - San Marino
• Serbia - Belgrade
• Slovenia - Ljubljana
• Croatia - Zagreb
• Montenegro - Podgorica
• Portugal - Lisbon
• Spain Madrid
• Andorra - Andorra la Vella
• Monaco - Monaco
• Italy Rome
• Vatican - Vatican
• Greece - Athens
• Malta - Valletta

Geographical position

It is based on the Cenozoic (Apennine, Balkan Peninsula) and Hercynian (Iberian Peninsula) folding. The relief of the countries is elevated, there are many minerals: aluminum, polymetallic, copper, mercury (Spain is one of the leaders in the extraction of pyrites and mercury), uranium, iron ores, sulfur, mica, gas.

Climate

Southern Europe is known for its hot climate, rich history and warm Mediterranean waters. The countries of southern Europe border on France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria. Turkey in the east with Syria, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Armenia, Iran, Georgia. In all the countries of Southern Europe, a subtropical Mediterranean climate prevails, therefore, warm temperatures of about + 24 ° C prevail in summer, and quite cool in winter, about + 8 ° C. There is enough precipitation, about 1000-1500 mm per year.

Nature

Southern Europe is almost entirely located in the zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs, which has survived only on the Mediterranean coast (a glacier was moving, and the mountains held it back, and the trees moved over the mountains). Fauna: roe deer, servals, horned goats, foxes, monitor lizards, wolves, badgers, raccoons. Flora: strawberry trees, stone oaks, myrtles, olives, grapes, citrus fruits, magnolia, cypresses, chestnuts, junipers.

Population

High population density, from 100 or more people per km². The predominant religion is Christianity (Catholicism).

The level of urbanization of the countries of Southern Europe: Greece - 59%, Spain - 91%, Italy - 72%, Malta - 89%, Portugal - 48%, San Marino - 48%. Natural growth in these countries is also low: Greece - 0.1 Spain - 0 Italy - (-0.1) Malta - 0.4 Portugal - 0.1 San Marino - 0.4 From which we can conclude that in these countries are also witnessing the "aging of the nation".

Specialization in MGRT

In most countries, the mining industry, agriculture, mountain pasture farming, the production of machines and devices, fabrics, leather, and the cultivation of grapes and citrus fruits are widespread. Tourism is very common. Spain ranks second in the world in tourism (France ranks first). The main industry of specialization, in addition to international tourism, is agriculture, in particular, this region is rich in grapes, olives, rather high indicators in the cultivation of cereals and legumes (Spain - 22.6 million tons, Italy - 20.8 million tons), and also vegetables and fruits (Spain - 11.5 million tons, Italy - 14.5 million tons). Despite the predominance of agriculture, there are also industrial zones, in particular the cities of Genoa, Turin and Milan are the main industrial cities of Italy. It should be noted that they are located mainly in the north, closer to the countries of Western Europe.

(Visited 608 times, 1 visits today)