Which countries belong to southern Europe list. General characteristics of the countries of southern Europe. Population and economic activity

Table 4 - Nordic countries

Northern Europe has favorable economic geographical position, which is determined by the following features : demarcation of the countries of the region into Western and Eastern Europe; access to the seas of the Atlantic Ocean: the Baltic, North, Norwegian and two seas of the Arctic Ocean - Greenland and Barents; location at the intersection of important maritime and aviation routes from Europe to North America; the land neighborhood with Russia, which provides the prospect of close contacts and a huge sales market, as well as the maritime neighborhood with the Baltic countries influence their political and economic situation; neighborhood on the southern borders with highly developed EU countries (three countries in the region - Denmark, Sweden and Finland - are members of the EU).

IN historical development, geographical location, language and culture of the peoples of the Northern European countries have many similar features. All countries are members UN: Denmark, Iceland, Norway - NATO members; Sweden since 1814 foreign policy adheres to the principle of non-participation (neutrality) in military-political blocs and military conflicts.

Natural conditions and resources. The most characteristic peculiarity of the geographical location of the Nordic countries is their location near the sea, which significantly influenced both the nature and economy of the region. Most of Finno-Scandinavia (the area that covers the Scandinavian Peninsula and Finland) is located within the Baltic Shield, so fuel minerals there is no. Reserves oil on the North Sea shelf (Norwegian sector) - 1.2 billion tons, natural gas - 1995 billion m3. Finland has significant peat reserves (25 million tons). Sweden is one of the world's richest uranium raw materials countries in Europe. The crystalline rocks of the Baltic Shield are rich in iron ore with iron content from 25 to 40% (Sweden), copper and lead (Finland).

Mountain rivers are the source hydropower resources . The countries of the region are sufficiently wealthy fresh water. The enormous wealth that is called here “green gold” is forest. Natural and recreational resources very unique, especially in Iceland - a country of geysers and active volcanoes, located near the Arctic Circle. Features of the natural resource potential of the Nordic countries led to the development of industries of international specialization in them, in particular those related to the use of marine (shipbuilding, fish processing), forest (wood processing, pulp and paper industry), and mineral resources (fuel and energy, metallurgical industries).

Population.

By features of population reproduction countries in the region belong to type 1. Growth rate population are positive, but minimal: from 0.2% (in Denmark) and 0.3% (in Finland) to 1.1% (in Iceland). The region has one of the highest in the world life expectancy : in Sweden - 73 years (men) and 79 years (women), in Iceland - 76 years (men) and 81 years (women). The share of children in the total population is constantly decreasing (19%), while that of older people is increasing (16%). In terms of numbers, women predominate over men (51 and 49%, respectively). The peoples of Northern Europe mostly belong to the northern group of the great Caucasian . In the north of Scandinavia, in Lapland, live the Sami, who are classified as transitional laponoid race, which absorbed elements of Caucasoid and Mongoloid race

Ethnic composition largely homogeneous.Residents of the region belong to two large language families - Indo-European and Ural. By religious grounds all countries belong to the Protestant branch of Christianity, which is dominated by Lutheranism. Traditionally, religion significantly influences socio-political life, since the countries of Northern Europe belong to the clerical world, and only citizens of the Protestant religion have the right to hold government positions in them.

Population distribution extremely unevenly, which is primarily due to the natural conditions of the region. The average population density is the lowest in Europe - from 10 to 5 people/km 2 . Northern Europe - urbanized region , the proportion of the urban population ranges from 63% in Finland to 92% in Iceland. Labor resources make up over 13 million people. The labor resources of the Nordic countries are traditionally characterized by a high level of education and professional training. Accordingly, the cost of labor is quite high.

Features of economic development and general characteristics of the economy.

The Nordic countries are one of the most economically developed in the world. They formed a special model of social economic development (“welfare society”, so-called “Scandinavian socialism”), defined by the following features : high standard of living, absence of sharp contrasts between rich and poor; significant level of taxes (55% of profits); the average housing area is 400 m2, Sweden ranks 1st in the world in terms of housing supply per capita (445 apartments for every 1000 people); per 1000 inhabitants there are 504 cars (2 cars per family), up to 500 televisions and 681 telephones; high social security: officially duration working week- 40 hours, in practice on average - 37 hours, paid vacation - 5 weeks, expenses for children under 16 years of age are paid, loans are provided for apartments.

Highly developed healthcare system: There are an average of 25 doctors per 10 thousand population. Low unemployment rate, which averages 5.3% in the region. The Nordic countries account for about 1% of the population and 3% of the GDP and industrial output of developed countries, but in terms of GDP per capita they belong to the 15 most developed countries in the world. All countries in the region have positive production growth (from 4.8% per year in Finland to 0.7% in Norway) and insignificant average annual inflation. The Scandinavian countries have a very high standard of living.

Having a relatively small population, Nordic countries are different high level industrial development and intensive agriculture. The sectoral structure of their national economies fully meets modern structure the economies of other highly developed countries (the share of agriculture and the mining industry in the structure of GNP ranges from 2 to 4%, only in Iceland it reaches 15% due to the intensive development of fishing and sheep farming); manufacturing and construction on average in the region account for 28% of GNP; service sector - 67%, since in the structure of GNP northern European countries there has been a shift similar to structural changes in general in the world economy: the share of the service sector in GNP has increased, the share of agriculture has decreased, and the importance of the latest knowledge-intensive industries has increased. The share of R&D costs in the structure of GDP is constantly increasing and amounts to 3.3% in Sweden, 2.4% in Finland, 1.8% in Denmark and Norway, and 1.4% in Iceland. Sweden in last years became the world leader in the share of R&D expenditures in GDP, ahead of the United States (2.5%) and Japan (2.7%), while Finland took fifth place.

IN MGRT countries of the region represented by individual sectors of the fuel and energy complex (oil and hydropower), non-ferrous metallurgy; aluminum, copper, mechanical engineering (production of ships, cars, electrical products and communications equipment), a highly developed forestry complex (production of lumber, pulp, paper), food industry (fish processing, meat processing, dairy and butter and cheese).

IN agriculture Intensive livestock farming predominates (dairy and beef cattle breeding and pig breeding). In areas located above the Arctic Circle, reindeer are bred, and in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, sheep are bred. Agriculture (mainly in the southern regions of the region) is represented by fodder crops; potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, barley and rye are grown. For a long time great importance In the life of the countries there are fishing and maritime commercial shipping.

Industry.

In the countries of the region it predominates manufacturing industry with significant share of electricity, mineral extraction and forest development (except Denmark and Iceland). In the global division of labor, the main sectors of specialization are energy, metallurgy, timber processing, and mechanical engineering.

Agriculture- one of the most productive sectors of the economy of the countries of the region. Agricultural productivity high in all countries. According to statistics, one Danish farmer can feed 150 people (American and English - 60, German and French - up to 40 people). In the region's agriculture there is clearly livestock a direction that accounts for 70-80% of agricultural products. Crop production is of secondary importance.

Transport.

The countries of the region and their regions are connected to each other (except Iceland) by all modes of transport, which form a complex transport network. Sea transport - main in the region. Railway transport It ranks 2nd in freight turnover and plays a major role in long-distance domestic transport in Sweden and Finland.

Lake transport developed in Sweden and Finland, where lakes are connected by canals and have access to the sea. Motor transport creates significant competition railway transport. Air Transport developed, SAS, an association of airlines from Scandinavian countries, plays an important role in international air transportation. Directly from North Sea offshore platforms underwater pipelines oil is transported to the UK and natural gas to Germany.

The countries of the region are quite active subjects foreign economic relations. They produce 2 % industrial products of developed countries and account for 5% of their exports. The main trading partners are the countries of the European Union and the USA. The foreign economic interests of the countries of the region also reach Ukraine: significant volumes of its exports go to Finland and Sweden. Norway and Denmark, and the largest amount of imports to Ukraine comes from Finland, Denmark, and Sweden. The Nordic countries have significant resources for development tourism and recreational activities .

Southern Europe includes 8 countries and one dependent territory - Gibraltar (possession of Great Britain) (table). Feature region is the location of the smallest state-city of the Vatican, whose territory is 44 hectares, and the oldest republic in the world - San Marino

Table 5 - Southern European countries

Important peculiarity of the economic and geographical position of the countries of Southern Europe , located on the peninsulas and islands of the Mediterranean Sea, is that they are all located 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 times of the great geographical discoveries 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 Arab countries North Africa, which have multilateral ties with Europe. The former metropolises of Portugal, Italy and Spain still retain influence over some African countries. All countries (except the Vatican) are members of the UN, the 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 peninsulas of the Mediterranean Sea- Iberian, Apennine and Balkan. Only Italy is part of mainland Europe. The Mediterranean Sea largely determined the similarity of the natural conditions of the region. There is an acute shortage of fuel in the region. useful fossils. There is almost no oil, very little natural gas and coal. However, the rich are deposits of various metals, especially colored ones: 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, clay.

In southern European countries it is underdeveloped river network. Large massifs forests preserved only in the Pyrenees and the Alps. The 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 recreational activities in its countries.

Population.

Traditionally, Southern Europe has a high birth rate, but natural increase population 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. Caucasian race. During the era of the Roman Empire, most of them were Romanized, and now people belonging to the Romanesque group predominate here Indo-European language family (Portuguese, Spaniards, Galicians, Catalans, Italians, Sardinians, Romansh). Exception are: Greeks(Greek group of the Indo-European family); Albanians(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).

Consider that Maltese is a dialectal form of Arabic; Turks(Turkic group of the Altaic language family) - there are many of them in Greece; Basque(at the rank of a separate family) - live in historical region Basque Country in northern Spain. Population composition in the countries of the region is predominantly homogeneous. High indicators of mononationality characteristic of Portugal (99.5% Portuguese), Italy and Greece (98% Italians and Greeks, respectively), and only Spain has a significant weight (almost 30%) of national minorities: Catalans (18%), Galicians (8%), Basques (2.5%), etc. The majority of the population is Christians . Christianity is represented by two branches: Catholicism(west and center of the region); Orthodoxy(east of the region, Greece). In Southern Europe there is the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church - the Vatican, which exists in the 4th century. Some Turks, Albanians, Greeks - Muslims.

Population posted unevenly. Highest density- in fertile valleys and coastal lowlands, the smallest in the mountains (Alps, Pyrenees), in some areas up to 1 person / km 2. Level urbanization in the region is much lower than in other parts of Europe: in Spain and Malta alone, up to 90% of the population lives in cities, and, for example, in Greece and Italy - more than 60%, in Portugal - 36%. Labor resources are 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 South-Eastern Europe 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 of the economy.

The countries of the region still lag economically behind the highly developed countries 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. Italy is 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, the country still has significant contrasts in the development of many industries and production, in the social sphere, and in the socio-economic conditions of the North and South.

Italy lags behind many highly developed countries in terms of scientific and technological development. While ahead of some Western European countries in terms of net profits from tourism, it is inferior to them in the scale and intensity of international trade and financial transactions. Spain. This 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 railways, coal industry, a significant part of shipbuilding and ferrous metallurgy.

In the second half of the 80s. XX century. Portugal experienced significant economic growth. 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, GNP was equal to $159 billion. Greece has 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 fairly high inflation rates for EU countries (3.4% per year). Government measures to reduce it (cutting government subsidies, freezing wages, etc.) predetermine social instability.

IN MGRT countries of the region are represented individual branches of mechanical engineering (production of cars, household appliances, technological equipment for the light and food industries), furniture industry, production of construction products and equipment, light industry branches (fruit and vegetable canning, oilseeds - production of olive oil, winemaking, pasta, etc.) . Agriculture is dominated by agricultural sectors - growing a variety of subtropical crops: citrus fruits, wood oils, grapes, vegetables, fruits, essential oil plants, etc.

Due to the insufficient feed supply, livestock farming is dominated by sheep breeding and, to a small extent, beef cattle breeding. The countries of the region are actively developing merchant shipping and ship repair. They are the undisputed leaders in the development of international tourism. Warm sea, Mediterranean climate, rich subtropical vegetation, numerous monuments ancient culture and architecture are the main factors thanks to which Southern Europe is a favorite place of recreation and entertainment for many holidaymakers in the world, the largest tourist center.

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

The countries of Eastern (Central) Europe began to be distinguished as a socio-political and economic integrity in the 90s of the twentieth century. This is due to the collapse 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:

Demarcation in the west with highly developed countries, and in the east and southeast - with Russia and the countries of South-Eastern Europe - potential markets for Eastern Europe;

Passage of trans-European transport routes of meridional and latitudinal directions through the region.

Over the past 10 years in EGP(economic-geographical position) of the region the following took place 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 “unstable” neighbors in relation to the military-political state - the Balkan countries, Yugoslavia.

Southern Europe includes 8 countries and one dependent territory - Gibraltar (possession of Great Britain) (table). Feature region is the location of the smallest state-city of the Vatican, whose territory is 44 hectares, and the oldest republic in the world - San Marino

Table 5 – Southern European countries

Important peculiarity of the economic and geographical position of the countries of Southern Europe, located 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 of Portugal, Italy and Spain still retain influence over some African countries. All countries (except the Vatican) are members of the UN, the 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 peninsulas of the Mediterranean Sea - the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan. Only Italy is part of mainland Europe. The Mediterranean Sea largely determined the similarity of the natural conditions of the region. There is an acute shortage of fuel in the region. useful fossils. There is almost no oil, very little natural gas and coal. However, the rich are deposits of various metals, especially colored ones: 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, clay. In southern European countries it is underdeveloped river network. Large massifs forests preserved only in the Pyrenees and the Alps. The 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 recreational 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 Caucasian race. During the era of the Roman Empire, most of them were Romanized, and now people belonging to the Romanesque group predominate here Indo-European language family(Portuguese, Spaniards, Galicians, Catalans, Italians, Sardinians, Romansh). Exception are: Greeks(Greek group of the Indo-European family); Albanians(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). The Maltese language is considered to be a dialectal form of Arabic; Turks(Turkic group of the Altaic language family) - there are many of them in Greece; Basque(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 is predominantly homogeneous. High indicators of mononationality characteristic of Portugal (99.5% Portuguese), Italy and Greece (98% Italians and Greeks each, respectively), and only in Spain there is a significant weight (almost 30%) of national minorities: Catalans (18%), Galicians (8%) , Basques (2.5%), etc. The majority of the population is Christians. Christianity is represented by two branches: Catholicism(west and center of the region); Orthodoxy(east of the region, Greece). In Southern Europe there is the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church - the Vatican, which exists in the 4th century. Some Turks, Albanians, Greeks - Muslims.

Population posted unevenly. Highest density- in fertile valleys and coastal lowlands, the smallest - in the mountains (Alps, Pyrenees), in some areas up to 1 person / km 2. Urbanization level in the region is much lower than in other parts of Europe: in Spain and Malta alone, up to 90% of the population lives in cities, and, for example, in Greece and Italy - more than 60%, in Portugal - 36%. Labor resources are 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 South-Eastern Europe 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 of the economy. The countries of the region still lag economically behind the highly developed countries 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. Italy is 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, the country still has significant contrasts in the development of many industries and production, in the social sphere, and in the socio-economic conditions of the North and South. Italy lags behind many highly developed countries in terms of scientific and technological development. While ahead of some Western European countries in terms of net profits from tourism, it is inferior to them in the scale and intensity of international trade and financial transactions. Spain. This 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 was experiencing significant economic growth. 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, GNP was equal to $159 billion. Greece has 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 fairly high inflation rates for 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 the light and food industries), furniture industry, production of construction products and equipment, light industry branches (fruit and vegetable canning, oilseeds - production of olive oil, winemaking, pasta, etc.). P.). Agriculture is dominated by agricultural sectors - the cultivation of various subtropical crops: citrus fruits, wood oils, grapes, vegetables, fruits, essential oil plants, etc. Due to the insufficient feed supply, livestock farming is dominated by sheep breeding and, to a small extent, beef cattle breeding. The countries of the region are actively developing merchant shipping and ship repair. They are the undisputed leaders in the development of international tourism. The 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 of recreation and entertainment for many recreationists in the world, the largest tourist center.

5. general characteristics countries of Eastern (Central) Europe

The countries of Eastern (Central) Europe began to be distinguished as a socio-political and economic integrity in the 90s of the twentieth century. This is due to the collapse of the former USSR and the socialist system and 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 : delineation in the west with highly developed countries, and in the east and southeast - with Russia and the countries of South-Eastern Europe - potential markets for Eastern Europe; the passage of trans-European transport routes of meridional and latitudinal directions through the region. Over the past 10 years in EGP (economic-geographical position) of the region the following took place changes : collapse of the USSR, 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 “unstable” neighbors in relation to the military-political state - the Balkan countries, Yugoslavia.

Table 6 – Eastern European countries

Political and socio-economic changes 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 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 are in the CIS, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary are in NATO. Natural conditions and resources. The length of the coastline (excluding Russia) is 4682 km. Belarus, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic do not have access to the World Ocean. Climate in the predominant part of the territory it is moderate continental. Natural resources. The region has significant mineral resources , in terms of their richness and diversity, it ranks one of the first places in Europe. He fully satisfies his needs in coal , brown coal . On oil and gas The mineral resources of Russia are rich, there are small 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. Countries are forced to import a significant portion of fuel and energy resources, especially oil and gas. Ore minerals are represented: iron ores , manganese , copper ores , bauxite , mercury nickel . Among nonmetallic mineral reserves available rock salt , potassium salt , sulfur , amber , phosphorites, apatites . The average forest cover of the region is 33%. To the main recreational resources belong to the sea coast, mountain air, rivers, forests, mineral springs, karst caves. The region is home to famous seaside resorts.

Population size. The territory of Eastern Europe excluding Russia is home to 132.1 million people, 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 the Second World War, increasing urbanization and the associated industrial development of states. As in most other European countries, natural population growth has decreased significantly in recent decades, primarily due to a sharp decline in the birth rate, and in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Slovakia it has become negative. The population is also decreasing - the birth rate is lower than the death rate, which has led to the process of aging of the population. The gender composition of the population is dominated by women (53%). Among the inhabitants of the region, representatives of the transitional (Central European) group predominate Caucasian race . Countries have mostly heterogeneous ethnic composition . The population belongs predominantly to a bilingual family: Indo-European And Ural . Dominates the region Christianity , represented in all directions: Catholicism professed in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, by a significant number of Hungarians and Latvians; Orthodoxy - in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus; Protestantism (Lutheranism ) - in Estonia, the majority are Latvians and some Hungarians; To Uniate (Greek Catholic ) the church is inhabited 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%). Industry employs 40-50 % working population, in agriculture - 20-50%, in the non-production sector - 15-20%. Since the mid-90s. XX century In the countries of Eastern Europe, economic emigration of the population in search of work and permanent income has increased significantly. Significant and intraregional migration from the eastern regions (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus) to the economically developed western countries of the same region - Poland, the Czech Republic. Based on GDP indicators 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 from 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 ICCPR countries are represented by regions fuel and energy complex (coal, oil, gas), metallurgy, chemical industry (mainly branches of basic chemistry and coal chemistry), individual industries mechanical engineering , timber industry complex, easy (textile, knitwear, footwear, etc.) and food (meat and fish processing, sugar, oil and flour milling, etc.) industries. The agricultural specialization of countries is determined by the cultivation cereals (wheat, rye, barley, corn), technical (sugar beet, sunflower, flax, hops) and fodder crops , potatoes, vegetables and so on.. Livestock It is represented mainly by dairy and beef cattle breeding, pig farming, and poultry farming. Fishing has long been traditional in the countries along 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. Eastern Europe has all types of transport. An important task for the countries of the region is to bring the transport system up to EU standards. Foreign economic relations countries of Eastern Europe are still in their infancy and do not have a clearly defined orientation. Foreign trade mostly serves the needs of this region, since the products of many countries are still uncompetitive on the world market. IN export , which amounts to 227 billion dollars, is dominated by products of mechanical engineering, chemical and light industry, and some products of non-ferrous metallurgy. Foreign economic relations Ukraine with the countries of the region: significant volumes of exports of Ukrainian goods go to Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and the largest amount of imports to Ukraine - from Russia, Poland, Belarus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania. Eastern Europe is rich in resources for development recreational industry and tourism.

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

South-Eastern Europe covers 9 countries of the former socialist camp, located in the south-eastern part of Europe, not included in the region of Eastern (Central) Europe (Table 6)

Table 6 – Countries of South-Eastern Europe

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

Natural conditions. The countries of the region are rich in diverse landscapes. Climate in most of the territory it is temperate continental, only in the south and southwest it is subtropical Mediterranean. To obtain stable harvests, large areas are irrigated here. Natural resources. Hydropower resources regions are among the most powerful in Europe. Mineral resources are varied, but the supply of them to the countries of the region is not the same. Largest reserves coal - in Transylvania (Romania), minor - west of Sofia in Bulgaria. Brown coal lies in Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Bulgaria, Albania, Slovenia. The only country in the region that is entirely self-sufficient oil and gas , - Romania. All others depend on their imports. H chernozems occupy large areas of Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova. Forests , 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 determined 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 caused by socio-economic factors. There are more women than men in the region (51 and 49%). Most countries in the region are dominated by representatives of the southern group e European race. In the northern regions, the majority of the population belongs to Central European racial types . South-Eastern Europe - nationally and religiously heterogeneous region, which predetermines numerous conflicts. Constant military conflicts gave rise to significant population migrations. In the countries of the region, a large percentage national minorities , and in some of them there was territorial mixing of ethnic groups (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro). Residents of the region belong to Indo-European language family, Altaic and Uralic families . Religious composition 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, Kosovo Albanians, Bosnians, Turks). In Albania the entire population is Muslim. Hosted Population evenly. Increasingly influences population distribution urbanization , associated primarily with the movement of rural residents to cities. Labor resources make up over 35 million people. Employment in agriculture is very high - 24%, and in Albania - 55%, the highest figure for Europe, 38% of the population is employed in industry, construction and transport, 38% in the service sector. One of important issues region is to overcome 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. By The level of socio-economic development of the countries in the region belongs to the moderately developed ones. Only Albania meets the criteria of a developing country. The structure of the economy is dominated by industrial-agrarian countries. 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, perfumes and cosmetics), transport, agricultural engineering, machine tool manufacturing, furniture, light (production of clothing, shoes, leather goods) and food (sugar, oil, fruit and vegetable canning) , tobacco, wine) industry. IN agriculture agriculture traditionally predominates with the cultivation of cereals (wheat, barley, corn) and industrial crops (sugar beet, sunflower, tobacco, essential oil plants). They have significant development vegetable growing, horticulture, viticulture . In the countries of the Black Sea and Adriatic coasts, 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: petroleum products, agricultural products, etc. Import ($45.0 billion) fuel, industrial goods, equipment, etc. The main ones trading partners are EU countries, CIS countries, Austria, Germany, Italy, Turkey, etc. Ukraine exports many goods to Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria, imports mainly from Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Slovenia.

Southern Europe is a geographical region, which, as a rule, includes countries located on the coast, regardless of their culture and history. Thus, in addition to those powers that are included in social concept Europe, the western part of Turkey is often equated to this region, although this issue is still controversial.

Countries in this region

The states that are located in this region are well known to everyone, so now we will briefly list them, and also name their capitals:

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

In addition to Turkey, there is another “disputed” country that some geographers include in this area - France. However, the majority does not accept this version, based on the fact that the climate in this state is too cold.

Geographical position

The southern part of Europe is conveniently located on peninsulas, whose shores open into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. For example, Spain and Portugal, as well as Andorra, are in Italy, San Marino and the Vatican are in Apennine, and Greece is in the Balkan. Powers such as Cyprus and Malta completely occupy separate islands located in the Mediterranean basin. It is precisely due to the fact that all these countries are facing the waters of this warm sea that the climate here has developed very mild and warm. This is what they call it - Mediterranean, and depending on the latitude, the name changes from subtropical to tropical. Southern Europe is a very mountainous area. In its western part, Spain was separated from France by the Pyrenees, in the central Alps they clearly border Italy, and in the east the Southern Carpathians approach the region.

Territory and population

The historical region of Southern Europe contains a variety of nature, terrain, cultures and people, as well as many mysteries and secrets. Its area is 1033 thousand square meters. km., and the total population is over 120 million people. However, it is impossible to say anything general about the culture of the entire region. Differences can even be seen in the fact that some countries are too urbanized, while the inhabitants of others prefer to live in villages. For example, in Spain the percentage of urbanization is 91%, in Italy - 72%, and in Portugal - only 48%. What is noteworthy is that almost all of Southern Europe is inhabited by the indigenous inhabitants of this area - Mediterranean Caucasians live here. Many countries have a minimal percentage of natural population growth. Therefore, this race is considered one of the aging on earth.

Local climate and tourism

Everyone knows that the southern cities of Europe are a real magnet for any traveler. Some people come here for sightseeing, but most people come to Mediterranean resorts to enjoy the local warmth and sun. The most important thing is that in the summer months it is not stuffy or sultry, but simply very warm. The air temperature rises to 28-30 degrees, and the coolness that comes from the sea fills the air with moisture, which makes it much easier to bear the heat. Such famous resort cities as Genoa, Malaga, Barcelona, ​​Lisbon, Cadiz, Athens, Naples and many others annually attract millions of tourists from different parts of the world.

Nature and economics

Southern Europe is a rich region. A lot of minerals are concentrated in its depths - mercury, copper, aluminum, uranium, gas, sulfur, mica and much more. Therefore, it is well developed here. In regions remote from cities there are numerous farms, and therefore most of rural population Europe is engaged in livestock farming. Each of the above countries receives a significant share of income from tourism. This region is considered one of the most visited in the world, so there are hotels and restaurants to suit every taste and budget. But still, agriculture is considered the most important, and most importantly, the most ancient in Southern Europe. Nature has decreed that it is here that olives, grapes, citrus fruits, dates, legumes, and, of course, a wide variety of vegetables and fruits grow best.

Conclusion

The region of Southern Europe is not only an attractive and picturesque corner of the world, but also a historically important territory. A significant part of world culture originated here, which later spread to other areas of the planet. The great heritage of Greece and Rome, the barbarism of Gaul and other regions of the Iberian Peninsula - all this came together into one whole and became the basis for our today's traditions.

Southern Europe (area more than 1,696 thousand km2, 180 million people) is the second region in Europe in terms of territory (after Eastern Europe) and population.

Most countries of Southern Europe, with the exception of Spain, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Yugoslavia, belong to small European countries, occupying an area of ​​less than 100 thousand km2.

The territory of the region is quite clearly divided into three large subregions in the form of peninsulas - the Iberian, Apennine, and Balkan.

Southern Europe also includes the islands of the northern part of the Mediterranean Sea - Crete, Sicily, Sardinia, the Balearic Islands, etc.

Southern Europe is very elongated along the parallel - at a distance exceeding 4000 km, and compressed along the meridian, barely exceeding 1000 km.

In general, the economic and geographical position of Southern Europe is characterized by the following features: 1) the proximity of the region to North Africa. Such a 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 lacking in Southern Europe, 3) wide extent maritime boundaries 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 and influences the economic activities and beneficial economic ties of the Northern European countries with all continents of the world, 4.) The Mediterranean is 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.

So, the macroregion of Southern Europe is a special community, determined not only by the typical features of the Mediterranean climate, but also by the similarity of historical fate, culture, traditions and even the level of socio-economic development.

Economic and geographical assessment of natural conditions and resources. Southern Europe, although not territorially compact, is quite homogeneous in terms of morphostructural and climatic characteristics.

Southern Europe is the most mountainous among European macroregions, occupying more than three-quarters of its territory. The highest mountains are mainly located in the north of the region, on the borders with Western and Central Eastern Europe. Thus, the Pyrenees separate Spain from France, the high Alps are a natural border between Italy, France, Switzerland and Austria, and the Southern Carpathians are fenced off with northern slopes South Region from Central and Eastern Europe.

The inland regions of Southern Europe are occupied by medium-high mountain ranges - the Iberian Mountains, the Apennine mountain system, the Balkan Mountains and plateaus, as well as plains.

The mountain system of Southern Europe is located in the Alpine fold zone. The relative youth of these structures is evidenced by geological processes, which continue to this day. This is often reminded strong earthquakes, as well as volcanic activity.

Mountain ranges covered with Mesozoic limestones are often exposed, forming bizarre landforms in the form of steep peaks, jagged ridges, etc. Karst phenomena are common here. Where sedimentary rocks (flysch) protrude to the surface, soft forms of mountains are formed, mainly with rich vegetation.

One of the main natural resources Southern Europe has a mild climate, very favorable for human life. Here it is typically Mediterranean throughout much of the region - dry, hot summers, mild, rainy winters, early springs and long, warm autumns. The growing season in the region lasts 200-220 days. And in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and in Sicily - even longer. Here the temperature regime promotes plant growth throughout the year.

All this is a good prerequisite for growing two crops: in the winter season - low-heat-loving crops (cereals, vegetables), and in the summer - late varieties of rice, tea, figs, olives, citrus fruits.

The aridity of the climate is most pronounced in summer - in the internal subregions, in particular in Central and Eastern Spain, even in the temperate climate zone of the Middle and Lower Danube Lowlands, in the east of the macroregion.

In winter, maritime air masses of temperate latitudes predominate. They bring warm, heavy rains from the Atlantic.

In general, there is little precipitation. The level of surface moisture in the macroregion tends to decrease in the eastern and southern directions. This confirms the increase in continental climate.

The territory of Southern Europe is classified as a vulnerable area water resources. The greatest shortage is felt in Greece, Italy, and Spain. For the latter, this problem has become a priority. Despite this, some mountainous areas with deep, fast-moving rivers have significant water resources. These include the rivers of northern Spain - the Ebro with its tributaries, the Duero, the Tagus, as well as the Dinaric Highlands, the Balkans, etc.

The land resources of Southern Europe are concentrated mainly in river valleys or in intermountain basins. The exception is the Iberian Peninsula, a significant part of which is occupied by a vast plain, but it requires intensive irrigation.

The south-European macroregion is dominated by brown (Mediterranean) soils, rich in mineral reserves and characterized by a significant humus content. More humid northern areas, for example, Portugal and northern Italy, have brown soils, but are depleted in carbonates, so they should be fertilized to obtain high yields. The forest resources of Southern Europe are insignificant. Only a few areas are of industrial importance. Thus, the Iberian Peninsula is rich in cork oak forests, which allows Spain and Portugal to be the main exporters of cork products in the world. The forests on the Balkan Peninsula are well preserved, especially in the Dinaric Highlands and the Southern Carpathians. But in general, forest cover in the South is very low. In some countries it does not exceed 15-20%, in Greece - 16%. In addition, the forests of the south are often devastated by fires.

The recreational resources of Southern Europe are very valuable and promising for use. Natural conditions, as well as the diversity of vegetation, landforms, the presence of sea beaches, unique historical monuments create favorable conditions for development various types tourism and recreation.

Among the mineral resources, the greatest wealth of the South European countries is ferrous ores, non-ferrous metals and non-metallic materials. The main deposits of iron ore are located in Spain, which has its own iron ore base. The ores of Spain contain 48-51% metal, while the high-grade ores of Sweden and Ukraine contain 57-70% metal.

Significant reserves of aluminum raw materials include bauxite in Greece, copper reserves in Spain, mercury in Spain and Italy, and potassium salts in Spain.

The energy resources of southern European countries are represented by hard coal, brown coal (Spain, Italy), oil (Romania, Slovenia), uranium (Spain, Portugal), but not all of them are of industrial importance.

Southern Europe is famous throughout the world for its building materials, in particular marble, tuff, granite, clay, raw materials for the cement industry, etc.

Population. Southern Europe is home to approximately 180 million people, representing more than 27.0% of Europe's total population. It ranks second in Europe in terms of population. Among the southern European countries, three countries have the largest population: Italy (57.2 million people), Spain (39.6 million people) and Romania (22.4 million people), which are home to two thirds of the population, or 66.3% of the total number of people living in the region.

In terms of population density (106.0 individuals/km2), Southern Europe exceeds the European average by 74%, but is inferior among internal European regions to industrialized Western Europe, where the population density is 173 individuals/km2; in the countries of Central-Eastern Europe this figure is significantly lower - more than 94 individuals/km2. Among individual countries, the industrially developed and long-status countries of Italy (190 os/km2) and Albania (119.0 os/km2) stand out with the highest population density. Such countries of the Balkan Peninsula as Croatia (85.3 individuals/km2), Bosnia and Herzegovina (86.5 individuals/km2), Macedonia (80.2 individuals/km2) and Spain (77.5 individuals/km2) stand out with lower density. . So, the center of Southern Europe - the Apennine Peninsula - is the most densely populated, in particular the fertile Padanian Plain and most of the coastal lowlands. The least densely populated areas are the highlands of Spain, where there are less than 10 people per km2.

In the South European macroregion, the birth rate is almost the same as in the Western European macroregion - 11 children per 1000 inhabitants and is second only to Northern Europe, where this figure in 1999 was almost 12%. Among individual countries, Albania ranks first in this indicator, where the birth rate reaches 23 people per 1 thousand inhabitants per year, and the natural increase is 18 people. Macedonia is in second, where these indicators are 16 and 8, respectively, and Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina are in third and fourth. In the industrialized countries of the South, the birth rate is much lower. So, in Italy - 9% with a minus growth rate (-1), in Slovenia - 10 people with zero natural growth. Infant mortality is slightly higher in southern European countries compared to Western and Northern Europe, but four fewer deaths per 1,000 births compared to Eastern Europe. Among individual countries, it is most in the Adriatic-Black Sea subregion, in particular in Albania, Macedonia, Romania and the former Yugoslavia - respectively 33, 24, 23, 22 and 18 child deaths per 1000 births. Thus, mortality is highest in post-socialist countries with a low standard of living.

In recent years, the average life expectancy of the population in the region has increased to 70 years among men and 76 years among women. Men live longer in Greece (75 years) and in Italy, Andorra, Malta, respectively, 74 years, and women live longer in Italy, Spain and Andorra, respectively, 81 years. According to UN forecasts, over the next ten years, the average life expectancy of men and women in southern Europe is expected to rise to 73 and 79 years, respectively.

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

Southern Europe is fairly homogeneous racially. The population of the region belongs to the Mediterranean or southern branch of the Caucasian great race (white). Her characteristic features are short in stature, dark wavy hair and brown eyes. Almost the entire population of Southern Europe speaks languages ​​of the Indo-European language family. The population of Italy, Spain, Romania, and Portugal belongs to the Romance peoples, speaking languages ​​that are derived from ancient Latin. Their largest groups are Italians, Spaniards, Romanians. In the high alpine regions of Italy live Ladinos, Friuls, who speak Romansh, and in Spain - Catalans and Galicians. Portugal is settled by the Portuguese. They live on the Balkan Peninsula South Slavs. 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 Albanian language and culture have a strong South Slavic influence. Ethnic Greeks are the descendants of the ancient Hellenic Greeks, who were heavily influenced by the Slavs. The anthropological type of modern Greeks differs from ancient Greek, their speech has changed.

From non-Roman peoples to Iberian Peninsula live the Basques who inhabit a small region of Northern Spain. These are the descendants of the Iberians - ancient population, which preserved their language and cultural elements. The majority of the population of Romania are Romanians, who formed into a single nation from two close peoples - the Vlachs and the Moldovans.

There are different classifications for dividing countries into regions. There are geographical ones, there is a UN classifier, there are copyright ones. Therefore, there is only one doubt that Southern Europe is the one near the Mediterranean Sea, because this sea washes precisely the south of Europe. We will include in Southern Europe:

• Andorra, southern Spain and Portugal
• Monaco,
• states located on the Apennine Peninsula (Italy, Vatican City, San Marino),
• Greece,
• island states of Malta and Cyprus.

Sometimes Southern Europe also includes Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the southern regions of Ukraine and the European part of Turkey. But if memory serves, we have already entered them into .

Important peculiarity of the situation in the countries of Southern Europe, which are located on the peninsulas and islands of the Mediterranean Sea, is that they are on the main sea routes from Europe to Asia, Africa and Australia, and Spain and Portugal are also ports on the way to America. All these countries, their history and economy are closely connected with the sea.

Equally important is the fact that the region is located between the rest of Europe and the countries of North Africa. Although the countries’ connections are carried out across the sea, these connections are multilateral and centuries-old. There were times when people from Africa claimed dominance in this region, then vice versa - northern Africa became colonies of Portugal, Italy and Spain. And Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, led by Great Britain, i.e. still a colony (to put it bluntly).

The relief of the region is an alternation of lowlands, hilly ridges and individual mountain ranges up to 1000 m high.

Southern Europe. Climate

Southern Europe is a region with a predominant subtropical climate. The coast here is dry and hot, especially in summer. There is practically no vegetation on the coast, bare earth and rocks. The waters of the Mediterranean Sea will delight you with pleasant temperatures starting in May. The average temperature in summer is about +24 °C, in winter it is quite cool - about +8C. Precipitation is about 1000-1500 mm per year.

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Inland waters

Southern Europe has mountainous terrain and subtropical climate with dry summers they form unique conditions for the formation of a river network. Rivers, as a rule, have a large slope and a shallow bed. In many of them, especially on the Iberian Peninsula, in downstream there are thresholds. The amount of water in rivers fluctuates greatly throughout the year. In winter, during rains, the rivers are quite muddy due to suspended matter from the banks and the bottom of the riverbed. In summer, rivers become shallow, and some in southern Italy and Greece dry up completely in the summer.

Flora and fauna

Even the names themselves are unusual: strawberry trees, holm oaks, myrtles, olives, grapes, citrus fruits, magnolia, cypresses, chestnuts, junipers. Animal world roe deer, servals, horned goats, foxes, monitor lizards, wolves, badgers, raccoons. But the places where all this grows or runs around to look for it - as was written above, especially on the coast, the area is deserted of vegetation.

Population and economic activity

Traditionally, Southern Europe has a high birth rate, but natural population growth is low. Peoples: Spaniards, Italians, Portuguese, Greeks. Population density, from 10 or more people per km² (someone wrote that this is high density!?). The predominant religion is Catholicism.