| WG.4 |
The student will locate and analyze physical, economic, and cultural characteristics of world regions: . . . Europe, . . .. |
| WG.12 |
The student will apply geography to interpret the past, understand the present, and plan for the future by |
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a) |
using geographic knowledge, skills, and perspectives to analyze problems and make decisions; |
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b) |
relating current events to the physical and human characteristics of places and regions. |
Describe how physical, economic, and cultural characteristics influence regional development. Use the regional information provided below.
Countries
Location of countries, with particular emphasis on countries listed (determined by their per capita GDP, land size, and population)
• GDP
- Switzerland
- Luxembourg
- Sweden
• Land size
- Ukraine
- France
- Spain
• Population
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- France
Physical Characteristics
• Part of large landmass called Eurasia
• Peninsulas
- Iberian
- Italian
- Scandinavian
- Jutland
• Islands
- Great Britain
- Ireland
- Sicily
• Fjords
• Mountains
- Alps
- Pyrenees
• North European plain
• Rivers
- Danube
- Rhine
- Seine
- Volga
• Seas
- Adriatic
- Aegean
- Mediterranean
- Baltic
- Black
- North
• Oceans
- Atlantic
- Arctic
• Strait of Gibraltar
• Varied climate regions — tundra to Mediterranean
• Effects of the North Atlantic Drift and prevailing westerlies on Europe’s climates
Economic Characteristics
• Mountain regions — Tourism, recreation, and mineral resources
• Areas threatened by air and water pollution
- Forests (Black Forest)
- Cities (Venice)
- Rivers (Rhine, Danube, Seine)
• Development of industrial and transportation centers near mineral deposits, coal and iron ore
- Ruhr valley
- Po valley
• Rivers and canals serving as major transportation links
• Oil reserves in the North Sea
• Well-educated workforce — industrial and technological societies, banking in Switzerland
• Advanced farming techniques, high crop yields, fertile soils, black earth (chernozem)
• Well-developed infrastructure
• The Chunnel
• Differences in Western and Eastern European industrial development due to differing economic systems in prior years
• European Union (EU)
• Trade important, especially to island nations; interdependence
• Large role of government in some economies (Sweden and Denmark)
• Replacement of communism with capitalism in Eastern Europe
• Reclaimed land — polders in Netherlands
• Demographics typical of developed economies
- High per capita GDP
- High life expectancy
- Low population growth rate
- Low infant mortality
- Low percentage of population under age 15
- High literacy rate
Cultural Characteristics
• Birthplace of Industrial Revolution
• Many ethnic groups — languages, religions, customs
• Sporadic conflict among groups (wars, revolutions)
• Birthplace of western democracy — Greece and Rome
• Spread of European culture to many other parts of the world (exploration, colonization, imperialism)
• Highly urbanized
• One of the world’s most densely populated areas
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
• Cities as centers of culture and trade
- Berlin
- London
- Paris
- Madrid
- Rome
- Athens
- Warsaw
• Cultural landscape
- Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Eiffel Tower
- Colosseum (Coliseum), Leaning Tower of Pisa, St. Peter’s Basilica
- Parthenon
- Westminster Abbey, Big Ben
- windmills
- castles
Explain the following practical applications of how geography enables students to be informed, active citizens in their communities:
• Recycling programs
• Conversion of land from agricultural use
• Water sources (e.g., dams, reservoirs, wells, pipelines, ocean)
• Airport expansion
• Air quality
• Boundaries (e.g., school zones)
• Bicycle paths
• Mass transit
• City planning and zoning laws
• Energy use
• Location and size of public buildings (e.g., schools, recreation centers, hospitals, and libraries)
• Selection of locations for new stores and businesses
Explain that current events are shaped by the physical and human characteristics of the places and regions where they occur.
Use the following examples to explain how physical and human characteristics influence current events of places and regions:
• How physical characteristics influence current events:
- Natural hazards (e.g., flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes, drought)
- Climate, vegetation
• How human characteristics influence current events:
- Population distribution
- Geographic patterns of ethnic diversity
- A sense of place (emotional attachment to specific locations)
- Geographic patterns of trade and interdependence (e.g., oil)
- Geographic patterns of wealth and poverty (developed and developing nations)
Below is an annotated list of Internet resources recommended for this organizing topic. Copyright restrictions may exist for the material on some Web sites. Please note and abide by any such restrictions.
The Euro: Our Currency. <http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/our_currency_en.htm>. This site, the European Commission’s Web site on the euro, offers downloadable images of the different denominations.
“Historical Annual Real Gross Domestic Product Per Capita (GDPPC) for Baseline Countries /Regions (in 2000 dollars) 1971–2003.” Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. <http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/macroeconomics/Data/HistoricalGDPSharesValues.xls>. This site is an Excel spreadsheet providing data on the World’s Gross Domestic Product.
“Notre Dame.” Paris.org. <http://www.paris.org/Monuments/NDame/>. This site provides pictures and historical information on the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
Outline Maps — Education Place. Houghton Mifflin, 2002. <http://www.eduplace.com/ss/ssmaps/>. This site permits visitors to print a variety of maps related to this organizing topic.
Subject Access: World Geography, Languages, and Regional Information. Discovery Channel School. <http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/world/geog.html>. This site provides links to many Web sites on geography.
The World Factbook 2002. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/>. This site contains searchable information on all countries.
“World Gross Domestic Product and Population, 1997.” <https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html>. This site provides information on the world Gross Domestic Product.
xe.com: The Universal Currency Converter ®. <http://www.xe.com/ucc/>. This site calculates up-to-the-minute exchange rates between the currencies of the world’s countries.
Virginia Standards of Learning Assessments for the 2001 History and Social Science Standards of Learning: History and Social Science Released Items for Virginia and United States History. Virginia Department of Education 2003/04. <http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/Release2003/History/VA-RIBs_g11wgeo-1.pdf>.
Virginia Standards of Learning Assessments for the 2001 History and Social Science Standards of Learning: World Geography Test Blueprint. Virginia Department of Education, 2003/04. <http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/HistoryBlueprints03/2002Blueprint9WG.pdf>. This site provides assessment information for the course in World Geography.
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