Cities located in the European part. Economic and political zoning of Europe

Europe is a part of the world that is located in the northern hemisphere of our planet, it is washed by numerous seas and, together with Asia, forms Eurasia. In ancient Greek mythology, Europa is a Phoenician princess who was treacherously kidnapped by Zeus and taken to the island of Crete.

There is a hypothesis that this name comes from a Greek word that the Greeks used to designate all the territories located west of the Aegean Sea. There are other theories regarding the origin of this name.

General information

Today, more than 740 million people live here, or 10% of the total population of the Earth. The total territory is more than 10 million square kilometers.

The shores of Europe are washed by two oceans: the Atlantic and the Arctic, as well as numerous seas. The coast is highly indented, with numerous peninsulas occupying a large area. Most of Europe is occupied by vast plains.

A large number of rivers flow here and there are many large lakes. The climate is temperate, in the western part - oceanic, in the eastern part - continental. Europe is rich in minerals and other natural resources. This is where the countries with the most developed economies are located.

This part of the world has played a vital role in human history. It is worth noting the enormous richness and diversity of European cultures.

Borders

The borders of Europe have changed in different periods of human history, and debates around them continue to this day. The ancient Greeks considered the northern part of their country to be Europe. Gradually, people got to know their world better, and the borders gradually moved further to the east.

However, people developed more and more new territories and moved further to the east. The famous Russian historian Tatishchev proposed dividing the continent along the foot of the Ural Mountains. This point of view was first accepted in Russia, and then by foreign geographers.

However, even at the moment there are controversial issues regarding the exact boundaries of this part of the world. They are not global. Now there are several options for drawing borders. This issue plays an important political role, because where the border of Europe lies depends on which countries are included in it.

The border in the north runs along the coast of the Arctic Ocean, the west along the Atlantic Ocean, the eastern border along the foot of the Ural Mountains, along the Emba River to the Caspian Sea and along the Manych and Kuma rivers to the mouth of the Don. Then the border goes along the northern coast of the Black Sea and the Black Sea straits.

According to another opinion, the border runs along the Caucasus ridge. There are other options for drawing the border, which move it south from the Caucasus Mountains.

Countries that are part of Europe

Europe is often divided into Eastern and Western, Southern and Northern, although such a division is somewhat arbitrary. It is more related to political and cultural characteristics. On the European political map you can find both large states (Russia, Ukraine, France) and very tiny ones. Several countries are only partially located in Europe.

In total, this part of the world includes (in whole or in part) 49 countries. Of these, several states are not always considered to be part of Europe. There are also several territories with uncertain status. They declared independence, but it was not recognized by the world community.

The borders of European states have changed over the centuries as a result of numerous wars and revolutions.

So, which countries are considered European today? We have prepared a list for you, dividing it into four parts: the states of Western Europe, the countries that are located in its north, the countries of Southern and Eastern Europe. And also those countries that are only partially located in this part of the world.

West Side:

1. France
2. Great Britain
3. Austria
4. Belgium
5. Germany
6. Ireland
7. Luxembourg
8. Liechtenstein
9. Monaco
10. Switzerland
11. Ireland

East End:

1. Bulgaria
2. Romania
3. Ukraine
4. Poland
5. Slovakia
6. Hungary
7. Czech
8. Moldova
9. Belarus

If we do not take into account dependent regions and incompletely recognized states, then Europe in 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.

European countries

The territory of Europe extends from east to west for more than 3 thousand kilometers, and from south to north (from the island of Crete to the island of Spitsbergen) for 5 thousand kilometers. The majority of European powers are relatively small. With such small sizes of territories and good transport accessibility, these states either closely border each other or are separated by very short 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.

We list all European countries 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 they border on the waters of the Arctic Ocean. In general, these are highly developed and prosperous powers. But they stand out as an unfavorable demographic situation. This is a low birth rate and a low level of natural increase in population. In Germany there is even a population decline. All this led to the fact that developed Western Europe began to play the role of a subregion in the global system of population migration; it turned into the main center of labor immigration.

Eastern

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

Eastern European countries have a lower level of economic development than their western neighbors. However, they better preserved their cultural and ethnic identity. Eastern Europe is more of a cultural and historical region than a geographical one. The Russian expanses can also be classified as the eastern territory of Europe. And the geographic center of Eastern Europe is located approximately within Ukraine.

Northern

The list of states included in northern Europe, including capitals, looks like this:

The territories of the states of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jutland, the Baltic States, the islands of Spitsbergen and Iceland are included in the northern part of Europe. The population of these regions makes up only 4% of the entire European population. The largest country in the eight is Sweden, and the smallest is Iceland. The population density in these lands is lower in Europe - 22 people/m2, and in Iceland - only 3 people/m2. This is due to the harsh conditions of the climatic zone. But economic development indicators highlight 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 southern European powers. Industry is developed here, especially ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. The countries are rich in mineral resources. In agriculture the main efforts aimed at growing food products such as:

• grape;
• olives;
• pomegranate;
• dates.

It is known that Spain is the world's leading olive harvesting country. 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 Miró.

European Union

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

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

EU Members

The European Union in 2017 includes the following states:

Today there are also candidate countries to join this foreign community. These include:

1. Albania.
2. Serbia.
3. Macedonia.
4. Montenegro.
5. Türkiye.

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

Regulations and prerogatives of EU partners

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

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

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

Despite the unity, European states that have joined the community have complete independence and state sovereignty. Each country uses its own national language and has its own governing bodies. But there are certain criteria for all participants, 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. This was the Danish autonomy - Greenland. In 1985, she was outraged by the low quotas imposed by the European Union on fishing. You can also recall the sensational events of 2016 referendum in Great Britain, when the population voted for the country to leave the European Union. This suggests that even in such an influential and seemingly stable community, serious problems are brewing.

Note 1

Regions in Europe can be distinguished on the basis of various grounds - individual characteristics of the components of the natural environment or their totality, economic ties, cultural and historical experience and other socio-economic and political indicators. The most common and frequently used are the economic-political and physical-geographical zoning of Europe.

Economic and political zoning of Europe

There is no consensus on the issue of drawing regional borders within Europe. Their identification is complicated by the diversity of economic, civilizational and other connections in this territory.

Up until the 1990s, the most typical division of Europe on the basis of belonging to military-political blocs was the capitalist Western and socialist Eastern. Currently, such a division does not reflect reality. Even now, when defining countries, the concept of “former countries of the socialist camp” is sometimes used.

There is an economic and political division of Europe into five regions:

• West;
• Oriental;
• Northern;
• Southern
• Central.

They are in turn divided into $7$ subregions:

• Scandinavia(Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden);
• British Isles(Great Britain and Ireland);
• Western Europe(Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands and France);
• Southern Europe(Andorra, Vatican City, Italy, Spain, Malta, Portugal and San Marino);
• Central Europe(Austria, Hungary, Germany, Liechtenstein, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Switzerland);
• Southeastern Europe(Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and the European part of Turkey);
• Eastern Europe(Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and Estonia).

Regions of Europe according to the UN

According to the UN, Europe is divided into the following $4 regions: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe and Southern Europe, as well as special regions: Asian states partially located in Europe, Dependent Territories and unrecognized or partially recognized states.

Western Europe

Western Europe represents a geopolitical region that unites the countries of the Celts, Germans and Latin-speaking countries, located geographically in western Europe. The total area of ​​Western European countries is $1.42 \ million \ km^2$.

The region includes Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, France and Switzerland.

A little over $190\million\people$ live in the region. The main religions in the region are Protestantism and Catholicism. The region is characterized by one of the most developed economies in the world. The total GDP is estimated at $11.3\cdot 10^6$ billion US dollars, the average per capita is about $60\thousand\dollars\US$.

Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is the largest region in Europe both in terms of area and population. A little more than $292 \million \people live on the territory of $18.7 \million \km^2$. The dominant religions are Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Cyrillic and Latin writing is widespread.

This region is located in the eastern part of Europe. It consists of the following countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, Czech Republic.

The total GDP of Eastern Europe is estimated at $6.3\cdot 10^6 billion US dollars, per capita accounting for an average of $21 thousand US dollars.

Northern Europe

Northern Europe is a geopolitical region that unites the territories of the Scandinavian and Baltic countries in the northern part of Europe. The territory of $1.49\million\km^2$ is home to just over $100\million\people$. The predominant religions in the region are various branches of Protestantism, and in particular Lutheranism.

Northern Europe includes $8$ countries: Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden and Estonia.

Southern Europe

Southern Europe is a geopolitical region that unites Roman and Greek-speaking, as well as South Salvian countries located in the south of this part of the world. The total population of Southern Europe is about $150\million\people$, who live in an area of ​​$1.31\million\km^2$.

Southern Europe includes $15$ states: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vatican City, Greece, Spain, Italy, Macedonia, Malta, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro.

The region's total GDP is $4.6\cdot 10^6$ billion US dollars, with an average of $31\cdot\cdot\cdot\cd\USD per capita.$

Special regions

Asian states partially located in Europe include Kazakhstan and Turkey, as well as, according to some versions of the border between Asia and Europe, also Azerbaijan and Georgia.

In addition, some countries, although not territorially part of Europe, have stable historical, cultural and economic ties with it. These are Armenia and the Republic of Cyprus.

The dependent territories of European countries are Gibraltar (UK), Faroe Islands (Denmark), Åland Islands (Finland), Guernsey (UK), Jersey (UK), Isle of Man (UK) and Svalbard (Norway).

Note 2

It should be noted that there are also more polar points of view on the issue of economic and political zoning of European territory. In particular, geopolitician S. Huntington (USA) suggests separating as Europe proper the territory in which the Catholic faith is widespread. This definition significantly changes the idea of ​​the region and its zoning. In fact, even Greece, which is the cradle of civilization in the region, is outside Europe, and territorial narrowing eliminates the need for internal regionalization.

Physiographic zoning of Europe

Various methods of physical-geographical zoning were proposed by B.F. Dobrynin, T.V. Vlasov, R.A. Eramova. The identification of European regions proposed by the last of these authors is currently the most widely used and is given below. The author proposes to divide the territory into physical-geographical countries and regions in physical-geographical terms. The basis for identifying a physical-geographical country is the unity of geostructure, macrorelief characteristics and microclimate. The basis for the identification of units of a lower level is the close similarity of relief, climate, runoff and conditions for the development of flora and fauna.

In Europe, the following physical-geographical countries are distinguished:

• Mediterranean;
• Iceland;
• Fennoscandia;
• Ural;
• European Plain;
• Hercynian Europe and the British Isles;
• Alpine-Carpathian Europe.

1. So, you have studied the areas of the European part of Russia, which together form the western economic zone. List the most characteristic historical, physical-geographical, socio-economic features that characterize the European part of Russia.

Physiographical features:

It occupies the East European Plain, bordered by the Ural Mountains, the border with Kazakhstan and the Kuma and Manych rivers. The relief is flat, so the territory is developed quite evenly. The mainland of European Russia is located in the subarctic and temperate climatic zones. Moreover, most of them are in the temperate climate zone. Larger than the river Volga, dense river network, inland drainage basin, Atlantic, North. There are many glacial lakes in the north. The large extent of the plain from north to south determined a well-defined zonality in the distribution of its landscapes.

The coast of the Barents Sea is occupied by cold, heavily waterlogged plains. This part of the plain territory is located in the tundra and forest-tundra zone. There are no conditions for the development of agriculture, but reindeer husbandry and hunting and fishing are developed, and there are large deposits of coal, oil, gas, iron ore, non-ferrous metal ores and apatite. In the middle zone of the East European Plain, typical forest landscapes used to prevail - dark coniferous taiga, mixed, broad-leaved oak and linden forests. Currently, many forests have been cut down, and forest landscapes have turned into forest fields - a combination of forests and fields. This part of the plain is home to the bulk of the population and is home to cities and industrial enterprises. In the south of the plain there are expanses of steppes and forest-steppes on fertile black earth soils. This is an area with the most favorable climatic conditions for agriculture. Here is the main agricultural zone of the country, the richest deposits of iron ore of the KMA, oil and gas of the Volga and Urals regions.

The European part of Russia accounts for 1/3 of the country's territory, about 80% of the population, 85% of industrial and agricultural production, and about 90% of the country's non-productive sector. The European part of Russia forms the Western macroregion. The Western macroregion includes six natural and economic regions: the European North, North-West, Central Russia, Volga region, European South, and the Urals. The Western economic zone is distinguished by the rapid development of manufacturing industries. In the Volga region, the Urals and the Northern region, extractive industries are added to them. The North Caucasus acts as a large processor of agricultural products. The northern region is very similar to the eastern regions, where the raw material component predominates.

2. Overall, evaluate the natural conditions and natural resources of the European part of Russia. How much do they contribute to the economic development of territories? Which regions stand out as the most favorable in terms of natural conditions and wealth of natural resources?

The natural conditions of the European part of Russia are the most favorable and contribute to the economic development of the territories. Among the regions rich in mineral raw materials, the Northern, Ural and Central Black Earth regions stand out. Agroclimatic resources are most favorable in the southern regions of the European part of the country.

3. Make brief characteristics - images of different regions of European Russia. To do this, fill out the pivot table.

Many residents of one or another locality in Russia do not even know the surrounding attractions, not to mention those for which the neighboring city or another region is famous. Foreigners often have only a vague idea of ​​the country. Fortunately, the level of service is constantly growing, which is gradually stimulating the development of tourism.

Geographical location

The territory of the European part of Russia is limited from the east by the Ural Mountains, the southern border passes through the North Caucasus. Its size is about 4,000,000 square kilometers, that is, it is almost half of all of Europe, but only 23% of the entire great country. This is the most developed and densely populated part of the state. It is here that bustling megacities, ultra-modern buildings are located, and very close by - original and beautiful nature. The population of the European part of Russia is about 80 million people - this is half of all residents of the country.

One and indivisible

The European and Asian parts of Russia form one large whole, although the second geographically belongs to Asia. Its area is about 13,000,000 sq km, although relatively few people live on it. This is due to the small number of large cities and unfavorable climatic conditions. The entire vast territory is inhabited by about 70 million people.

The Asian part is divided into 4 regions: the Urals, Eastern and Western Siberia and the Far East. This is the expanse from the Pacific Ocean to the Ural Mountains, home to endless forests and beautiful rivers. Despite the abundance of natural resources concentrated in the eastern part of Russia, construction here is much more expensive, due to the harsh climate, permafrost, mountainous terrain, forests and swamps. That is why vast territories remain virtually untouched.

A paradise for nature and hiking lovers

The largest cities in the Asian part of Russia are Tyumen. The incredible beauty of the surrounding area attracts tourists from all over the world. The famous sanatorium "Belokurikha", the magnificent Belukha mountain range and the protected area of ​​the Altai Mountains provide the opportunity to implement dozens of tourist routes of varying complexity.

Kamchatka gives you the opportunity to get acquainted with active volcanoes and geysers. Thermal springs and healing mud offer great opportunities for improving health. The flora and fauna are unique. Luxurious fishing will give you an unforgettable experience.

The already mentioned Altai Mountains and Lake Baikal attract many tourists every year.

Administrative division

The following economic regions of the European part of Russia are distinguished:

• Central.
• Northwestern.
• Southern.
• North Caucasian.
• Privolzhsky.

The European part of Russia is a landscaped city that is hardly distinguishable from the megacities of Europe - the sparkle of night lights, luxurious hotels and restaurants, excellent shopping... Each region is ready to offer its own program for tourists, so we will consider their attractions separately. The population of the European part of Russia consists of representatives of 39 nationalities. Among them, the leaders are Russians, Tatars, and Ukrainians.

We have already talked about Asian territory, so it will not be considered here. The European part of Russia stretches from the western borders of the country to the Urals. The cities are located compactly, close to Europe, with access to the Atlantic Sea.

Most natural and hydropower resources are concentrated in the eastern part of the country, with only iron mining leading here. The main emphasis in the western part is on manufacturing and agriculture. The banking sector is much more developed.

Central region of western Russia

Beautiful Moscow, the ancient Kremlin, architectural monuments and museums. Every tourist strives to visit the Golden-domed one, but besides it, there are other parts of Russia that are no less interesting. Any travel agency will offer you a tour of the Golden Ring, visiting Suzdal, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo and other cities. Ancient temples and unique works of ancient architects will give you a lot of impressions.

The second destination for travel can be the places where great people lived. The most famous of them, of course, is Yasnaya Polyana, although the estates of the Pushkins, Sheremetyevs, Shcherbatovs, and Bolshoye Boldino are undeservedly forgotten.

The Smolensk lake region, the forest Trans-Volga region - ten years is not enough to visit every amazing corner. The developed infrastructure and the absence of problems with transport and hotels make it possible to successfully receive even foreign tourists.

This area includes such regions of the European part of Russia as Moscow, Belgorod, Yaroslavl, Bryansk, Tula, Vladimir, Tver, Voronezh, Tambov, Ivanovo, Smolensk, Kaluga, Ryazan, Kostroma, Oryol, Kursk and Lipetsk. A budget holiday on the banks of majestic forests and beautiful rivers will be beneficial and will fill you with health and good mood.

North-Western region

This is a large and underdeveloped part of the country. This includes the Arkhangelsk, Pskov, Vologda, Novgorod, Murmansk, Leningrad regions, Komi, Karelia and the creation of Peter, sung by A.S. Pushkin, - St. Petersburg. What is interesting for tourists here? The north of the European part of Russia is a fabulous virgin taiga. In summer, a fresh breeze rustles in the treetops and birds sing. If your vacation falls in hot July, there is no better place: the lakes are already warming up for comfortable swimming, and on the shore the sun does not burn your skin. In autumn the taiga delights with colors, crimson and gold are everywhere. The leaves are falling, nature is calming down in anticipation of winter...

Karelia provides a lot of scope for water adventures. Local lakes are connected by rapids and rapids, so rafting enthusiasts will love it here. famous among ski beginners, but it is better to conduct classes before the onset of severe winter frosts.

In the North there are many architectural monuments, ancient monasteries (Solovetsky, Valaam), the Kizhi Church in Lake Onega and much more.

South Region

River, forest and sun... A dream can come true here. This district includes the Krasnodar Territory, Adygea, Astrakhan and Volgograd regions. The presence of large and very beautiful rivers, such as the Volga and Don, opens up endless possibilities for spending a vacation. In this case, you don’t even have to plan a trip to the Black Sea, Sochi or Anapa.

If we talk about visiting tourists, they most often prefer comfortable hotels on the Black Sea coast with visits to the local arboretum and other interesting places to a wild holiday in tents. But for the local population with an average income, a holiday in a tent camp on the Volga, a ferry trip to the city-museum of Myshkin and any other budget option may be suitable.

North Caucasus District

This district includes the Stavropol Territory, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, and Dagestan. Today these places are world famous as the only subtropical climate zone in the country, which gives us the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. Thousands of tourists relax and improve their health here every year. It is impossible not to mention the local mineral waters. Kislovodsk is a former all-Union health resort, which is still very popular today.

Climbers have long chosen these places, as Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, is located here. Routes of varying degrees of difficulty allow you to master the basics of a difficult sport.

The life and customs of the Caucasian peoples attract tourists to these beautiful lands. Cultural and ethnographic attractions and museums are frequently visited sites. Local cuisine is a separate matter; no tourist will go home without trying the aromatic lamb kebab.

Privolzhsky district

These are territories located near the Urals. Republic of Chuvash, Udmurt, Tatarstan, Mordovia, Mari El. In addition to them, the Kirov, Nizhny Novgorod, Penza, Samara and Saratov regions are also part of the district. Many people live here; in terms of tourism, the area is very promising. Stunning mountainous areas, inexhaustible water resources, excellent fishing and simply relaxation in the lap of nature - such prospects attract tourists and provide opportunities for numerous tourism organizations.

The proximity of the Ural Mountains allows for mountaineering, as well as leading sports and adventure tourism groups. The area allows everyone to find something to do, including climbers of the highest category (they will be especially interested in the Subpolar Urals).

The unique forests of Komi have the status of a world natural heritage. So far, tourist routes here are undeveloped, although they have great prospects.

Bashkortostan is a place of amazing beauty. It’s hard to even imagine that forty percent of the area of ​​the entire republic is occupied by forests, and besides them, more than 10,000 rivers flow here, there are about 2,500 lakes, ponds and reservoirs. Three reserves, two natural parks, more than a hundred and many reserves for the protection of medicinal plants - all this makes it impossible to get acquainted with even one republic during your vacation. The European part of Russia is truly vast.

Let's sum it up

We have only briefly touched upon the description of the riches that these vast territories conceal. The European part of Russia includes five districts, each of which includes from six to eighteen regions. The region may contain several dozen cities, large and small.

Tourists can find everything they want here. Big cities and ancient archaeological sites, untouched forests of Siberia and the highest mountains... Russia has always been famous for its water resources, Mother Nature’s reserves are truly inexhaustible! Rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, small and fragile, powerful and majestic, fast mountain streams for extreme sports enthusiasts or the Volga slowly carrying its waves - nowhere in the world is it possible to find such diversity. Not only the cities themselves, but also the surrounding areas are radically different from each other.