Mr. Resnick’s 8 th Grade Geography Class The Geography of Western Europe

The Map of Western Europe

Countries of Western Europe Andorra Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Iceland Ireland Italy Liechtenstein Luxembourg Monaco Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom Vatican City

Important Capitals and Cities Amsterdam, Netherlands * Barcelona, Spain Berlin, Germany * Bern, Switzerland * Brussels, Belgium * Copenhagen, Denmark * Dublin, Ireland * Helsinki, Finland Lisbon, Portugal * London, England * Madrid, Spain * Munich, Germany Paris, France * Rome, Italy * Stockholm, Sweden * Zurich, Switzerland Venice, Italy Vienna, Austria * * Denotes Capital City

What makes a city important? Geographical Location On the coast of a body of water or along a trade route (ex. Venice) Cultural Significance Large population (ex. London), historical relevance (ex. Bern), cultural traditions (ex. Barcelona) VeniceLondon

EU - The European Union Almost all of the countries that make up Western Europe form an economic and political partnership called the EU Introduced a common currency, the euro Promotes human rights and fights climate change Countries that have not joined include Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland Reasons include strong financial independence (ex. Liechtenstein), rejection to integration (ex. Norway) and maintaining neutrality (ex. Switzerland) EU Flag Euro coinsEuropean Parliament

United Kingdom Consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Great Britain is made up of England, Scotland, and Wales In the 19th century, the British Empire ruled over one quarter of the world Today’s population equals about 62 million people The 2012 Olympic Games will be hosted by the U.K.’s capital, London

France Like the United States, France has a rich revolutionary history in which its people fought for democracy Today’s population equals about 65 million people French is the official language Socially, France is known for its culinary expertise, especially with wine

Spain Spain ruled over much of the world in the 16th and 17th centuries, before yielding power to England Today’s population equals about 46 million people Spanish is the official language Spain, alongside Portugal, make up the southwestern peninsula of the European continent

Germany Germany’s rich history is darkened with its leadership role in the Axis powers, the enemy of the USA, during World War II Today, Germany has the 2nd largest population in Europe with about 81 million people German is the official language One important social tradition celebrated in Germany is called Oktoberfest

Italy Although Italy is known for its incredibly rich cultural tradition, it’s history is marred too, as it was too a part of the Axis powers in World War II Today’s population equals about 61 million people Italian is the official language Geographical features include the Alpine Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea

Quiz - Question One Which of these cities is the capital of Spain? A. Lisbon B. Madrid C. London D. Vienna Next Question

Quiz - Question Two What are examples of cultural significance? A. Large populations B. Historical relevance C. Cultural traditions D. All the above Next Question

Quiz - Question Three Which nations were part of the Axis powers during World War II? A. England and France B. France and Germany C. Germany and Italy D. Italy and Spain Next Question

Quiz - Question Four Where will the 2012 Olympic Games be located? A. Athens B. Paris C. Berlin D. London Next Question

Quiz - Question Five What country has the second largest population of Europe? A. United Kingdom B. Germany C. France D. Spain Resources

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Resources CIA World Factbook factbook/index.html factbook/index.html Europa - Gateway to the European Union