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THE
GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
PREPARED AND ISSUED UNDER THE
AUSPICES OF THE DIVISION OF
GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
THE
GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
A PRESENTATION OF SOME ASPECTS
OF EUROPEAN GEOGRAPHY FOR THE
USE OF MEMBERS OF THE STUDENTS'
ARMY TRAINING CORPS
Edited by
ELLSWORTH HUNTINGTON
and
HERBERT E. GREGORY
PREPARED AND ISSUED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE
DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
'1
NEW HAVEN
YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS
MDCCCCXVIII
in
Copyright, 1918, by
YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS
CONTENTS
PAGE
Foreword 7
Essential books 9
Part I. Europe as a whole 11
Introduction 11
Main physical features 14
The position of Europe 14
The relief of Europe 15
The climate of Europe 16
The relation of Europe to the sea 17
The natural regions of Europe 19
The meaning of natural regions 19
Divisions on the basis of position 19
Divisions on the basis of relief 19
Divisions on the basis of climate 20
The description of the natural regions of Europe 21
The northwestern highland 21
The western lowland 23
The eastern plains 25
The southeastern basins 26
The central mountains 27
Switzerland as a problem 27
The southern peninsulas -29
Peoples and countries 31
The relation of physical features to distribution of races. . 31
The relation of physical features to political divisions 32
The effect of boundaries on international relations 34
Occupations and Industries 35
Agriculture in Europe 35
3
c- o fer o n a
4 CONTENTS
PAGE
Introduction 35
French agriculture as a type 36
Physical conditions of French agriculture 36
The French peasants 37
Agriculture outside of France 37
The food of nations (table) 38
Forestry in Europe 39
General relations 39
The forests of Sweden 40
Mineral resources of Europe 41
Resources of individual countries 41
Mineral production of Europe in 1913 (table) 45
European mineral localities 46
Manufacturing in Europe 47
European transportation 49
Part II. The countries of Europe 53
The British Isles 58
The insularity of Britain 52
England — the leader in the world's commerce 54
Manufacturing industries and trade 55
General statement 55
Imports and exports 56
Importance of cotton manufacturing 57
England's merchant marine 58
France 58
Effect of the double sea front 58
Expression of artistic temperament 60
Germany 62
Scientific agriculture 62
Relation of mineral deposits to industry and technical edu-
cation 64
Belgium 65
Effect of location on war and on commerce 65
The Netherlands 68
CONTENTS 5
PAGE
Commerce and colonies in relation to climate and position . . 68
Denmark 72
Norway and Sweden 73
The relation of diverse physical conditions of adjoining coun-
tries to industries and politics 73
Physical features 73
Climate 74
Minerals 75
Forestry 75
Fisheries 76
Commerce 76
Austria and Hungary 77
Diversity of relief in relation to diversity of people and
interests 77
Russia 80
The influence of isolation and monotony on habits and char-
acter 80
The resources of Russia in relation to other countries 84
Italy 87
Contrast between north and south Italy 87
Turkey 88
Constantinople and the Straits as a geographic and political
problem 88
The Balkans 90
Spain 92
The influence of the peninsular position of Spain 92
The influence of a high plateau 93
Reference books 96
FOREWORD
The Committee on Education and Special Training of the War De-
partment has included geography in the curriculum arranged for the
Students' Army Training Corps and has called attention to the fact
that the branch of the science which contributes most directly to present
needs is the Geography of Europe. On reviewing the field, the Com-
mittee found that provision for geographic instruction was lacking in
most educational institutions, and that courses in the Geography of
Europe had been organized in less than 10 per cent of the colleges
and universities enrolling Students' Army Training Corps. Available
text books, maps, and other apparatus for teaching also were found
to be deficient in quantity and unsatisfactory in quality. Under such
circumstances it is obvious that no large amount of satisfactory geo-
graphic instruction can be given during the present year nor in later
years until strong departments of geography are established at many
institutions. It is, however, highly desirable that information regard-
ing the physical geography of Europe and the industries and manner
of life of the people be presented in some form to prospective officers,
and as a means to this end this course in the Geography of Europe has
been prepared under the auspices of the National Research Council.
This book is largely the result of contributions from a group of men
in active Government service. In the brief time available, manuscript
has been furnished by the following:
Herbert Bassett, War Trade Board, professor of geography, Normal
School, Macomb, 111.;
N. A. Bengston, War Trade Board, professor of geography and con-
servation. University of Nebraska;
C. E. Bonnett, War Trade Board, professor of economics. University
of New Mexico;
A. P. Brigham, professor of geology and geography, Colgate
University ;
C. C. Colby, United States Shipping Board, assistant professor of
geography. University of Chicago;
S. W. Gushing, captain. United States. Army, professor of
geography, Salem Normal School;
7
Leon Dominian, American Geographical Society;
V. C. Finch, United States Shipping Board, associate professor of
geography, University of Wisconsin;
Herbert E. Gregory, National Research Council, professor of
geology, Yale University;
W. H, Haas, United States Shipping Board, assistant professor of
geography. Northwestern University;
Ellsworth Huntington, captain. United States Army, research asso-
ciate in geography, Yale University;
G. R. Mansfield, geologist. United States Geological Survey;
E. B. Mathews, professor of geology, Johns Hopkins University;
C. J. Posey, War Trade Board, assistant professor of geography.
University of Minnesota;
A. L. Pugh, War Trade Board, chairman, department of economics.
High School of Commerce, New York City;
J. R. Rich, captain. United States Army, professor of geography,
University of Illinois;
G. B. Roorbach, United States Shipping Board, assistant professor
of geography, University of Pennsylvania;
J. Russell Smith, War Trade Board, professor of industry, Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania;
R. H. Whitbeck, War Trade Board, professor of geography, Uni-
versity of Wisconsin ;
F. E, Williams, captain, United States Army, assistant professor of
geography. University of Wisconsin.
In the preparation of the pamphlet the limitations of time and the
exigencies of war work have made it impossible to follow out a thor-
oughly logical and well-rounded plan. The aim has been to put to-
gether material which if studied systematically will yield a fairly
satisfactory picture of the geographic conditions of Europe. The
book will have served its purpose if it increases the efficiency of Ameri-
can soldiers even to a small degree.
The method adopted assumes that the student will work out the
outlined problems under the teacher's guidance and that the teacher
will supplement and otherwise modify the text in accordance with his
interests and facilities for instruction. It will be noted that the prob-
lems are so arranged that they may be expanded or contracted, and
that they may serve as guides in the preparation of lectures as well
as material for classroom exercises.
It is planned to issue a revised and enlarged edition, and teachers
FOREWORD 9
and other readers are invited to collaborate by offering suggestions for
improvement. Communications may be addressed to Professor Herbert
E. Gregory, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
National Research Council,
Division of Geology and Geography,
October lo, 1918
Essential Books
In teaching the course as outlined, the following books are essential,
and it is assumed that the classroom will be supplied with a sufficient
number of each to permit many students to work at one time :
1. A physical atlas showing physical, climatic, political features.
The following are recommended: Longmans' New Atlas, Longmans,
Green & Co., New York; Bartholomew's Atlas of Economic Geog-
raphy, Oxford University Press ; Bartholomew's Atlas ; Phillip's Atlas.
2. An encyclopedia, such as the International or the Britannica.
3. Mill's International Geography, D. Appleton & Co., New York.
4. The Atlas of World Agriculture, U. S. Department of Agri-
culture
5. The World Almanac, or similar handbook.
6. The Statesman's Yearbook.
A selected list of books for supplementary reading will be found on
page 96.
A list of lantern slides suitable for this course may be obtained from
the National Research Council, 1023 Sixteenth Street, Washington,
D. C.
PART I
EUROPE AS A WHOLE
Introduction
The most remarkable characteristic of Europe is its enormous influ-
ence upon the rest of the world — its power of leadership. The term
"European" is almost synonymous with "civilized." For instance, in
the Orient the term European is applied to Americans, Canadians,
Australians, and any others who appear to be highly civilized. Ameri-
cans who have long resided in China often call themselves part of the
European community. When we wish to indicate that Japan is differ-
ent from most oriental countries, we say that it is European in its
spirit. Again, a native of the Tropics with some education is often
described as a man with a veneer of European polish but at heart a
true son of the Tropics. So it is in almost every line. The United
States has long striven to make its neighbors in South America realize
the importance of this country, but they still turn largely to Europe
as their great model. Buenos Aires, for example, strives to imitate
Paris, not New York. In Japan we were the pioneers in showing the
way to "European" civilization, but after we had opened the door our
place was soon taken by teachers directly from Europe. •
The high esteem in which the rest of the world holds Europe is not
to be wondered at. Since the days of Christ that continent has con-
tributed most of the great ideas which have hastened the march of
civilization. In art, in literature, in science, in education, in govern-
ment, the progress of the world has almost wholly come from Europe.
In religion, to be sure, Asia has contributed Mohammedanism, just as
in earlier days it contributed Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and
Hinduism. Yet even in religion practically all the great steps of prog-
ress during the past 1800 years have been made in Europe. If we
try to sum up what each of the continents has contributed to the world's
progress during those eighteen centuries, the importance of Europe
becomes overwhelming. Asia has given little except Mohammedanism,
Japanese art, and the slig'ht influence which Hindu philosophy and
Japanese ideals of loyalty are now exerting upon other countries.
Africa has contributed no new idea of any great importance. The
11
12 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
same is true of South America. Australia has done a little better, for
the mention of that continent brings to mind certain important ideas
as to labor legislation, the functions of the government, and other
progressive policies which are having a real influence upon other coun-
tries. North America stands still higher in this respect. There can
be no doubt that American ideas of government and of human rights
are having a profound effect upon many nations in other continents.
So, too, certain American inventions and scientific discoveries are caus-
ing life to assume new aspects all over the world. Our telegraphs,
telephones, sewing machines, harvesters, and other kinds of labor-
saving machinery, for example, are unquestionably causing American
influence to pervade all the continents. Yet the seeds of most of our
ideas came from Europe. Without our help Europe would have been
almost as advanced as it is today. Its transportation system, its fac-
tories, its art, its literature, its education, its government, and its re-
ligion would have been a little different if there had been no America,
but the difference would have been slight. Only since America en-
tered the Great War has its effect on Europe been notable. On the
other hand, in every respect America would have been enormously
different if there had been no Europe.
Only a part of Europe possesses this wonderful power of influencing
and leading the rest of the world. This part is western Europe from
Italy and Austria northwestward. England possesses the power of
leadership to a superlative- degree. France and Germany, together
with the small countries adjacent to them, also possess it strongly.
Austria, Italy, and Scandinavia come next in influence upon the move-
ment of world affairs. Spain takes a lower rank today, although a
few centuries ago its influence was greater than that of almost any
other country. Russia, although located in eastern Europe, has some
of the western power of leadership. Yet it wholly fails to stand on
a par with the other great countries, such as England, France, and
Germany. Its presence in Asia, for example, has changed the habits
and thoughts of the native inhabitants far less than has the presence
of England in India. Moreover, its influence upon the activities of
the othei- great powers is by no means equal to that of any one of
the three great powers farther west. Thus we may say that only
the western half of Europe today takes a leading part in the great
movements which cause the words "Europe" and "civilization" to be
almost inseparable.
The most striking example of the surpassing influence of Europe
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 13
is seen in the Great War. Contrast the effect of this war with that of
some of its recent predecessors. When Spain and the United States
went to war, the main currents of the world's affairs suffered only a
gentle ripple. Many a man in the more backward parts of the world
did not know that such a war was taking place. Even in countries
like Canada and France, near neighbors of the powers that were at
war, the average citizen could not detect any difference in his daily
life because of the war. When England fought the Boers, the rest
of the world pursued its ordinary course. The war between China
and Japan (1894) did not particularly affect other countries, although
a quarter of the earth's population was nominally fighting. Russia's
conflict with Japan stirred more interest than did the Japanese war
with China, but except for what he read in the papers the average
American had no reason to feel that anything unusual was happening.
Then came the Great War. If Austria and Russia had fought it out
alone, the rest of the world could have looked on with comparative
equanimity. When Germany and France entered the struggle, however,
the whole situation changed. The center of the most influential part
of the world was on fire. The bonds of transportation and communi-
cation that connect the world have become so close that the fire ran
out in every direction. England found itself in the conflagration at
once. Then the dominance of Europe in the affairs of the world be-
came evident. Nation after nation joined the conflict, until on one side
18 and on the other side 4 had actually declared war, and 10 others
had broken diplomatic relations with Germany. Moreover, every in-
habited part of the world has felt the effect of the war. Perhaps some
wandering Eskimo or some Pigmy in the heart of Africa may never
have heard of it. But even the Eskimo and the Pigmy have almost
certainly found that sharp knives and bright-colored pieces of cloth do
no filter into their remote regions as they did before the war. Aside
from a few such isolated people there is not a man, woman, or child
whose life has not in some way been influenced by the Great War.
Many have sent their sons and brothers to fight, while all have been
taxed more heavily than ever before, or have been forced to go with-
out some of their accustomed luxuries and to pay high prices for the
most common necessities. They have also been led to think new
thoughts and to face public problems that never entered their heads
before. A war in China, India, or South America could never have
had any such result. Even the greatest conceivable war in North
America could never have produced such a widespread disturbance.
14 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
The Great War has done all this because it centered in western Europe,
the home of civilization. That region, far more than any other, holds
in its hands the. destinies of the whole inhabited world.
Why is Europe so important? That is the main question to be an-
swered in this course. There are many answers, historical, racial,
political, social, and geographical. In the pages that follow the geo-
graphical answer is considered. This involves a study of Europe as a
whole — a consideration of its position, relief, climate, resources, trans-
portation, commerce, races, and many other subjects embraced in
Part I. In Part II the geographic facts relating to individual countries
are discussed. In all three parts the method is the same, and each
subject treated is to be considered as furnishing material for an under-
standing of the larger problem. As to each one we must ask: "How
do geographic conditions influence this country? How do they cause ^t
to differ from other countries?"
Main Physical Features
The Position of Europe
In what way has the position of Europe played a part in causing
the continent to be dominant in the world's affairs?
One answer to this question lies in the fact that western Europe
is so located that it can easily come in contact with other parts of the
world. No other region rivals western Europe in the ease with which
it can communicate with a great number of people and with a great
variety of countries. In order to see how true this is, work out the
following problems:
(1) Relation to the land hemisphere. — In some standard atlas find
a map showing the world divided into hemispheres containing the
maximum amount of land and water respectively. Find the center
of the land hemisphere. Record your conclusions as to the degree to
which the lands and hence the inhabited parts of the world are accessible
from western Europe as compared with other regions.
(2) Distance of Europe from great centers of population. — Test
the conclusions reached above by measuring the distance from the
largest city in each continent to the largest city in each of the other
continents. Reckon the distance in miles by land and miles by water
along the easiest route. Use a globe, and bear in mind that ships sail
along "great circle" courses. Remember that transportation costs
nearly ten times as much by land as by water but takes less than half
as long. On this basis reckon the distance from place to place in units.
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 15
a unit being either 100 miles by land or 400 by water. Find the aver-
age distance of each city from the other five. Arrange the cities in
order according to their accessibility, and write out your conclusions
as to the relative advantages of the position of the various continents.
How does this order compare with the volume of foreign commerce
from each continent?
(3) Position of Europe in respect to commercial and industrial
activity. — From the list of cities in the World Almanac or in some
good geography determine how many cities of 200,000 population or
more lie within a radius of 1000 miles of each of the six cities used
above. This will give an approximate measure of the degree of com-
mercial and industrial activity in each continent. Do the figures thus
obtained increase or diminish your feeling as to the importance of the
position of Europe? Why?
The Relief of Europe
Main problem : To determine in what respects and to what degree
the relief of Europe is more or less advantageous than that of the other
continents.
Minor problems: Determine the approximate area of the great
European plain or lowland which begins at the foot of the Pyrenees
Mountains, extends over into southeastern England and southern Scan-
dinavia, and extends east through Germany and Russia.
Compare the area of this lowland with the area of equally fertile
lowlands in other parts of the world.
Compare the approximate number of people in the lowland with the
number in the main lowlands in each of the other continents, namely,
one each in North America, South America, Africa, and Australia;
and three in Asia.
Compare the obstacles to travel in the European lowland with
those in the world's other great lowlands. The obstacles may take
the form of mountains projecting into the lowland, great swampy
areas, rivers so large that they cause devastating floods and are hard
to cross, forests too dense to traverse, and deserts or dry areas where
population is bound to be scanty and transportation correspondingly
•costly. Make a table showing the size and nature of the obstacles in
each continent. Also make a table of the distance that one can travel
in each lowland along the main line of movement without encountering
any important topographic or climatic obstacle.
Study the direction of the main axis of the lowland and its relation
i6 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
to the main lines of travel and to the main obstacles, and see how these
compare with the conditions in the world's other great lowlands.
Main conclusions: Arrange the continents in the order of the favor-
ability of their relief. Make a table expressing the advantages and
disadvantages of each. Write out a statement of the reasons why the
east and west trend of the main lowland of Europe is a great advantage.
The Climate of Europe
Europe owes its supremacy even more to its climate than to its posi-
tion and relief. This is because no other continent contains so large
a proportion of area where the climate is highly favorable to human
activity and also to agriculture.
(1) In an atlas showing physical features o!" in any text book
on climatology or on physical geography take the maps showing the
isotherms in January and July. Lay a sheet of tracing paper over the
January map, and trace the approximate location of the isotherms indi-
cating a mean temperature of 32° and 45° (or 30° and 50° if 32° and
45° are not given) in each continent. (If such terms as "isotherms"
are not understood a special exercise may be devoted to them.) Lightly
shade the continental areas included between the lines. These shaded
areas show the parts of the world where the winter temperature is near
to that which is most favorable for mental activity.
(2) The most favorable temperature for physical activity is an
average of from 60° to 70°. Accordingly, place the map that you have
just made on the map showing the isotherms for July. Draw lines
showing the 60° and 70° isotherm in each continent. Shade all the
areas between these lines, but be sure to use a type of shading easily
distinguished from that already employed. Draw heavy lines around
the areas which have both kinds of shading. Remember that one kind
of shading indicates that the winters are highly favorable for mental
activity, while the other shows that the summers are highly favorable
for physical activity. Both kinds of activity are needed if civilization
is to reach the highest level. Hence, the areas within your solid line
are the most favored parts of the world. Write a discussion of the
degree to which Europe is favored compared with the other continents.
Write a further discussion of the degree to which different countries
of Europe are favored. What has all this to do with the degree of
energy shown by each of the belligerents in the Great War ?
(3) Changes of temperature from day to day as well as from sea-
son to season are highly advantageous. They not only promote physical
health but are a great mental stimulus. Such changes arise largely
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 17
from "cyclonic" storms such as occur every week or two in most parts
of the United States. On a map of storminess such as is found in
Bartholomew's Meteorological Atlas determine the areas where storms
are abundant. How do these compare with the areas of favorable
temperature ?
(4) If civilization is to advance, the climatic conditions must be
favorable for agriculture as well as for human activity. Let us see
how Europe stands in this respect. In order that agriculture may
flourish in the temperate zone without the help of irrigation the tem-
perature must average 60° or higher for at least 3 months; during
those months there must be at least two inches of rain per month;
and there- must at no time be any long period when the temperature
averages 60" or higher and there is less than two inches of rain. If
monthly maps of rainfall and temperature are available, for example,
in Bartholomew's Atlas of Meteorology, find out just what parts of
Europe enjoy these conditions. In this respect how does Europe com-
pare with the parts of North America in similar latitudes? If maps
showing the monthly rainfall and temperature are not available, study
the maps of crops in the Atlas of World Agriculture. Make a list of
all the crops there shown and indicate in which continent the produc-
tion is greatest. On this basis, what conclusion do you draw as to the
agricultural possibilities of Europe? What relation have these possi-
bilities to both the relief and the climate of Europe? Sum up your
conclusions as to the degree to which Europe enjoys conditions that
are highly favorable both for man's activity and for agriculture.
The Relation of Europe to the Sea
One of the important factors which has caused Europe to be the
leading continent is its relation to the sea. In no other continent are
there so many deep indentations which bring all parts within easy
reach of oceanic communication. This is especially true of the west,
and is another reason why western Europe is much more influential
than eastern Europe. Another important factor is that the great in-
dentations on the north and south sides of Europe — that is, the North
and Baltic Seas on the one hand and the Mediterranean and Black Seas
on the other — have their longest axes in an east and west direction
parallel to the lines of greatest movement. Thus, land communication
is supplemented by water communication as in no other continent. Also,
the fact that the sea is so near to most parts of Europe tends to im-
prove the climate, for the moisture of the sea can reach far inland.
i8 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
(1) Distance from the sea. — In order to see how close most parts
of Europe are to the ocean, take outline maps of Europe, North
America, and Asia. On each one draw a line approximately parallel
to the coast and at a distance of 300 miles from it. Shade the region
within 300 miles of the coast and roughly estimate its area. This
estimate may be made by placing over the map a transparent sheet of •
paper ruled in squares and then counting the squares. Sum up your
conclusions as to the relative accessibility of Europe and of the other
continents to the ocean. In the same way compare the different parts
of Europe.
(2) Inland cities and oceanic communication. — Locate the ten
largest inland cities of Europe and find their average distance from
the sea. Do the same for the ten largest inland cities of North America
and of Asia. Compare the three continents in this respect.
(3) Direction of the waterways. — Measure the distance which one
can proceed eastward or northeastward with ocean steamers (a) from
Gibraltar, (b) from the British Isles. How does this compare with
the distance that ocean steamers can proceed westward in North
America (a) from the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, (b) from the
Straits of Florida. Make similar comparisons for the other continents
so far as possible and sum up your results.
(4) Relation of the sea to climate.' — In order to see how much in-
fluence the presence of the ocean and its location in respect to the pre-
vailing westerly winds have upon the climate of Europe, make a table
showing the rainfall on the seaward and inland sides of the following
natural features of Europe: (For this purpose use any good map
showing the total annual rainfall.)
(a) The central part of the Scandinavian Peninsula.
(b) The part of Great Britain from Wales to eastern England.
(c) The great continental plain extending from France to eastern
Russia.
(d) The western and eastern sides of the mountains of western
Spain.
(e) The north and south slopes of the Alps.
(f) The western and eastern sides of the Dinaric Alps* east of the
Adriatic Sea
Sum up your conclusions as to the value of deep arms of the sea in
producing favorable climate. Point out the degree to which Europe
is more favored than the other continents in this respect.
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 19
The Natural Regions of Europe
A. The Meaning of Natural Regions.
The preceding consideration of the position, rehef, climate, and
oceanic relations prepares the way for the division of Europe into
natural regions. The term natural region means an area within which
the total effect of the physical features is such that the general aspects
of life, including man, animals, and plants, are similar. Since man is
the most important living being the conditions of his life are the main
criteria in determining the natural regions. In determining the natural
regions of a continent it is necessary first to consider the regions into
which the continent would be divided on the basis of each one of the
main physical features already considered and then to sum up the
conclusions and to form a new division of areas on the basis of a com-
bination of the previous divisions. The following paragraphs show
how this is done. Position and relation to the sea are considered to-
gether because essentially they lead to the same divisions. In each
case outline maps of Europe should be used, and the natural divisions
should be clearly marked.
(1) Divisions on the basis of position.
(a) Northwestern or Atlantic Region. This includes all the region
within about 300 miles of the seacoast from southern France to the
North Cape, including the Baltic Sea. It omits southern France.
(b) The Mediterranean Region. This includes the southern penin-
sulas from Spain to Greece and all the intervening area within about
150 miles of the coast.
(c) The Southeastern Region, including all the area within 300
miles of the Black or Caspian Seas.
(d) The Northeastern Region, including all the area within 300
miles of the Arctic Ocean, except in so far as part of this area is
already included in the Atlantic Region.
(e) The Central Region. This comprises all the area not included
within any of the preceding divisions. Notice that this region is almost
entirely confined to eastern Europe.
(2) Divisions on the basis of relief.
On the basis of relief Europe seems to fall naturally into five regions :
(a) The northwestern highland, which includes northern Ireland,
Scotland, all except the southern tip of Scandinavia, and part of Fin-
land.
20 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
(b) The great central plain, which extends from France and south-
eastern England through Germany to Russia, where it expands to the
Black Sea on the south and the Arctic Ocean on the north.
(c) The central mountains, which include the Pyrenees, the Alps,
and the Carpathians.
(d) The plains of Hungary and Rumania, which lie south of part
of the central mountains.
(e) The southern peninsulas of Spain, Italy, and the Balkans.
In what respect do these divisions differ from those based on posi-
tion and on relation to the sea? Which method of division is better?
(3) Divisions on the basis of climate.
On this basis it is necessary to consider how far the climate is favor-
able both to man and to agriculture.
(a) Northwestern Europe. This includes the region where the
conditions are highly favorable for human activity as defined under
"Climate of Europe" (p. 16), and where the summers are warm
enough and long enough to be favorable for agriculture. It embraces
France except for the southern portion, northern Italy, Switzerland,
western Austria, Germany, a narrow fringe on the eastern shore of the
Baltic, and the southern part of Scandinavia, together with Denmark,
Holland, Belgium, England, and southern Scotland.
(b) Regions with summers too cold for agriculture. This includes
areas where the climate is not excessively cold in winter but where
there is relatively little contrast between summer and winter so that
the summers are too cold for profitable agriculture. Most of Ireland
and Scotland and the shores of Norway are of this type.
(c) Regions where the summers are warm enough for agriculture
but the winters are so cold as to be benumbing to human activity. The
coast of the tr-o gulfs at the head of the Baltic Sea and the part of
Russia extending from the Baltic Sea eastward belong to this division.
(d) Regions where the summers are too cold for agriculture and
the winters are benumbing to human activity. This includes the high-
lands of Scandinavia and the district bordering the Arctic Ocean ex-
tending south for about 500 miles. It is almost uninhabited.
Ce) Regions where the winters are favorable both to man and to
agriculture but where the summers are too hot for man and too dry
for agriculture. This includes most of Spain, a small part of southern
France, the southern two-thirds of Italy, the Balkan Peninsula, and
the part of Russia near the Caspian Sea.
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 21
(f) Regions where the summers are too warm and the winters
too cold for man's best good but where agriculture is fairly flourishing.
This includes most of Austria, Poland, Bulgaria, Rumania, and the
southern part of Russia.
These divisions are somewhat complex. A little study, however,
shows that to a considerable extent they agree with the divisions formed
on the basis of position with relation to the sea. Without regard to
the complexity of the divisions, sum up your conclusions as to which
method of dividing the continent is more likely to give a true idea of
the character and activities of the people.
The following pages describe the standard natural divisions into
which Europe is divided. Other methods of dividing the continent
may equally well be used. Those here given, however, are based on
careful consideration of all the various geographic factors. They are
designed to be few enough to be easily remembered and yet to be so
numerous that each division shall be fairly homogeneous in the char-
acter and occupations of its people. As these divisions are studied
compare them with those based on the position and oceanic relations,
the relief, and the climate.
B. The Description of the Natural Regions of Europe."^
Fortunately for Europe its natural geographic regions, unlike those
of the United States, trend east and west rather than north and south.
Its most fertile plain touches the Atlantic coast instead of being sep-
arated from it by a broad mountainous region such as the Appalachians
or Rockies in the United States. Because of the openness of this plain
to the sea Europe is more favored than the United States, both in cli-
mate and in transportation facilities. This advantage is offset by the
fact that Europe, especially in the portion most favored by nature, is
split into many political divisions, each with its own language and its
own interests, which are often opposed to those of its neighbors.
The Northwestern Highland.
The Northwestern Highland of Europe includes most of the Scan-
dinavian Peninsula, together with northern Scotland. In proportion
to the population the number of people who get a living from the sea
is greater in the Northwestern Highland of Europe than in almost any
other part of the world. Those who do not follow the sea are usually
♦Parts of this section are taken almost unchanged from a Teachers'
Manual of Geography, published in 1918, by the Massachusetts Board of
Education. That fact will explain the method of treatment.
22 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
engaged in taking care of sheep and cattle, although there are others
who are lumbermen or miners. Without the four occupations of sea-
faring, cattle-raising, lumbering, and mining, most of the inhabitants
of the Northwestern Highland would be unable to support themselves.
The land is so rough and rugged and the weather so cloudy and cool
that the farms are limited to small patches in especially favored valleys.
Even there only hardy crops, like oats and barley, can be raised.
In order to get a living the people must turn either to the sea or to
the mountains. It is easy to turn to the sea, for its waters come to
the doors of nearly half the inhabitants. Not only have glaciers
deepened many of the valleys so that the ocean water has entered them,
but the coast has been submerged so that there are innumerable fiords
and islands among which the fishermen's boats can be moored safely.
Traveling inland from the coast one must begin to climb almost at once,
for the level land is so limited in extent that there is scarcely room
either for farms or cities. In many places the slopes, especially on the
east side, are covered with dense forests that furnish lumber for houses
and ships, and fuel for preparing high grades of steel from the iron
ore which is one of the great resources of northern Sweden. Many
of the slopes, especially those facing the west, are so constantly cool
and cloudy that trees will not flourish, and the slopes are covered by
thick grass which furnishes fine pasturage. The farmers depend on
their animals even more than on their crops, and often have a summer
home among the mountain pastures as well as a winter home by the sea.
In such a region internal commerce is almost lacking, and it does
not pay to build railroads, especially since the rugged relief makes the
work of construction very expensive. Because of their stimulating
climate and good inheritance, however, the people are very energetic,
and are extensively engaged in the carrying trade for other countries.
Scotch sailors are found all over the world, and Glasgow is one of
the greatest shipbuilding ports. Before the war, Norway in propor-
tion to her population had more ships than any other country — twice
as many as England, four times as many as Greece, five times as many
as Holland, and from ten to fifteen times as many as the United States
or Germany. In other ways, too, the people of the Highlands show
great efficiency. Like the Swiss they are more and more causing their
abundant glacial lakes and waterfalls, their rugged mountains, and their
picturesque coasts to be accessible to tourists. Thus thfey gain for
themselves some of the wealth produced in regions of greater natural
resources.
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 23
The Scotch and Norwegians are noted for their thriftiness. This is
due partly to the fact that the people are naturally alert in mind, and
partly tc the fact that a combination of geographical circumstances
makes them active in body and prevents them from getting a living
except through vigorous efforts.
(1) How do conditions of relief, soil, temperature, rainfall, and the
use of machinery influence farming in the Northwestern Highland and
thus help to make the people thrifty?
(2) How do grazing conditions help to make them thrifty?
(3) Why is not grazing as profitable here as it is in Holland?
(4) How has the fact that there is little or no manufacturing helped
to make the people thrifty?
(5) Why does the fishing industry tend to make the people thrifty?
(6) How does the cHmate help to keep the people from falling to
a low standard of living?
State your conclusion in the form of a summary of the effect of
climate, relief, and position upon human activities.
The Western Lowland.
The significance of the Western Lowland of Europe, which includes
England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and Austria, may
be judged by comparison with the United States. The North Atlantic
Lowland of the United States is admirably located for commerce; the
Appalachian Highland contains magnificent deposits of coal; the Lake
Superior district boasts some of the world's richest deposits of iron
ore; the great prairie plains are unsurpassed in agricultural possibili-
ties; and all these regions enjoy a most stimulating climate. Suppose,
however, that instead of being spread over a distance of 700 or 800
miles, ana separated from one another by a broad highland, these ad-
vantages were concentrated within 100 or 200 miles, and were close to
an open waterway, permitting the largest ships to penetrate far into
the interior; then our country would have a region like the Western
Lowland of Europe. Within the borders of the European lowland in
England, France, Belgium, Germany, and Austria are some of the
world's finest beds of coal. Close to the coal in four of these countries
there are valuable deposits of iron ore, and the neighboring fertile
plains produce fine crops. Add to all this the fact that most of the West-
ern Lowland is less than 250 miles from the sea, and that numerous fine
harbors and navigable rivers bring almost every part within easy reach
24 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
of ocean transportation. The combination of all these favorable con-
ditions, together with a highly stimulating climate, causes this rather
small area — only one-fifth as large as the United States — to have twice
as many cities of over 100,000 people as has the United States or all
the rest of Europe. In fact, one-third of all the world's cities of more
than 100,000 people are packed into this comparatively small area, which
comprises only a seventh of Europe and less than 1 per cent of the
total land surface of the earth. This section does more than half of
the world's manufacturing, and carries on more than half of its com-
merce. Nowhere else in the world can there be found so busy a region.
The reasons why the Western Lowland of Europe is the most important
region of its size in the world.
All the conditions of position, relief, climate, and nearness to the
sea which make Europe the most important of the continents are con-
centrated to an even greater degree in the Western Lowland. Remem-
ber that this lowland includes western and northern France but not the
central mountains and the south; it includes most of England but not
Wales, Scotland, and Ireland; it also includes Netherlands, Belgium,
and Denmark; a narrow strip, in southern Norway and the plain of
southern Sweden, that is, the parts of these two countries where the
majority of the inhabitants are found; practically all of Germany is
included and the western part of Austria to a point a little east of
Vienna ; and finally the western fringe of Russia as far north as Petro-
grad. Consider the way in which almost all the conditions of progress '
exist here in close proximity.
(1) Coal. — Examine a map showing the distribution of coal in
Europe. From a table of coal production by countries, such as is found
on page 45, determine the approximate percentage of the -world's
total coal production and of the European production that comes from
this Western Lowland or from its immediate borders, such as Wales
and southern Scotland. Discuss this fact in its relation to manufac-
tures and transportation.
(2) Iron. — Examine a map showing the distribution of iron mines
in Europe. Also study a table showing the amount of pig iron pro-
duced in various countries. How does the Western Lowland stand in
the production of iron ore and of pig iron? Explain the fact that it
produces much more pig iron than would be possible with its own ores.
Where do these other ores come from? To which countries do they
come? Along what routes? Why does the cost of transportation not
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 25
seriously interfere with the production of pig iron ? Explain why the
ore comes to the coal instead of the coal going to the ore.
(3) Crops: — From the Atlas of World Agriculture find how the
production of the following crops in the Western Lowland compares
with the production in other countries : wheat, rye, potatoes, sugar,
beets, oats, barley. See if you can find any other part of the world
where there is an equally favorable combination of many kinds of abun-
dant crops. (See also table, The Food of Nations, p. 38.)
(4) Facilities for Navigation. — In this respect the Western Low-
land is preeminent. How large a part of it is more than 200 miles
from the sea? Name eight of the most important rivers. Look up
each one in the encyclopedia in order to see how far each is navigable.
What do you conclude as to facilities for inland communication? Wl«?t
other parts of the world can rival the Western Lowland in this respect?
Name fifteen good harbors along the coasts of the Lowland. Locate
each one. Judging by the size of the cities on these harbors what do
you conclude as to their excellence?
(5) Large cities. — ^Among the larger cities in the list in the World
Almanac or in some standard geography pick out and locate 25 that
belong to the Western Lowland. In all the rest of the world how
many other cities are there that compare with these in size ? Remember
that the Western Lowland comprises only a small percentage of the
land surface of the globe. Determine that percentage, and then draw
conclusions as to the relative importance of this small area compared
with areas in any other part of the world.
(6) Excellent climate. — How cold is the coldest part of this Low-
land? How warm is the warmest part? How long are the summers
in the northern and southern parts of the Lowland? The winters?
How do these conditions compare with the ideal as described in a pre-
vious problems, page 16 ? Compare the rainfall at different seasons.
How much rain is there in the wettest parts ? The driest ? How large
a part of the Lowland has either too much or too little rain at certain
seasons? What features of the climate stimulate people to work?
Sum up your conclusions as to the degree to which the Western Low-
land is favored above other regions.
The Eastern Plains.
The Eastern Plains comprise practically the whole of Russia. (This
region is so nearly the same as Russia that it is described under that
country. See Part II, "Russia.")
26 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
The Southeastern Basins.
The Southeastern Basins of Europe comprise the regions commonly
known as the plains of Austria, Hungary, and Rumania. Their chief
characteristic is that they are broad, flat-floored basins bounded for the
most part by high mountains. Thus, they are cut off from the neig'h-
boring regions, but are accessible from several directions and, there-
fore, have not preserved such complete individuality as have the south-
ern peninsulas of Spain and Italy, which are shut off by hig'h moun-
tains that have served as effective barriers for centuries.
In the plains themselves the land is very flat. Hence, the rivers
wander over very wide flood plains and often form vast marshes which
are impassable during the spring thaw and summer rains. So wide-
spread are these marshes that in Hungary large areas are uninhabited,
and in Rumania they form a barrier between Rumania on the north
and Bulgaria on the south.
The rainfall is fairly abundant and comes more in summer than in
any other season. It is apt to come spasmodically, however, and in the
spring and fall there are sometimes droughts which seriously injure
the crops. This does much to prevent these regions of eastern Europe
from being as prosperous as those of the west. In addition to this,
the temperature for many weeks in summer remains, higher than is best
for human health. Moreover, there is much monotony so that the
climate lacks the stimulating quality which is so prominent farther
west. The winters, too, are colder than in the same latitudes near
the ocean.
Because of the difficulties of agriculture and the large amount of
land too dry or too wet for crops, animal-raising occupies a prominent
place in the Southeastern Basins. Grain, however, is the chief farm
product. It is raised in such large quantities that there is an enormous
surplus for export, and Rumania is one of the greatest wheat-exporting
countries. The traveler comes away from the Southeastern Basins
strongly impressed by the grain, cattle, and horses.
The surplus production of the Austrian and Hungarian basins is
absorbed by the adjacent regions that are less favored in relief and
soil. The surplus production of Rumania is sent to western Europe
by way of the Black Sea and the Dardanelles.
Problems. — (1) Enumerate the barrier mountains that almost en-
close the Southeastern Basins.
(3) Point out the routes by means of which these basins come in
k
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 27
contact with the outside world. What great cities have grown up in
response to these routes?
(3) From a good relief map of these regions estimate carefully
the area of fiat land in each of the basins. What prairie states of our
country, or combinations of them, approximate the areas of each of
the basins?
(4) Enumerate the chief rivers and the larger tributaries that wan-
der over the plains. Point out how they help and how they hinder the
progress of their countries.
(5) From accounts in the encyclopedias and geographies select
traits of the people that seem to be responses to the fact that the climate
is more monotonous and less stimulating than farther west.
The Central Mountains.
The Central Mountains begin with the central plateau of France,
culminate in the Alps of Switzerland, and extend eastward into the
Austrian Alps and the Carpathians.
Switserland as a problem. — As an example of how a portion of one
of the natural regions may be treated the following discussion of
Switzerland is here inserted.
Suppose that current events turn the attention of the world toward
Switzerland, Let us assume, for example, that the question of Swiss
fertilizers and of their exportation to Germany, along with other com-
modities, happens to attract the notice of the teacher or of some mem-
ber of the class. Then the question arises. How can Switzerland get
material for fertilizers? and someone reports that they are manufac-
tured from the air. That fact furnishes an excellent entering wedge
for a study of Switzerland as a whole. The teacher puts before the
class the problem of why Switzerland is engaged in the fertilizer in-
dustry. From his general study of Europe the student will recall that
Switzerland comprises the culminating part of the great central moun-
tains of Europe. He understands that four-fifths of the country is so
high, rugged, and cool that few people live there except in the pleasure
resorts. The remaining one-fifth from Lake Geneva to Lake Constance
comprises a narrow lowland of gentle relief and contains three-fourths
of the people. With this background the student is ready to solve the
problem of why Switzerland is one of the few countries w'here fer-
tilizers are made from the air. The solution involves practically every
phase of Swiss geography. The climate and the racial inheritance of
the Swiss make them energetic and inventive. Their mountains, be-
28 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
cause of their height and glaciation, abound in streams which tumble
into waterfalls. Therefore, the Swiss utilize the water power in great
hydro-electric plants which at slight expense generate strong electric
currents capable of taking nitrogen from the air and making it into
fertilizer.
But why should the Swiss engage so prominently in this particular
kind of manufacturing rather than in some other occupation? Could
they not practice agriculture? The lowland where most of them live
provides excellent farm land and is much more carefully tilled than a
region like Iowa. Its small size and cool climate, however, limit the
number of people who can gain a living from farming; hence, when
the population became dense many of the people were obliged to look
for new occupations. In a country like India where the people have
less energy they become poor when their number increases too rapidly.
The Swiss, however, have so much energy that they are not content
with any such fate. Those who can not engage in agriculture are unable
easily to turn to commerce, for Switzerland has no outlet to the sea.
Moreover, the mountains on all except the German side of their low-
land are difficult to cross, and the country is completely surrounded
by foreign countries which impose certain tolls on goods brought
across their borders. Nor is it easy for the Swiss to engage in gen-
eral manufacturing because they lack metals and most raw materials
except wood and hides. The conditions which hinder commerce make
it unduly expensive to import great quantities of heavy materials like
iron, or bulky materials like cotton in such quantities as are necessary
for making ordinary grades of cloth. Therefore, the Swiss in order
to be prosperous have found it necessary to devise special methods of
getting a living. That is one reason why they have shown such in-
genuity in utilizing their beautiful scenery. Probably more than any
other people they endeavor to make their country pleasant and attrac-
tive for travelers and vacationists at all seasons of the year, and they
receive rich returns for their efforts.
The Swiss turn to their own advantage other natural resources as
effectively as they utilize the scenery. For instance, taking the wood
which abounds everywhere they carve it into superior handmade toys
which appear on Christmas trees all over the world. The toys can be
made in winter when the people are not fully engaged on the farms
or in taking care of tourists. The Swiss have also developed great skill
in manufacturing such articles as watches, fine cloths, and delicate
embroideries, which require relatively little fuel and raw material but
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 29
demand a large amount of skilled labor. In the absence of fuel the
Swiss have shown exceptional ability in utilizing the streams that
formerly ran to waste. Their railroads and trolley lines are largely
run by electric power from the waterfalls. This has made it possible
for summer tourists to be carried cheaply from one bit of fine scenery
to another, with the result that they desire to remain in the country as
long as possible. As soon as it was discovered that fertilizers can be
made by taking nitrogen from the air the Swiss said, "Here is just
the thing for us. Nitrogen is a raw material that costs nothing. Our
water power provides cheap electrical energy; our fields and those of
our neig'hbors in France and Germany need enormous amounts of fer-
tilizers." Thus the manufacture of nitrogen fertilizers represents, as
it were, the latest step in a process by which the clever, energetic Swiss
have been finding out how to make a good living in spite of what ap-
peared to be scanty resources.
Starting with some important or striking activity like this, it is pos-
sible to build up a regional picture. While this is being done the stu-
dent should, as a matter of course, learn the names and locations of
the chief cities where the manufacturing is carried on, of the mountains
that act as barriers or supply majestic scenery, and of the rivers that
furnish water power or have carved valleys where railway lines are
located. In the same way the physical features, such as climate, relief,
soil, and minerals, should be fixed in the student's mind, not by a sheer
process of memory, but as steps in attaining an end. So, too, the vege-
tation and animal life in their relation to forests, agriculture, or raw
materials should become integral parts of the picture. Finally, in such
a study the student should consider the peculiar character of the people
themselves, their relation to their neighbors, and many of their habits
and customs.
The Southern Peninsulas.
The three peninsulas that project southward into the Mediterranean
Sea are lands of dry summers and rainy winters. Because the skies
are so clear for many months in the year we hear about the wonderful
blue of the Mediterranean and the wonderful colors seen on the land.
This kind of climate, wherever it is found, is called the subtropical,
or Mediterranean, type. The people, however, would gladly give up
some of their blue skies for the sake of good rains during the long,
hot summers. They neither like the bad crops which are often the
result of scarcity of rain nor the hard work that is needed in order to
supply water by irrigation. In many cases they are unable to live on
30 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
scattered farms, as are the people of the Hungarian plain, but must
have their houses close together near to a water supply which will not
fail durng the long drought. They enjoy this village life, however,
for it is gay and social.
Because of the long summer drought great forests like those of the
north can not grow, and their place is taken by small groves or patches
of woods high on the mountains. The most familiar- trees are the
poplar, the oak, and the olive, together with many fruit trees, such as
the apricot, the cherry, and, in the warmer parts, the orange and lemon.
The chestnut, the almond and the Persian (English) walnut also yield
valuable crops. Lumber is scarce, and the crowded villages often con-
sist of clusters of houses built of stone or adobe covered with plaster.
In these southern peninsulas there is not much manufacturing. This
is partly because there is almost no coal and water power is uncertain,
for during the long, hot summers the streams diminish greatly in
volume and some dry up.
Equally important is the fact that the monotony of the summer cli-
mate causes the people to lack the energy which is characteristic of the
people of the Western Lowland. Commerce also suffers, although it is
greatly favored by the submerged shores which furnish excellent har-
bors in many parts of the peninsulas. The inferior in many localities
is shut off from the coast by mountains which are not easy to cross.
The lower slopes of the mountains are clothed with vineyards or with
groves of the olive or cork oak. Their upper slopes furnish pasture
to thousands of sheep and goats herded by ragged boys who play shrill
tunes on little pan pipes. In most parts of the three peninsulas it is
almost impossible to get far away from the mountains.
Main problem. — Why are the people of the Southern Peninsulas
generally poorer than those of the United States?
Minor problems. — 1. How does the distribution of rainfall throug'h
the year help to keep the people in poverty?
2. What conditions of the climate tend to make the people work
slowly and hence to be poor?
3. How does the relief of the country help or hinder in getting a
living?
4. What important mineral resources are lacking? Why are min-
erals not brought from elsewhere?
5. Does the coast line tend to help the people out of their poverty
or keep them in it? Explain.
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 31
6. Would more manufacturing improve the condition of the inhabi-
tants? How? Why do they not manufacture more?
7. Does the beautiful scenery of the peninsulas tend to improve
the condition of the people? How?
Conclusion. — (To be stated in the form of a brief summary of the
results of the minor problems.)
Peoples and Countries.
1. The relation of physical features to distribution of races.
No detailed study of the races of Europe is practical in a short course
in geography. It is, however, desirable to point out and to discuss
briefly three groups of the European peoples: (1) those that inhabit
Mediterranean countries ; • these are often called the Mediterranean
peoples, and for the most part speak languages derived from the Latin ;
(2) those that inhabit the great eastern plain or lands adjacent thereto,
and speak Slavic languages; (3) those that inhabit the northwest of
Europe, lands touching or near to the North Sea; these people speak
Teutonic or closely related languages and are often called Nordics.
There are also remnants of still earlier peoples — the Celts — who have
been pushed to the very western extremities of the continent, and are
found in Brittany, Wales, Ireland, and the Highlands of Scotland.
Note that the three principal groups of peoples are distributed roughly
according to the natural regions: (1) The Mediterranean or Latin
peoples live chiefly in the Southern Peninsulas. Their territory is
bounded on the north by the Central Mountains, but where the moun-
tains break down in France the "Latins" have pressed over into the
Western Lowland. (2) The great Eastern Lowland is inhabited largely
by Slavs. (3) The Western Lowland is the main home of the Nordics.
(4) These energetic people have pressed into the Northwestern High-
land, but that is still the home of the Celtic people — the ones who
have been forced out of the better parts of Europe. (5) Finally, the
Southeastern Plains are a great meeting-ground of races — some Nor-
dics in Austria, some Latins among the Rumanians, many Slavs, espe-
cially in the mountainous border regions, and the Magyars, an Asiatic
race, in the center.
The principal Mediterranean peoples of Europe speak related lan-
guages and are mainly Roman Catholic in religion. The Slavic peoples
are mostly followers of the Greek-Catholic religion, w'hile the Nordic
peoples are mainly, though not wholly, Protestants.
32 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
France is not only open both to the Mediterranean and the Teutonic
influences but in its rough western peninsula, which might be called
part of the Northwestern Highland, still shows the effect of Celtic in-
fluence. No other country in Europe is open to so great a variety of
influences.
There is unquestionably a close relationship between the fact that
Europe is much cut up physically by mountains and arms of the sea,
and the fact that it is highly diverse in its races and languages. Where
many clear natural boundaries exist the inhabitants are likely to remain
distinct in habits and speech. The great plain of Russia with its com-
parative uniformity of race, speech, and habits presents a strong con-
trast to the rest of Europe in this respect.
Problem. — Compare a political map of Europe before the war with
a map of languages, such as is given in Dominian's "Frontiers of Lan-
guage and Nationality in Europe." Make a detailed statement as to
the places where political and linguistic frontiers disagree and as to
the part played by these places in the war. (See also problem on
"Boundaries," page 34.)
2. The relation of physical features to political divisions.
(1) To what extent have the peninsulas of Europe given rise to
different nations? Have Spain and Portugal always been separate?
Are their similarities or their differences more noticeable (language, re-
ligion, ideals, etc.) ?
(2) Apply the same questions to Norway and Sweden.
(3) Is it probable that Denmark would have been absorbed into
some other nation if it had not been so well defined by natural boun-
daries ?
(4) Recall that the island of Britain formerly contained three dis-
tinct countries — England, Scotland, and Wales. Recall also that the
English crown had important possessions across the channel in France.
Discuss the relation of geographical or natural features to the union
of Britain under one rule, and to the loss of the provinces in France.
Ireland is much less perfectly absorbed into the United Kingdom than
is Wales or Scotland, and remains more distinctive in race and re-
ligion. Discuss the extent to which these facts are connected with
Ireland's complete physical separation from Britain.
(5) With the exception of Britain (in modern times) almost every
country of Europe has had to fight foreign enemies on its own soil,
most of them many times ; why has Britain been the exception ? Point
out the beneficial results of this upon the upbuilding of British indus-
EUROPE AS A WHOLE
33
tries. Recall from history how often the other countries of north-
western Europe have been overrun by armies ; in this respect contrast
Britain with Belgium and northern France in the present war.
Practically every European country engaged in the war except Britain
expects its boundaries to be changed as the result of the war. Britain,
alone, of the European nations most interested in the war, regards
her boundaries as satisfactory. Explain why it is that political boun-
daries at variance with natural boundaries are usually unsatisfactory
to one nation or the other, while natural boundaries are usually ac-
ceptable. Give illustrations.
(6) Poland was once one of the leading nations of Europe, but it
was later partitioned among Russia, Prussia, and Austria. Show why
the physical features of that part of Europe make it difficult to main-
tain an independent nation there. What is meant by a "buffer state"
and why is the lot of such a state precarious ? Consider the history of
Belgium.
(7) Show why Switzerland, though it touches Italy, France, Ger-
many, and Austria, does not fear for its territorial integrity, while
Holland, Denmark, and Belgium are always in danger.
(8) A half a century ago, the present Italy consisted of several in-
dependent states. Why was it practically inevitable that they should
be joined into a "United Italy"? The northeastern boundary of Italy
does not coincide with any natural line of demarkation ; what connec-
tion had this with Italy's break with Austria in the present war?
(9) Many people consider that, unless Germany's power is com-
pletely broken, she will absorb a large part of European Russia; show
why, in consideration of topography, this seems likely. How can it
be prevented ? Give reasons why it should or should not be prevented.
(10) Austria is the most disunited nation of Europe. Its disin-
tegration has seemed imminent for some time. Study its physical fea-
tures, and decide to what extent they make for disunion. The Hun-
garians and the Bohemians are ardently patriotic in respect to their
own lands but not with respect to the Dual Monarchy itself (Austria-
Hungary). Can this be explained in the light of physical features?
(11) Study the physical map of the Balkan Peninsula and show
how its topography makes for disunion and conflicting interests.
(12) North Germany is a plain and is completely dominated by one
state — Prussia; south Germany is mountainous and is made of several
distinct states (e. g. the kingdoms of Saxony and Bavaria, and
ftie Grand Duchy of Baden). Is there any sign of causal connection
here?
34 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
Suggestions. — After a thorough class discussion of the foregoing
problems, it is suggested that each student combine his conclusions and
deductions into a theme, "The Relation of Europe's Physical Features
to Its PoHtical Divisions." As a help in doing this, work out the prob-
lems on boundaries given in the following section:
3. The effect of boundaries on international relations.
(1) Relation of boundaries to physical features.
(a) Make a table showing for each country of Europe the ap-
proximate percentage of its boundaries consisting of each
of the following physical features :
(a) Oceans or seas.
(b) High or impassable mountains.
(c) Deserts due either to aridity or low temperature.
(d) Rivers too broad to be easily bridged, or swamp lands.
(e) Highlands which are relatively accessible and are
inhabited.
(f) Lowlands or plains.
(b) Arrange the various countries in order according to the
degree to which their physical boundaries genuinely sep-
arate them from their neighbors.
How do the two countries whose neutrality was guar-
anteed before the Great War compare with one another
and with the other countries in this respect?
(2) Relation of boundaries to races.
(a) Make a table showing the extent to which the boundaries
of each of the European countries agree with the boun-
daries between races. Arrange the table under the fol-
lowing headings:
(1) Name of country.
(2) Percentage of the boundary along which the races
of one or the other of the adjacent countries extend
over into the next country to any appreciable extent.
(3) Character of the boundary in the sections where the
same race lives to an appreciable extent on both sides.
(b) Arrange the countries in a consecutive list showing your
opinion as to the degree to which the boundaries agree
with the boundaries that would most tend to promote
peace. Pay special attention to the belligerents in the
Great War. How far does the condition of the bouq-
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 35
daries afford an explanation of the readiness with which
each was drawn into the war?
(4) Contrast the poHtical aspects of the boundaries of
Europe with their commercial aspect. For example,
compare the volume of trade between France and
Spain with the volume between France and Germany,
and between France and Italy. Express the volume
of trade in percentages of the total for each country.
In the same way compare the trade between Germany
and the Netherlands with that between Germany and
Switzerland, and ascertain what physical features
cause the difference. Make a special comparison of
the trade of Switzerland with its four great neigh-
bors, and compare this with the nature of the coun-
try which separates the Swiss from each of the other
nations.
Occupations and Industries.
Agriculture in Europe.
Introduction.
This problem and several others illustrate a method which may be
used for many subjects. The method is to select some part of Europe
as ideal or typical in some special respect. This place is used as the
center around which the study of the whole continent may be grouped.
The first step is to go to various reference books and find out the
facts suggested under the headings given below. These facts should
be recorded in a notebook and, so far as possible, should be put in
the form of tables or of brief, clear descriptions. After the main
facts have been determined, the conclusions to which they lead should
be stated. When the central or typical region has thus been studied
the students may undertake a similar study of surrounding regions,
or the study may be postponed until the countries are taken individu-
ally. Whichever method is followed the student should pay special
attentioa to the changes which occur as one goes away from the typical
region. For example, as one proceeds north a change of one kind
will be found, while east or south the change may be quite different.
Each part of Europe, so far as possible, should be studied in approxi-
mately the same way, so that when conclusions are drawn they may
include a comparison of the typical country with those that lie around
it or at a distance from it. In this connection, the tables, "The Food
2>6 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
of Nations," on page 38, and "Mineral Production in Europe," on
page 45, will be found useful.
A. French agriculture as a type.
France may be regarded as the ideal agricultural country of Europe.
The reasons for considering it ideal are as follows :
1. Its great variety of products.
2. The relatively intensive quality of its agriculture.
3. Its capacity to support animals.
4. Its capacity to support a large population in addition to the
farmers.
5. Its ability to bring prosperity to the farmer.
In order to find how true these five propositions actually are, the
student should study the matter statistically. The way in which this
should be done is suggested below :
(1) From the encyclopedia, Statesman's Yearbook, or the Atlas
of the World Agriculture, make a list of the five chief agricultural
products of France and ascertain what percentage of the total is rep-
resented by each of the five. The full significance of these figures will
not appear until other countries are studied; then it will be seen that
France does not depend nearly so much upon any one product as do
many of the other countries.
(2) Find the yield per acre and the yield per capita of the five
chief agricultural products. Compare these with the yield per capita
and the yield per acre of the same crops in the United States. This
will bring out the intensive quality of French agriculture. The im-
portance of this will appear when the other European countries are
studied in the same way. Consult the table of production on page 38.
(3) List the four chief animals, the percentage which each animal
forms of the total, and the number of each animal per capita of the
human population. Compare this with similar figures for the United
States.
(4) Ascertain the proportion of the French population engaged in
agriculture compared with the number in the four other chief occupa-
tions, such as manufacturing, transportation, commerce, and mining.
B. Physical conditions of French agriculture.
Having found what the conditions of French agriculture are, the
next step is to determine their causes.
1. Climate. — Study the seasonal rainfall and temperature, the
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 2>7
length of the season free from frost, the number of months with an
average temperature of 60° or higher, the rainfall during these
months, the extremes of temperature, etc. Make tables or record
the observations on maps as far as possible. Compare these tables
with similar tables for your own home.
2. Soil. — Detailed facts as to soil can not easily be procured, but
any encyclopedia or good general description of the country will give
general indications as to the nature of the soil.
3. Relation to markets. — In the Atlas of World Agriculture locate
the areas where the various agricultural products are found in great-
est abundance. Study the relation of these to the areas of densest
population and to the manufacturing and. commercial centers, which
are the great markets. Study the relief and the railroads in order
to determine whether it is easy to transport the agricultural products
to the markets.
C. The French peasants.
Having studied the actual conditions of French agriculture and the
causes of its prosperity, the next step is to know what effect these
conditions have upon the peasants. This study will be less specific
than that which has preceded but can be made definite by considering
iHe following points and setting down results for comparison with
similar facts with regard to people of other regions : Style of houses,
dress, transportation, household customs, education, religion, amuse-
ments, etc. Get the facts from the encyclopedia, books of travel, per-
sonal experience, etc.
D. Agriculture outside of France.
After agriculture in France has been studied as. the type, French
agriculture should be compared with that of other parts of Europe.
The outline given above for France may be used. In order to bring
ont the geographical relationships, it is a good plan to work outward
from France in various directions. When the facts as to agriculture
in any o^hQX part of Europe have been ascertained, they will have
much more significance if compared with similar conditions in the
type country. Pay special attention to the differences in climate, soil,
and relation to markets, which are the root of the differences in the
actual conditions of agriculture.
For this part of the subject the following geographical outline has
been arranged in such a way that there is a gradual change from the
38
EUROPE AS A WHOLE
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THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE 39
conditions in France to those in the various more extreme parts of
Europe :
1. England, Ireland, and Scotland. — Contrast the potatoes and pigs
of Ireland or the oats and sheep of Scotland with the varied and well-
balanced products of France. Tie up these conditions *with the rain-
fall, temperature, topography, location of markets, etc. Study emi-
gration from both countries in relation to agriculture and rainfall;
effect on character of peasants ; absentee landlords ; Scotch shooting
preserves, etc. Discuss the ways in which England is intermediate
between France and Ireland or Scotland.
2. Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Scandinavia. — Note
the increase in the importance of animals — dairying in Holland and
Denmark, sheep and cattle .in Norway, and reindeer in Lapland. Study
the relation of this increase to temperature, rainfall, grasslands, etc.,
and its effect on mode of life, education, cleanliness, and other habits.
3. Northern Germany, western Russia, eastern Russia, and Siberia.
— Note the increase in root crops, potatoes, rye, etc. ; gradual decline
in activity and progressiveness of peasants; greater concentration in
villages.
4. Southern Germany, Austria, Rumania, Bulgaria or Serbia, Tur-
key, and Greece. — Note that the change in this direction is slower than
in any other. Yet there is a most striking contrast between the agri-
culture of northern France with its varied crops and animals and its
thrifty peasants, and Turkish or Greek agriculture with its sparse
and unfertilized fields of wheat and barley, its sheep and buffaloes,
and its dull, careless peasants living in adobe houses. Make a careful
study of dry summers and their effect.
5. North Italy and Sicily. — Here irrigation and its effects form
the dominant note. Study Sicily in contrast with the Po Valley and
note the striking contrast.
6. Spain. — Note that here, as in all the outlying and less pros-
perous countries, the tables for crops and animals show an increasing
reliance upon animals, an increasing specialization upon a few crops,
and a decline in the general prosperity and enlightenment of the
peasants.
Forestry in Europe.
General relations.
The distribution of the principal forest areas of Europe is a response
to various geographic and nongeographic influences. Foremost among
40 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
these influences are climate, topography, soil, and artificial preservation.
To appreciate the influence of climate on forest production, one
should be able to contrast the luxuriant forest growths of cool, moist
northwestern Europe with the comparatively treeless plains of south
Russia or witji the scattered forests of the Mediterranean countries.
At the time o£ the Roman penetration into northwestern Europe,
that region was mainly forested. The forests slowly disappeared as
agriculture claimed the more suitable areas, until the districts now in
forest are principally as follows :
(1) Regions having a climate too cool for agriculture,
(2) Regions too rough or steep to be readily tilled.
(3) Regions where the soil is too poor to yield profitable returns
under the plow.
(4) Game preserves or other areas kept as parks by the landed
artistocracy.
(5) Regions where agriculture is profitable, but where tracts of
forest are preserved for the sake of a timber supply.
With the help of the following statements and suggestions and with
a map of the vegetation of Europe before »you, prepare a sketch map
showing where each of the above types is chiefly located.
Game preserves and parks are particularly numerous in Great Britain
and Germany. France and especially Germany are notable for the
high development of the art of forestry and for their artificial timber
preserves. On the sandy plains of northern Germany and in portions
of Belgium, forests are abundant because of the poverty of the soil.
The isolated mountain ridges of south Germany, the concentric ridges
of eastern France, and above all the higher mountains of south and
central Europe contain the principal forest regions of central Europe.
The northern half of Russia and northern Scandinavia contain by far
the largest forests of the continent.
The Forests of Szveden.
Although the forestry of Sweden dififers in many ways from that of
the rest of Europe, Sweden may be considered the typical forest coun-
try of Europe. North of the 60th parallel the slopes of the Scan-
dinavian Highlands are composed of rocks which yield comparatively
poor soils. The region is also, for the most part, beyond the climatic
range of most agricultural crops. In this region, which comprises
more than half of the country, are found vast forests of fir and pine
covering all but the highest summits.
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 41
Numerous parallel streams falling into the Gulf of Bothnia furnish
the necessary transportation for the logs and timber products. Sweden
has more than a thousand sawmills, many of which are along the
coast and most of which are run by water power developed in these
same streams. The forest lands which cover more than half the area
of the country are both privately and publicly owned. The forest in-
dustry is carried on under government supervision and by methods
of scientific conservation. The forest products of the country reflect
both the abundance of timber and the relative abundance of labor.
Indicative of the former are such products as railway ties, mine tim-
bers, and crude lumber. Reflecting the abundance of labor, we have
exports of such manufactured wood products as paper pulp and
matche-^. The total value of exported timber, pulp, and other forest
products in 1915 was approximately $100,000,000. This large figure
ranks forest products first in Sweden's list of exports and makes
Sweden the principal exporter of forest products in Europe.
Prepare similar descriptions of forestry in Russia and in Germany.
Ascertain the effect of the war in diminishing the forest reserves of
central Europe.
Mineral Resources of Europe.
Resources of individual countries. (See table, page 45.)
England.
Compared with world production, what minerals does England pro-
duce in appreciable quantity?
What are the principal minerals and where are the deposits located
with reference to geographical position and transportation routes?
What mineral does England produce in greater quantity than any
other European country, and where are the deposits located?
Of what minerals has England enough to export, and what Euro-
pean countries need them?
What is the importance of England's mineral industries as compared
with her other industries?
What minerals does England need to import, and from what coun-
tries, not necessarily European, may she obtain them?
Spain.
What minerals are produced in large amounts in the Spanish
Peninsula ?
Compared with world production and with production in other
European countries, in what minerals does Spain excel?
42 ^ THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
What are the principal minerals, and where are they located geo-
graphically and with reference to transportation routes?
How does the mineral industry of Spain compare in importance with
other industries?
What is the influence of water supply on mining and other indus-
tries? What controls the water supply?
What are the principal mineral exports, and how do they compare
with imports?
What is the present importance of the pyrite industry?
France.
What are the principal mineral deposits, and where are they located
with reference to transportation routes?
Judged by relative production, how does France compare with Ger-
many and with Great Britain in resources of coal and iron?
How is the location of the coal and iron deposits related to the
seat of the steel industry, and what bearing has such relationship
upon the cost of production of steel? (See encyclopedia for location
of steel industry.)
What bearing has the location of the coal and iron deposits upon
the international relations between France and Germany? (See en-
cyclopedia article on Franco- Prussian War.)
What is the relative position of the mineral industry in France as
compared with other industries?
What minerals has France for export ?
What minerals must she import, and from what European countries
may she obtain them?
Germany.
Note the mineral production of Germany in comparison with world
production. In what minerals is she strong; in w'hat weak?
Study the distribution of the coal and iron deposits, distinguishing
between brown coal and coking coal. How are these deposits related
to transportation routes and to the centers of the steel industry?
Compare relative distances between coal and iron deposits in Ger-
many and in France and the location of the steel industry in those
countries with similar relations in the United States.
Compare the iron and coal production of Germany with that of
Great Britain.
What effect has this production on the relative importance of the
steel industry in the two countries?
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 43
In what mineral is Germany preeminent among countries of the
world ? Where are the deposits Jocated geographically and with ref-
erence 10 transportation facilities?
How has the location of mineral deposits affected Germany's mili-
tary activities in the present war; in previous wars? (See encyclo-
pedia articles on the War of the Austrian Succession, Franco-Prussian
War.)
How does Germany's copper production compare with that of the
world; what country would normally supply its needs?
Note Germany's production of manganese ore, essential for steel
manufacture. What European countries furnish the needed supply,
and what is the best transportation route?
What is Germany's natural source for oil?
How does Germany's mineral industry compare in importance with
agriculture and other industries?
The Netherlands and Belgium.
What are the principal minerals produced in the Netherlands and
in Belgium; how are they located geographically and with reference
to means of transportation?
How are these deposits located with reference to similar deposits of
France and Germany?
How does Belgium's mineral industry compare with her agriculture
and other industries?
What minerals does Belgium import?
Note: Belgium's zinc and iron-smelting industries furnish an ex-
ample of the persistence and development of an industry through
favorable conditions of location or transportation after the original
cause of its establishment has become largely inoperative.
Austria and Hungary.
What are the principal minerals, compared with world production?
Where are the deposits located geographically and with reference to
transportation facilities? ?
In what mineral do Austria and Hungary excel, and where is it
located ?
How does the mineral industry compare in importance with agri-
culture and other industries?
What minerals may be exported ; what imported ?
What countries are likely to be the sources of the mineral imports?
44 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
Italy.
Where are Italy's coal and iron deposits located? Compare Italy's
production of coal and iron with that of France, Germany, and
England.
What country would normally supply Italy's needs in respect to
these minerals?
Of what minerals is Italy an important producer? Where are the
deposits located, and how are they related to transportation routes?
How does Italy's mineral industry compare in importance with other
industries?
What minerals does Italy export; what import?
Balkan States.
What is the relative importance of Greece, Rumania, and Servia in
mineral production compared with world production?
What are the principal minerals of each country, and where are
the deposits located geographically and with respect to transporta-
tion facilities?
What is the relative importance of the mineral industry in these
countries as compared with other industries?
What bearing have the mineral deposits of these countries upon mili-
tary activity in the present war?
Turkey.
Compare the mineral production of Turkey with that of other Euro-
pean countries; what are the principal mineral products, and where
are the deposits located?
The mineral resources of Asia Minor are said to be great. What
factors tend to prevent their exploitation and development? (See en-
cyclopedia.)
Scandinavia.
In proportion to world production what are the most important
mineral products of Norway and Sweden?
Where are these deposits located geographically and with respect
to transportation facilities?
Is Scandinavia's fuel supply sufficient; where is it located?
What is the relative importance of the mineral industry compared
with other industries?
What minerals are exported; what imported?
What countries receive most of the mineral exports and supply the
imports ?
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Russia.
In what mineral products does Russia lead the world?
Where are these deposits located, and how are they related to means
of transportation?
In what minerals does Russia excel other European countries ?
Where are these deposits located, and how are they related to means
of transportation?
What bearing have these deposits upon military activity in the pres-
ent war?
What is the relative importance of the mineral industry to agricul-
ture and other industries?
What influences tend to oppose the development of Russian mineral
resources ?
European Mineral Localities.
The principal mineral localities in European countries are as follows
(the chief locality is shown by italics) :
United Kingdom: coal — Newcastle, Glasgow, Cardiff: iron — Cleve-
land, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Cumberland, Lancashire;
tungsten — Cornwall; bauxite — Antrim; tin — Cornwall; salt — near
Liverpool.
France: coal — Valenciennes; petroleum — Aumance (Allier), Autnn;
iron — French Lorraine; tungsten — Limousin- Auvergne ; lead and zinc
— Dept. of Gard; gold — LaLucette; phosphate — near Arras; pyrite —
Sain Bel (Lyon) ; bauxite — Provence; antimony — LaLucette; graphite
— Hautes-Alpes ; salt — Meurthe et Moselle.
Germany: coal — Ruhr, Lower Lausitz, Lower Rhine, Thuringia,
Upper Silesia, Saar; petroleum — Alsace, Bavaria and Hanover; iron
— German Lorraine, Luxemburg, Siegerland, Nassau-Upper Hesse;
nickel — Frankenstein ; tungsten — Erzgebirge ; molybdenum — Sadisdorf ;
copper — Mansfeld; lead and zinc — Upper Silesia, Rhine, Erzgebirge,
Hartz; silver — Mansfeld; potash — Strassfurt, Alsace; pyrite — Meg-
gen (Westphalia); graphite — Passau; salt — Prussia.
Austria-Hungary: coal — Bohemia (brown coal). Upper Silesia
(coking coal); petroleum — Galicia, Vienna; iron — Steiermark; tung-
sten— Erzgebirge ; molybdenum — Miess ; copper, lead, zinc — Miess;
gold — Zalatna district; silver — Bohemia; mercury — Idria; graphite —
Bohemia, Styria, Moravia, et al. ; magnesite — Veitsch (Steiermark);
salt — Galicia.
Russia: coal — Donets, Moscow; petroleum — Baku, Grosny, Maikop;
iron — Krivoi-Rog (iron ore), Nikopol, Tchiature, Kutais (manganese
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 47
ore), Urals (chromic iron); copper— Urals, Kedabek; platinum, gold
— 'Urals (and Siberia) ; phosphate — Moscow; pyrite — Ufa; mercury —
Nikitovka (Donetz Basin) ; salt — Ekaterinoslaf.
Belgium: coal — Mons, Charleroi, et al.
Italy : petroleum — Parma and Piacenza ; iron — Piedmont, Elba ; cop-
per— Tuscany; lead, zinc — Sardinia; gold — Piedmont; silver — Sar-
dinia; pyrite — Tuscany; sulphur — Sicily; mercury — Mount Amiata;
bauxite — Lecce ; graphite — Pinerolo ; salt — Sicily, Calabria.
Norway: nickel — Evje; copper — Roros, Foldalen, et al.; silver —
Kongsberg ; pyrite — Trondhj em.
Sweden: coal — Malmohus and Kristiansted ; iron — Norbotten
(Kiruna, et al), Grangesberg; copper, lead, zinc — Ammeberg (Got-
land) ; pyrite — Falun.
Spain : coal — Oviedo ; iron — Vizcaya; tungsten — Pontevedra ; molyb-
denum— Granada.
Spain and Portugal: copper — Huelva; lead — Linares-La-Carolina,
Murcia; silver — Linares-La-Carolina; potash — Cardona; pyrite —
Huelva; mercury — Almaden; salt — Cadis, Alicante.
The Netherlands : coal — Heerlen and Kerkrade.
Switzerland: salt — Rhone Valley.
Rumania : oil — Prahova ( Wallac'hia) ; salt — Valcea, Bacau.
Servia: copper — Bor (Nish) ; pyrite — Majdan Pek.
Greece: iron — Thessaly; lead, zinc — Laurium; pyrite — Saloniki;
magnesite — Euboea ; salt — Laurium.
Turkey: copper — Arghana Maden; lead — Aleppo, Kossova, Kona;
zinc — Adana; gold — Thessaly and Macedonia; silver, lead — Aleppo,
Kossova.
The war uses of these minerals and the relative independence of
the United States, so far as minerals are concerned, are discussed in
Chapter VIII of Military Geology and Topography, listed among the
reference books.
Manufacturing in Europe.
Europe is particularly fitted to be a manufacturing country in each
of the following respects: (1) climate, (2) agricultural possibilities
at home, (3) topography or relief, (4) mineral resources, and (5)
the possibility of bringing food and raw materials from abroad. In
practically every one of these it is more favored than any of the other
continents. In order to see how far this is true, work out the fol-
lowing problems.
A. Determine the extent to which the different countries of Europe
48 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
are engaged in manufacturing industries, and compare this with the
figures for other countries. From the encyclopedia or other reference
book make a table showing the approximate value per capita of the
exports of manufactured goods from ten or more countries of Europe,
and from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina,
Brazil, Japan, China, Siam, India, and Persia. Exports are used rather
than the actual total of manufactured goods because statistics of ex-
ports are readily available, while those of total manufactures are not
kept in most countries. The per capita basis is necessary in order that
the degree of manufacturing in small countries may be fairly com-
pared with that in large.
On an outline map of the world place in their proper locations the
per capita figures for each of the twenty countries in your table.
Shade the five having the largest figures. Use another and lighter
kind of shading for the next five, and a still lighter kind for the
third five.
B. You now have before you a map showing the approximate dis-
tribution of manufacturing industries* The next step is to compare
this distribution with the five geographical conditions mentioned at
the beginning of this exercise. Turn back to the problem on the cli-
mate of Europe, page 16. On the map prepared in that exercise
how do the areas where the climate is most favorable to human health
and activity compare with the areas where manufacturing is carried
on mos^- largely ? What conclusion do you draw from this ?
C. Turn to the Atlas of World Agriculture and to the table of
food production, page 38. From these determine how the countries
that are most heavily shaded on your manufacturing map compare with
the others in the following respects: (1) the total production of staple
crops, such as wheat, barley, rye, oats, sugar, and rice; (2) the total
number of cattle, horses, and sheep; (3) the per capita production of
staple crops and of animals ; and (4) the per acre production of crops
and animals. How far does this comparison indicate that even if no
food were imported from abroad the countries that are prominent in
manufacturing would be able to produce food enough for a compara-
tively dense population, and thus would have a good labor supply to
furnish the necessary workmen for factories?
D. The relation of relief to manufacturing depends largely upon
transportation and will be discussed in a succeeding section. Turn
back, however, to the problem on the relief of Europe, page 15.
What relation do the five countries where manufacturing is most highly
EUROPE AS A WHOLE 49
developed, that is, where the per capita production is highest, bear
to the western lowland? In each of the five countries make a Hst
of the manufacturing cities having a population of over 200,000.
Where are they located in reference to the plain? What does this
indicate as to the relation of relief to manufacturing?
E, In order to determine whether the presence of coal and iron
are determining factors in the development of manufacturing, turn to
the encyclopedia or Stateman's Yearbook, and prepare a table showing
in parallel columns the production of (1) coal, (2) iron ore, and (3)
iron, in each of the following countries: Britain, Belgium, Germany,
France, Spain, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria-Hungary,
and Russia. Convert these figures into a per capita basis. On this
basis how closely do the five countries that stand highest (a) in coal,
(b) in iron ore, and (c) in iron compare with the five that stand high-
est in manufacturing? What do you conclude from this as to the rela-
tive value of coal and of iron ore in stimulating manufacturing? Re-
member that aside from human energy iron and coal are the two great
essentials of manufacturing. Does the table indicate that manufactur-
ing flourishes most in coal regions or in regions where iron ore is
produced? Does it show that iron ore goes to the coal fields to be
smelted or that the coal goes to the iron mines?
F. The possibility of bringing food and raw materials from abroad
has already been shown in the problem on the position of Europe
(page 14). In order to bring out the facts more clearly prepare
a table showing the five chief imports of the five countries that are
most heavily shaded on your manufacturing map. What is the nature
of the imports to the manufacturing countries? How do the imports
compare in character and value per capita with the imports to the non-
manufacturing countries? If these imports were cut off what would
be the effect upon the life of the people in the two sets of countries?
European Transportation.
A. Europe is a natural center of transportation. In order to see
how much it excels all the other continents in this respect :
1. Compare the railroad mileage of Europe with that of the United
States (a) per 100 square miles, (b) per 100 population.
2. Compare the length of the coast lines of Europe and the United
States.
3. Compare the mileage of navigable rivers in Europe and the
United States.
50 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
4. Compare the mileage of canals in Europe and the United States.
B. One of Europe's great advantages is the ease with which coal
and iron, the two greatest fundamentals of manufacture, can be
brought to the seacoast. In order to appreciate the importance of
this factor make the following investigation:
1. Ascertain the distance from the sea to the chief British, French,
Belgian, and German coal fields. Compare this with the distance from
tidewater to the coal fields of Pittsburgh, Colorado, Western Canada,
and Russia. Compare the European distances with the distances from
the Pittsburgh coal fields to Boston. Also compare the chances to
use water transportation from these different fields.
2. Compare the distance and difficulty of getting iron ore from
the shores of Lake Superior— for example, from Hibbing, Minn. — to
Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Chicago with the distance and difficulty of
getting it either from northern Sweden by way of a Norwegian port,
or from Bilbao to Glasgow in Scotland, New Castle in England, or
Cardiff in Wales.
.C. From the encyclopedia, the Statesman's Yearbook, or the table
in this book (page 45), prepare a table showing in parallel columns
the production of (1) iron ore, (2) iron, and (3) coal in each of the
following countries : the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, France,
Spain, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria and Hungary,
and Russia.
What does this show as to the relative importance of ore and coal in
the production of iron? Add to your table a column showing the
amount of coal imported to each country and the approximate source
of the coal. What does this suggest as to the extent to which coal is
taken to the ore compared with the extent to which the ore is taken
to the coal.
Now add to the table the imports of cotton, lumber, and grain. Does
the amount of the last three products depend on the amount of coal?
What does this indicate as to the relation of a supply of coal and
hence of mechanical power to the character and volume of imports?
Sum up the result of this by stating how the easy conditions of trans-
portation in Europe tend to increase manufacturing by their effect
upon the movement of coal, iron, cotton, lumber and grain.
D. One of the most striking conditions in the present war has been
the effect of paralyzation of transportation in Russia. In order to
understand this, picture what would happen in the United States if the
Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico were closed for a few years. Then
EUROPE AS A WHOLE
51
suppose that the Atlantic ports were also closed. Call to mind the
railroad freight situation during 1918, and try to make an estimate of
the chief kinds of business that would be paralyzed under such condi-
tions. Remember that both imports and exports would be cut off from
the Atlantic and the Gulf and from much of Canada. Remember, too,
that while the United States is 3,000 miles wide and has half a dozen
transcontinental railroads, Russia and Siberia form a land mass twice
as wide and have only one transcontinental railroad.
P
PART II
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE.
The British Isles.
I. The Insularity of Britain and Its Relation to the Character of the
British People.
General statement — ^Unlike the other countries of Europe the United
Kingdorri is insular. Not only was England far removed from the
early civilizations of the Mediterranean and central and western
Europe, but it was separated by the "silver streak" of the English
Channel and by the North Sea from ready contact with these earlier
civilizations on the continent. This isolation from the rest of Europe
is largely responsible for the late entrance of England as a strong
force into the affairs of Europe. For many centuries England was
a pastoral country, little known, without trade or commerce except as
the trade was carried on by continental peoples who came to the out-
of-the-way British shores for what small trade they could secure. The
invasions of England by north European peoples — the Danes, Angles,
Saxons, and Normans — were so widely spaced in time and so limited
in extent because of the water boundaries that there was given the
opportunity for the welding together of all into a more or less homo-
geneous group on the lowland sections of England. Only in the dis-
tant highlands of Wales and Scotland and on the still more isolated
island of Ireland were the aboriginal or older races and customs given
a chance to survive, as they have done in the distinctive groups of
people — the Welch, Scotch, and Irish.
But while the water separated England from the continent it did
not wholly isolate. Not only did various peoples from time to time
cross the narrow channel, bringing new blood and new ideas to the
island, but as Europe developed in civilization England soon felt the
new influences and was greatly affected by them. In fact, as England
grew in power, as she absorbed or developed a new civilization, she
even attempted to extend her control across the channel to French
soil. But the strength of the natural water boundaries asserted it-
self, and Britain again became and has remained wholly insular, de-
52
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 53
veloping her own language, institutions, and customs that mark off
England's culture from that of the continent as sharply as the water
boundaries make a physical separation.
But while the separating waters left the English destinct from Europe
racially and politically, England was able to profit commercially and
intellectually by her close proximity to the mainland. This advantage
was further increased by the fact that England lies opposite the great
rich lowland region of Europe with its rivers all pointing toward the
similarly rich lowlands and rivers of England. The plains of England
and of Europe face each other, inviting commerce. It might be
thought that this fact would bring no greater advantage to England
than to the countries lying opposite on the continent. But it is here
that the value of England's separation is made clear. While the rich
open plains of the continent were overrun with armies, England was
protected from invasion by the separating waters. Hence, the Eng-
lish could develop in peace, while their neighbors across the channel
were destroying each others cities and crops and population. Eng-
land's insular position meant centuries of peace to England, while all
the rest of Europe was again and again devastated by war. Further-
more, since the surrounding waters were a- natural protection, England
had no need of a large army, such as has so long drained the man-
power of the continental nations. A powerful navy, to be sure, has
developed as Britain's military protection, but even a large navy makes
relatively small demands upon manpower as compared to an army.
Hence, the English people, while a part of Europe, have lived aloof,
feeling "secure and cocksure" in their island home, relying implicity
on the sea and the navy for their protection.
Closely associated with England's insular position is the English-
man's love of personal liberty. The Englishman is an individualist.
Protected by nature from foreign invasion, cooperative effort has not
been imperative, as it has been, for example, in Germany where the
constant fear of outside invasion has encouraged collective effort and
dependence upon strong military leaders. As a consequence, the Eng-
lishman early developed a strong feeling of personal independence.
Personal liberty and freedom of personal action are leading charac-
teristics of the English, manifesting themselves alike in his political,
economic, and commercial life. He chafes under restraint, can in no
way sympathize with the docile submission of the German to central
authority, and is constantly seeking more and more to enlarge the
circle of his personal powers and individual liberties. In other words,
54 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
the Englishman has been a leader in the world's struggle for democ-
racy. The center of the Englishman's thought is the individual rather
than the state.
Questions and Problems. — 1. Determine the width of the English
Channel between Dover and Calais; between Portsmouth and Cher-
bourg; of the North Sea between Margate and Ostend; between Helgo-
land and Hull; between Scotland and Norway.
2. The English Channel has been called the "corridor to Europe."
Discuss the appropriateness of this term. What facts of location and
physical geography ■ have helped to give England control of this
corridor ?
3. Give concrete illustrations of "international wars that were
devastating Europe, while England developed in peace."
4. Why have the submarine and the aeroplane been more effective
instruments of warfare for Germany than for England in the World
War?
5. Study the map for the geographic reasons that have contributed
to England's interest in Belgium and her willingness to defend Bel-
gium's reutrality.
H. England — the Leader in the World's Commerce.
For a long time England has been known as the "ruler of the
waves," since British ships have carried the bulk of the world's com-
merce. The British flag has been seen most commonly on the high
seas and in the ports of the world. Wherever there have been goods
to carry, there ply British ships. Rivers in the heart of Siberia, mid-
ocean islands, tropical ports, as well as the great ocean highways, all
know British ships.
The logical question, therefore, is Why did "England become the
leader of the world's commerce? The answer as far as geography
is concerned is found in the following conditions:
1. The island home of the British.
2. The central position of England in relation to the land hemi-
sphere.
3. The many excellent harbors of England.
4. Rich deposits of coal and iron.
5. A climate which gives the people great energy.
6. The need of great quantities of raw materials for factories at
home.
7. The great quantities of finished products to be distributed.
8. The need of contact with many colonies.
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 55
Show carefully and in detail how each one of these eight geo-
graphical conditions has helped England become the leader in the
world's commerce. This can be done in part by working out the prob-
lems suggested in the following pages. Commerce and manufacturing
are so closely connected that it is almost impossible to consider one
without the other.
III. Manufacturing Industries and Trade of Great Britain.
A. General Statement.
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries England rapidly
developed into the most important manufacturing and commercial
nation of the world. This growth was due to many reasons, of which
the geographic are most potent. Geographic factors largely deter-
mined not only that Great Britain should be a manufacturing nation,
but also pointed the way along which manufacturing should develop.
These factors may be summarized as follows:
1. Geographical position. — Under this head two influences are
clear: First, England's separation from the continent gave the long
period of peace which, in the hands of an energetic people, greatly
favored the growth of industry. The destructive wars on the continent
not only hindered industrial development there, but also gave England
the opportunity to develop markets for her manufactured goods.
When, finally, peace came to Europe, England's industry and its ac-
companying trade were already developed and the markets of the
world in her hands. A second advantage comes from the unusual com-
mercial facilities offered by Britain's position, combined with her
excellent harbors. Raw materials can be brought cheaply by steam-
ship from all parts of the world to England and the manufactured
products likewise readily distributed. For trade connections with
north Europe and with North America the position of the British
Isles is unequaled.
2. Climate. — A second geographic advantage of Great Britain is
her climate. No other country comes nearer to having both the ideal
temperature for physical work in summer and the ideal for mental
work in winter. Moreover, the weather possesses a high degree of
variability and thus is most stimulating. The healthy, ruddy English
complexion, the English fondness for long walks, and the universal
passion for out-of-door games, like football and cricket, are all evi-
dences of the great energy and good health that result from the
English climate. That same health and energy were important reasons
56 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
why England was one of the first countries to take up manufacturing
and whj she easily holds her own, although wages in England are
higher than in any other European country.
3. Coal. — A third advantage possessed by Great Britain for the de-
velopment of trade and manufacturing was coal. Large deposits of
the highest-grade steam coal are found in several places both inland and
on the seacoast. Although factory manufacturing began with the use
of the abundant water power produced by the heavy rainfall on the
Pennine Mountains, the presence of coal gave the opportunity for
industrial and commercial expansion. Coal not only became the chief
source of power for manufacturing, but it made possible the develop-
ment of iron smelting and enabled the fast iron steamship to sur-
plant or supplement the slow wooden sailing boat. Hence, coal gave
England unsurpassed advantages, both for power and for transporta-
tion, the two factors most necessary for industrial development.
4. Raw Materials. — In raw materials for her developing industries
England was relatively poor. Only two have been of first importance.
Wool production has long been very important, furnishing material for
a large woolen industry in addition to an export of raw wool. Iron
ore deposits laid the foundation, together with coal, for the large iron,
machinery, and ship-building industries, although in recent years Eng-
land has been importing increasing quantities of ore as her own iron
deposits have declined. With the best location in the world, a climate
that is almost ideal, an abundance of coal, a good supply of easily
accessible iron ore, and a fair supply of wood, England was in a
position to outstrip all competitors. Her deposits of coal and her
geographical position have made it easily possible to import all sorts of
raw materials for her industries and food for her workers. She pays
for these with her manufactured goods and with the profits she is mak-
ing from the great merchant marine that has grown hand in hand with
her manufacturing industries. These have made England at the same
time both the leading manufacturing and the leading commercial nation
of the world.
B. Imports and Exports.
1. Make a list of the 5 leading imports into Great Britain and their
value under each of the following headings: (1) raw materials; (2)
foods; C3) manufactured products. From what part of the world do
these imports mainly come?
2. Make a similar list for exports, stating the chief countries of
destination.
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 57
3. Of the exported manufactured goods given in question 2, which
ones depend to any considerable extent upon domestic raw materials?
4. (a) Compare England's facilities for obtaining iron ore for her
blast- furnaces in southern Wales with the facilities of the Pittsburgh
district for obtaining supplies of iron ore. (This question involves a
comparison of the distance of Pittsburgh from the Lake Superior iron
ore deposits and of the means of transporting the ore to Pittsburgh, on
the one hand, with the distance of south Wales from the Spanish or
Swedish iron ore deposits and the means of transportation, on the
other hand.)
(b) Is the English or American steel region best situated for the
development of an iron and steel industry for export? For domestic
consumption ?
5. Compare old England with New England as to facilities for
securing wheat, meats', and dairy products for their large industrial
populations. (Assume that both regions find it equally impossible to
produce sufficient food for their own consumption.)
6. Compare the cost of transporting cotton from Galveston, Texas,
to Boston, Mass., with the cost of transporting it from Galveston to
Liverpool. Also compare the cost of getting coal to Maine from West
Virginia and to Manchester from the nearest coal field.
7. Draw conclusions from the answers to the foregoing questions,
and similar questions that will suggest themselves, as to comparative
advantages or disadvantages of England and of the industrial sections
of other countries in securing raw materials and food.
8. What reasons can you suggest for England's policy of colonial
expansion? What facts have aided her in this expansion?
9. Is the British Empire, that is, the Unitevi Kingdom and all its
colonies, economically independent of the rest of the world? Examine
the colonies for the products they send to England and try to dis-
cover what important products necessary for the development of a
modern nation are not, or can not be, secured from England's colonial
possessions. Compare with France and Germany.
C. The Importance of Cotton Manufacturing to Great Britain.
1. Prepare a table showing the number of cotton spindles in the
leading countries of the world for 1913. What per cent is found in
Great Britain? in Germany? in the United States? in all of Europe
outside of Great Britain.
2. Make a table showing in one column the amounts and sources
of raw cotton imports by quantity and value ; in a second column show
58 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
the value and destination of cotton goods exported from Great Britain.
3. What proportion of the wage earners of Great Britain are em-
ployed in cotton mills? in woolen mills.
4. Over 83 per cent of England's cotton manufacturing is in the
Lancashire district. Enumerate the reasons for this concentration of
the industry, paying attention to the effect (a) of position both upon
imports and exports, (b) of climate both upon man and upon cotton
fiber, and (c) of coal.
D. England's Merchant Marine.
1. Find a table of the tonnage of the merchant marine of the lead-
ing commercial nations of the world for the year 1913. Arrange this
in order of size. Rearrange according to tonnage per capita. What
does this rearrangement suggest as to England's relation to other
maritime countries?
2. What percentage of the world's tonnage was controlled by
England in 1913? by Germany? by the alHed and neutral countries of
northwestern Europe combined, that is, Britain, the Netherlands, Bel-
gium, Norway, Sweden, and France? Obtain estimates of the tonnage
that has been sunk by submarines, and discuss the German submarine
policy in the light of these facts.
France.
I. Effect of the Double Sea Front.
General Statement.
France is the only country of Europe which borders upon two seas
and is open to their influences. Its frontage upon the Atlantic Ocean
on the north and west and upon the Mediterranean Sea on the south
give it a great advantage. Spain, to be sure, borders upon the same
bodies of water, but the mountainous rim of its high plateau shuts out
the influence of the ocean. As the result of a two-fold frontage
the history of France has been closely allied with that of Italy on the
one hand and England on the other. Because influences from the south
could penetrate so easily, France has long been the chief Latin nation.
Caesar, who is more read than any other Latin author, carried on his
wars in France largely because of the easy entrance through the Medi-
terranean doorway. In many parts of southern France, Roman ruins
are almost as abundant and magnificent as in Italy. Northern France,
on the other hand, was the country of the Gauls and was the region
whence the ancestors of the British passed over to their island home.
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 59
The Norman Conquest was the last great movement of the so-called
Nordic or Teutonic population. Perhaps the fact that the Latins from
the Mediterranean and the Nordics from the Atlantic regions met
mainly in France is the reason for the versatility of the French
people. In modern days the openness of France to the south has been
one reason why she has been regarded as the chief Roman Catholic
nation. It has caused her to become the protector of the Roman
Catholics in the east and of other Christians in Syria. The sea front
on the north, on the other hand, causes France to have an enormous
trade with England and with the United States and has been an im-
portant reason why the Great War found France, England, and Amer-
ica fighting side by side on French soil.
Commercially, France shows the same division in accordance with
its two oceanic fronts. In the south, the imports consist of oriental
products, such as peanuts. Mail steamers for Egypt, India, and the
Far East make Marseilles one of their chief termini. In northern
France, the imports and exports are quite different from those of the
south. Cotton is brought from America, woven into high-grade textiles,
and exported in the form of beautiful articles of dress to England
and America.
The manufactures of France naturally differ in part because of the
countries to which the two coasts give access. In the south, factories
for the production of olive oil and peanut oil, for example, are im-
portant. In the north, cotton mills use material that comes across
the Atlantic. In the south, the exports of manufactured articles con-
sist of relatively crude products, such as gaudy cloth for the people
of Algeria. In the north, the exports consist of the finest grade of
materials together with highly finished metal products.
Again, the colonial history of France is bound up with the fact that
it has two sea frontages. The southern front is responsible for the
African colonies of Algeria and Tunis and, to a less degree, for the
Asiatic colonies near China. Marseilles is noted for its colonial insti-
tute. The colonial ventures of France across the Atlantic have not
fared so well as those on the Mediterranean front. Canada promised
to be a great French colony, as did Louisiana, but the promise was
never kept.
Still another result of the double sea front is that France has
resorts on the seacoast for both summer and winter. Nice and the
neighboring regions attract the pleasure seeker in the winter, while the
Norman coast is almost equally attractive in the summer.
6o THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
Specific Problems.
1. Harbors. — In order to estimate the effect produced by the two
sea fronts compare the main harbors upon the Atlantic and Mediter-
ranean coasts. How many cities of over 100,000 population lie on
each? How do they compare in size and influence? What does this
indicate as to the relative importance of the Mediterranean and Atlantic
trade? How do the harbors on the two fronts compare in shelter,
depth of water, etc.? Use an encyclopedia.
2. Navigable Rivers. — From an encyclopedia or some similar
source determine the four chief navigable rivers of France. Name
and locate the cities of over 100,000 population upon each. What hin-
drances to navigation exist in each, and how are they overcome? In
view of the navigability of the rivers and the size of the cities upon
them, what do you conclude as to the relative accessibility of France
from the two seas?- How does this help to account for the fact that in
early days France was primarily a Mediterranean country while in
later days her interests have become more closely connected with the
Atlantic?
3. The Exports and Imports. — From an encyclopedia, make a list
of the five chief exports from Marseilles and from each of the two
main northern ports. To what countries do these exports chiefly
go? Are the raw materials which enter into them largely of foreign
or domestic origin? As a help in answering this last question make a
list of the five chief imports to the northern and southern ports. Where
do these imports come from, what are they mainly used for? On the
basis of these facts compare the northern trade with the southern.
4. Colonies. — List the chief African colonies together with their
total trade with France. How large is the French population of
Algeria, which contains most of the French colonists? Compare the
figures for the total volume of trade between France and its colonies
with the similar figures for the total volume of trade between England
and Canada. Compare the number of French living in Algeria with
the number of French-speaking inhabitants of Canada. On the basis
of these figures and any other facts at your disposal, write down your
conclusions as to whether France is benefited more by the colonies tribu-
tary to its Mediterranean front than it would have been had it retained
the colonies tributary to its Atlantic front.
II. Expression of Artistic Temperament.
France is among the world's most energetic nations. Geographical
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 6i
conditions have favored this development. The country lies in such a
latitude as to have energizing temperatures. The summers are not
too warm for vigorous exertions, and the winters are mild enough
to make outdoor work a pleasure. Moreover, the westerly winds from
the norih Atlantic, alternating with winds from other directions, bring
a variety of temperatures even within a short space of time, so that
man is continually stimulated in his work. The rainfall is also en-
couraging. All over France it is sufficient to make farming successful.
Hence it promises ample reward to the laborers on the farms.
Nations vary greatly in responding to the energizing climate of
temperate regions. Some who live in regions endowed with coal and
iron deposits turn to manufacturing and show their energy of mind and
body by the quantity and quality of their products. Others with ex-
cellent harbors spend their energy in commerce. Still others respond
in other channels, such as militarism. The French, who live in a
country having neither great mineral deposits nor many excellent
harbors, but who are born with an artistic temperament, expend their
energy along artistic lines.
The artistic quality of the French shows in many ways. The follow-
ing are samples :
1. Manufactured products.
(a) Fabrics, silks, embroideries. (Artistic quality especially
shown in colors and designs.)
(b) Scientific instruments.
(c) Chinaware and glass.
(d) Jewelry.
(e) Wines.
(f) Canned goods, like sardines and petits pois.
2. City planning.
(a) Radial street plan.
(b) Boulevards. (The word itself is French.)
(c) Supervision of height and type of buildings.
3. Architecture.
(a) Cathedrals.
(b) Arches.
(c) Bridges.
(d) Chateaus.
Problem.
Select one of the three lines in which France shows her artistic
quality, and carefully investigate it for an oral or written report.
62 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
For instance, if "manufactured products" be one of those selected,
visit stores where they are likely to be on sale, and study their quality.
Try to find out in each case how the artistic quality of the French
shows itself. Scientific instruments can probably be found for in-
spection in the laboratories of your university.
Most of the research work needed in the other lines of investigation
must be done with books, magazines, and encyclopedias.
Germany.
I. Scientific Agriculture in Germany.
Germany in recent decades has made great progress in the develop-
ment of scientific agriculture. Reasons for this development are partly
geographic and partly economic.
Climate. — The climate of Germany partakes both of the marine and
of the continental, being comparatively mild 'and moist in the west
and more dry and extreme in the east. The difference is not suffi-
cient, however, to cause any great divergence between the crops of
the two sections. Between the north and the south there is not much
difference of climate because the greater altitude of the south counter-
acts the warming effect of lower latitude. Hence, the range of crops
is relatively limited.
Soil. — The geological structure and, therefore, the soil of south
Germany is complicated and can not be briefly characterized, but on the
whole it is relatively poor compared with soils such as occur in the
American prairies. The great plain of north Germany is composed of
recent sediments overlain in large part by glacial deposits. These give
rise to light and sandy soils over large areas. To secure adequate
yields from such soil requires constant attention, the application of
chemical fertilizers, and the employment of chemical analysis to correct
the acid condition of the soil.
Population, Labor, and Markets. — Manufacturing and commerce
grew up in Germany for much the same geographic reasons as in
England, except that Germany is not insular and hence is not England's
equal in ocean commerce. With the growth of manufacturing in Ger-
many, large markets for agricultural products began to appear in the
various industrial centers. At the same time these industrial centers
furnished cheap labor. In order to provide food for the growing
population, it was necessary for German farmers to reorganize their
crop systems and to intensify production by the utilization of seasonal
labor, by the application of chemical fertilizers, and by other scientific
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 63
methods. Thus, the geographic conditions of (1) favorable position,
(2) stimulating climate, (3) easily available coal and iron, (4) re-
stricted opportunities for ocean commerce, (5) a soil of only moderate
fertility, and (6) a climate rather cool for the most profitable agricul-
ture led to the growth of scientific agriculture and to the establishment
of many agricultural schools. Explain the part played by each step in
this process.
Ownership. — In the east of Germany are many large landed estates,
but in the country as a whole relatively small farms predominate. The
intensive cultivation which results from small farms and relatively
cheap labor led to the introduction of special crops which require much
hand labor and which yield relatively large returns. The cool and
moist summers and the long pleasant autumns caused root crops, espe-
cially the potato and sugar beet, to be the crops largely chosen for this
purpose. Although the sugar beet was first developed by the French,
it was taken up by the Germans and improved to a much higher point
of productivity. The desire to develop this crop was an important
factor in stimulating the Germans to a study of soil chemistry and
of the other sciences involved in scientific farming. Further stimulus
to the industry was lent by forms of governmental protection. In 1914
Germany was one of the largest sugar exporters of the world.
Sugar-raising region of northern Germany. — (See Atlas of World
Agriculture.)
(l)Make tables of normal sugar production, total consumption, and
consumption per capita for the six chief European countries and for
the United States, Brazil, Egypt, India, and Japan.
(2) Note the temperature, rainfall, and commerce in countries
with large sugar production. Put these conditions in statistical form
in a table.
(3) Note the rainfall, temperature, soil, and vegetation in the part
of Germany where sugar beets are raised most abundantly.
(4) Pick out other parts of the world and especially of Europe
where similar geographic conditions prevail. Make a table showing
their relation to sugar-raising.
(5) Compare the demand for sugar with its production. Work
out the connection between the two. In doing this consider- the trans-
portation facilities and political relations between the great sugar-
consuming countries and the chief sources of cane sugar.
(6) Sum up your conclusions as to the reasons why Germany is
64 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
preeminent in sugar-raising. Discuss these conclusions in relation to
the improvement in the quality of the sugar beet.
II. Relation of Mineral Deposits to Industry and
Technical Education,
General Facts. — The great mineral belt of Europe extends in a gen-
eral east-west direction across the continent from northern France and
Belgium to northern Austria. It lies chiefly in the border region be-
tween the low plains of the north and the highlands of the south. Here,
coal and iron, together with less important minerals, have marked out
a great industrial region extending through northern France, Belgium,
Luxemburg, the Rhine Valley, southwestern Prussia, Saxony, Bo-
hemia, and southern Poland. Hence, we find here the belt of densest
population.
The German Empire as a nation was late in entering the intense
European competition for world trade. As soon as the race was entered,
however, the leaders of thought recognized the necessity of education
in order to surpass their competitors. Since Germany was not so
well situated for commerce as its great rival, England, it was necessary,
also, that the products manufactured in Germany should have a high
value in proportion to their bulk. This could be secured by producing
goods which required a high degree of skill or technical knowledge.
In addition to this, Germany's unfavorable frontiers and crowded
position in the heart of Europe joined with other causes in leading to
militarism. Hence, during the development of German industries there
was a constant attempt to shape them in such a way that they could be
utilized for military purposes. The fact that dye factories, for example,
can readily be turned into munition works was one reason why the
German government fostered the manufacture of dyes from coal tar.
Problems.
1. From the encyclopedia or other source obtain a list of the salts
and other minerals mined in Germany. Compare this with a similar
list for England. What is "kainite," and why should it be named in
this connection? Explain how the presence of minerals in Germany
has guided the activity of the Germans into chemical industries and
stimulated technical education? Name as many industries as possible
which are founded largely on chemistry and are highly developed in
Germany.
2. In some good atlas find the region of densest population in
Germany, Mark off this region on an outline map. On your outline
map blacken the regions that produce coal, and shade with some other
k
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 65
color the regions producing iron. Do the coal and iron regions lie
near each other? How do the regions of coal and iron correspond
with the regions of greatest density of population?
3. Next, mark off on your map the regions of greatest manufacture,
or the industrial regions. What criterion can you use for determining
industrial regions? What is the relation of the industrial regions to
the regions of coal and iron and of densest population?
4. Locate on your map at least ten of the largest cities of Germany.
How many of these, and which ones, appear to be related to the coal
and iron regions either directly or indirectly? What is the greatest
commercial city of Germany? Can you see any way in which its great
commerce may be due, at least in part, to the industrial regions ? What
articles are manufactured in the region of densest population? From
what raw materials are these things made? Where are these raw
materials obtained? What becomes of the finished products? What
necessities of the people of this region must be supplied from outside
sources? Where were these things obtained before the war?
5. Compare the value of some chemical product with the value of
the raw material from which it is produced, for example, dyes and
coal tar. Mark on your map the chief cities known to be large manu-
facturers of chemicals. What are the factors entering into the high
cost of chemical products?
6. How many great universities are there in Germany? Mark off
any equal area in the United States and see if it includes an equal
number of equally great universities. (Compare by number of pro-
fessors employed or number of students enrolled.) What can you find
out from reading concerning the number of technical and trade schools
in Germany below university grade? Find the per cent of illiteracy
in Germany and in the United States.
Summary. — Sum up all you have found concerning the relationships
existing in Germany between technical education, chemical industries,
and the presence of mineral deposits. In this connection the following
articles are of interest:
Germany's Stolen Chemistry, by Townes R. Leigh, Manufacturer's
Record, page 63, August 22, 1918 ; Germany's Real Position in Chemi-
cal World, American Exporters, September, 1918.
Belgium.
The Effect of Location on War and on. Commerce.
General Statements.
Belgium is located in the central part of western Europe. Its sea-
66 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
coast of 42 miles is on the English Channel, opposite London. Belgium
lies directly between Berlin and London, and its eastern portion is
directly between Berhn and Lajis,
Belgium is nearly flat and very little above sea level. Only in die
southeastern portion are there altitudes in excess of 2,000 feet. T}us
absence of high altitudes has favored the development of a wonder-
ful transportation system. Navigable rivers are numerous and have
been supplemented by a network of canals second only to those of
Holland. Railroads, both heavy and light, have been built extensively.
Electric and steam tramways are found in all the principal cities. The
roads are generally paved or macadamized. In this state of 11,373
square miles, there are 1,360 miles of navigable waterways, 2,900 miles
of main railways and 2,500 miles of light railways, and 6,000 miles
of roads.
Thus situated, unprovided with any natural barriers, and possessing
excellent means olt transportation, Belgium early became the "cock-
pit" of Europe. Imperialistic nations sought to control Belgium be-
cause of her central location. Her warring neighbors struck at each
other across her borders. Spain in the sixteenth century sought to
control Belgium, and from this country she struck at the Netherlands.
France made a conquest of Belgian territory in the seventeenth
century. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, Belgium was
made the battleground for the contending forces of England, the
Netherlands, and Spain against France. Austria and Holland to-
gether exercised control oyer Belgium for a period in the eighteenth
century. France conquered the country during the War of the Austrian
Succession but- was forced to return it to Austria at the close of that
war. In 1790, Austria suppressed a revolt of the Belgians. In 1792,
France struck at Austria at her weakest point — Belgium — and made
Belgium a part of France. The Battle of Waterloo was fought on
Belgian soil. Belgium was united with Holland to form the Kingdom
of the Netherlands, but in 1830 the Belgians revolted. A convention
of the five great powers met in London and secured the cessation of
hostilities and the independence of Belgium as "a neutral state," but
only after France had aided the revolutionists. It i^ noteworthy that
imperialistic Germany struck at France and Great Britain through
Belgium.
In a commercial sense, Belgium's location has been very favorable.
Located on the sea and possessing numerous waterways, she could
transport her heavy raw materials cheaply. Coal and iron ore could
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE ' 67
thus be brought together and iron and steel products manufactured at
a relatively low cost. Belgium has practically exhausted her native
deposits of iron ore, but she can import such ores from northern
France. The coal beds of Belgium are extensive. Sand abounds in
the coastal regions. Hence, before the v^ar, glass was manufactured on
a large scale. Limestone occurs in the coal fields. The manufacture of
cement is thus made possible and was conducted on a grand scale be-
fore the war. Two-thirds of the cement produced was exported, so
great was the output. There were many other industries, such as the
paper industry, manufacture of electrical appliances, of candles, of
enameled ware, of chemicals, of leather goods, and of jewelry.
Diamond-cutting was noteworthy. The production and exportation of
firearms was very extensive before the present war. Belgium is in the
heart of industrial Europe — across the English Channel to the west is
England, across the southern border lies the industrial section of
France, on the east is industrial Germany, and on the north the com-
mercial Netherlands.
Agriculture though carried on very extensively no longer produces
sufficient food to feed Belgium's people. Hence, the importation of
food in return for manufactured articles is very large. The soil is
sandy and poor along the coastal plain but responds to fertilization.
Before the war, gardens abounded everywhere — factory workers in
large numbers lived in suburbs and had their gardens to supply food
cheaply and thus counteract their low wages. Wheat, rye, and potatoes
were the leading crops. In proportion to her area, Belgium grew a
greater amount of wheat than the leading American wheat States —
Kansas, Minnesota, or North Dakota. Before the war, the produc-
tion of potatoes in Belgium was about sixty times as great per square
mile as in the United States, the population being about twenty times
as great per square mile. In spite of the high development of agricul-
ture, Belgium's population was too dense — the most densely populated
country in Europe — for the land to supply food and raw materials;
hence Belgium imported over a billion dollars' worth of such mate-
rials before the war. She met this outlay by exporting manufactured
articles. Her location, as we have seen, greatly facilitated such trade.
Specific Problems. .
1. On a map of western Europe note the direction and distance of
the railway lines from Berlin to Paris and to the ports on the English
Channel. Note also the location of mountains or high altitudes along
68 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
the border between Germany and France. From these, explain fully
why Germany struck at France through Belgium rather than through
Switzerland, under the following points: (a) the time element, (b)
movement of heavy artillery and great number of troops and war sup-
plies, (c) obtaining control of the transportation centers of France,
(d) anticipating war with England, (e) to make the greatest conquest.
2. The northern part of France possesses the only good iron ore
in the country and is the great manufacturing section of France.
Belgium also possesses some deposits of iron ore and considerable
coal beds, and great iron and steel manufactures. How are these
related to the choice of routes that Germany would take in order to
make the most strategic attack on France ?
3. In the lig'ht of the foregoing problems and their discussion, what
would be the probability of a permanent peace if the Germans were
not driven out of ^^elgium by force of arms? Discuss.
4. What factors growing out of the War might affect Belgium's
commercial position adversely, and what ones improve it?
5. What relation is there between the flatness of Belgium and the
rainy seasons, on the one band, and military campaigns, on the other?
6. In what ways did Belgium's skill in the manufacture of highly
finished products appeal to imperialistic Germany?
The Netherlands.
Commerce and Colonies in Relation to Climate and Position.
The Netherlands, one of the important commercial countries of the
world, is also one of the smallest countries. Its total land area is
about equal to the combined area of Massachusetts and Connecticut.
It has as many people as Illinois, although that State is 4>^ times as
large. In 1915 the population was approximately four-fifths that of
the Dominion of Canada, a country larger than the United States.
These Dutch people who live in such large numbers in so small a space
are prosperous, well educated, and maintain a high standard of living.
These facts lead at once to the question of how such a large population
can be supported in such a small country. The explanation lies in the
extensive commerce which is carried on by the Dutch. In order to
understand the factors which have influenced the development of this
commerce it is necessary to consider: (1) the early development of the
Netherlands' commerce and the acquisition of her colonial possessions,
(2) the fishing industry, (3) agriculture, (4) manufacturing, and (5)
trade and shipping at the present time. (See tables, pages 38 and 45.)
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 69
Development of Dutch Commerce. — The development of Dutch com-
merce was associated with the endeavors of a number of European na-
tions to trade with tropical countries which produce spice, sugar, rice,
and other commodities which at that time were almost unknown in
Europe. Until relatively modern times the food of northern Europe
was limited to the products grown at home. Without any of the
modern means of preserving meat or other food and without the potato
and many of the vegetables which now form an important part of the
food of poor people it is evident that the diet of even the wealthy
classes was monotonous. Consequently, during the early centuries
spice, sugar, and similar articles were brought from the Orient across
Asia Minor to Venice and Genoa, whence they were distributed to
northern Europe. In the .fifteenth century the activities of the Turks
closed the trade routes across Asia Minor, a fact which stimulated the
explorations which culminated in the discovery of America in 1492
and especially in the discovery by the Portuguese of the all-sea route
around Africa in 1498. The oriental trade then shifted to Portugal
and that country prospered accordingly.
In order to secure the much desired spice, sugar, and other oriental
products the Dutch developed a coasting trade with the Portuguese and
then became the principal distributors of these products to all north
Europe. This trade was the basis of Dutch commerce. In 1580 Spain
and Portugal were united under one government. One of the first
acts of the new government was to forbid the Dutch access to Lisbon
and the other Iberian ports. This was such a blow to the Dutch that
they shortly sent a fleet around Africa to the Orient where they built
up an important trade with the island of Java as a center. In order
to manage this trade the merchants of the Netherlands organized the
famous Dutch East India Company, which for a time was one of the
most influential commercial companies in the world. At the height of
its prosperity in 1669 it possessed 150 trading ships and 40 ships of
war, employed 10,000 soldiers, and paid a dividend of 40 per cent. In
time, the Dutch established colonies in South Africa, South America,
and the West Indies. It was the descendants of the Dutch colony at
the Cape of Good Hope that fought the British in the Boer War. The
Dutch have maintained their East Indian colonies and possessions un-
til the present time. They comprise a total area of approximately
735,000 square miles and have a population estimated at 48,000,000
and are so closely related to the mother country that nearly four-
fifths of their total export goes to the Netherlands.
70 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
In proof of the above statements look up (1) the population, (2)
the total commerce, (3) the merchant tonnage, and (4) the number
of depei}dents in the colonies of the Netherlands, Great Britain, France,
Italy, and the United States. Find the total commerce, merchant ton-
nage, and colonial dependents per 1,000 of the home population in
each country. On this basis, how does the Netherlands compare with
the others?
The Fishing Industry. — The fishing industry, which was in existence
as early as the thirteenth century, has been an important factor in the
development of the commerce of Holland. Beginning simply as a
means of supplementing the meager food supply of people living near
the coast, it developed into an important industry after the discovery
in the 14th century of a method of curing herring. The cod and her-
ring fisheries of the North Sea and contiguous waters furnished a
practical school for the training of the sailors who in later years
manned the ships which brought wealth and renown to the Nether-
lands and the other maritime countries of northern Europe. More-
over, the salt and dried cod and herring furnished a cheap and nutri-
tuous food to the slaves and natives who worked in the sugar and
other plantations in the East and West Indies.
Agriculture. — The Netherlands is a part of a great cattle-raising
and dairying section of Europe which extends from Brittany in north-
western France, through Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark to
southern Sweden. In the Netherlands, cattle-raising is the leading
agricultural interest, and the Dutch dairy products command respect in
England, Germany, and, in fact, wherever they are sold. Cattle-
breeding is carried on to some extent in all parts of the country, but
the provinces bordering on the Zuider Zee have the largest herds and
the finest cattle. In spite of the fact that abundant rainfall and numer-
ous fogs keep the pastures green throughout the year, an intensive
cultivation of fodder crops does not suffice to support the cattle, and
it is necessary to import much grain and other fodder. Before the
war, the Netherlands imported from the United States large quantities
of corn and cottonseed meal for this purpose. During the war these
importations were so curtailed that the Netherlands was forced to
slaughter large numbers of her cattle. A ready market for the beef
was found in Germany. This emergency demonstrates clearly how
dependent the Netherlands is on foreign commerce for the main-
tenance of her most important industry.
Manufacturing. — Like the dairy business the manufacturing in-
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 71
dustries of the Netherlands depend upon other countries for most of the
necessary raw materials and for a market for most of the finished
products. Outside of a little coal and some clay, the Netherlands has
few of the raw materials needed by manufacturing industries. How-
ever, nearness to English coal fields, access to the raw materials from
the territory drained by the Rhine, and control of the trade of her
colonies have led to the development of certain specialized manufac-
tures. Dutch brick, pottery, and eathenware long have been famous;
butter and cheese factories are found in nearly every village; and cot-
tons, woolens, and linens of high quality are produced.
Trade and Shipping. — The position of the Netherlands at the
mouth of the Rhine on the North Sea makes it one of the gateways
to the great plain of northern Europe. The Rhine and Schelde rivers
in their lower course divide into a number of distributaries which with
the Zuider Zee and other indentations of the sea constitute a series
of natural waterways. Certain of these, like the New Meuse at Rotter-
dam, have been so improved that they permit the entrance of the
largest ocean-going steamships while others have been canalized and
connected by canals so that the Netherlands has a complex system of
canals with a total length of 1,500 miles. The Rhine is of the utmost
importance to Dutch commerce. A large fleet of tug boats and barges
is maintained on it, and steam and gasoline-propelled barges are com-
mon. Down the river come barley and hops for the Dutch breweries ;
sand, gravel, and stone for building purposes ; lumber from the Black
Forest; and machinery and other manufactured goods from the Rhine
cities; while up the river goes a wealth of products from the Dutch
colonies and other foreign lands. In this connection it must be remem-
bered that the Netherlands is situated at the mouth of the most im-
portant waterway of Germany so that it is no wonder that Germany
looks enviously on Belgium and the Netherlands, the two small coun-
tries which lie across her most direct outlet to the Atlantic.
The cosmopolitan character of the trade and commerce of the
Netherlands is demonstrated by a survey of the principal imports and
exports. Spice, coffee, sugar, tobacco, and indigo come from Java and
the other East Indian islands; gasoline, raw cotton, and cereals from
the United States; coal and manufactured goods from England; iron
ore from Spain; grain from the Baltic provinces. Archangel, and the
Black Sea; and cereals, lumber, stone, and other products from Ger-
many. The export trade is almost as varied, for' the tropical product^
from the colonies go to Germany ; butter, cheese, fruits, and vegetables
72 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
to England; fish to Germany and Belgium; and a great variety of
manufactured and other goods to the Dutch colonies and other areas
served by the Dutch steamship lines. The bulk of the foreign trade
is with Germany, England, Java, Russia, and the United States. So
important has the trade between the Netherlands and these countries
become that the value of the total foreign trade more than trebled
during the last half of the nineteenth century. Because of its extensive
overseas interests the Netherlands, in addition to maintaining the Na-
tional Mail Service to the East and West Indies, Africa, and the United
States, has a large number of tramp steamers under its flag. So dis-
tinctly maritime is this small country that in addition to Rotterdam and
Amsterdam, both ports of the first class, there are at least twelve other
important ports.
Problems.
1. What physiographic and economic factors were involved in mak-
ing Amsterdam and Rotterdam first-class ports?
2. State the geographic and economic considerations which consti-
tute the basis of the neutrality of the Netherlands.
3. The development of railroads came late in the Netherlands.
Why?
4. Belgium has a much greater railroad mileage than the Nether-
lands. Why?
5. What building materials would you expect to be extensively
used in the Netherlands. Why?
6. Name and locate the principal islands in the Dutch East Indies,
in the Dutch West Indies. Which island in the Dutch East Indies
has the largest population? Why?
7. Compare the natural resources of the Netherlands and Belgium,
the Netherlands and Scotland.
8. Why are "sugar colonies'* of less importance to European
countries at present than in 1500?
Denmark.
Denmark is little more than a level sandy plain, a peninsula and
some islands of low fertility surrounded by cold water from which
comes much cold, raw, misty, and rainy weather. Originally there
were many marshes. There are no waterfalls or minerals of import-
ance, and thus no sources of power except wood and peat — a great
calamity. Hence, farming is one of the few possible occupations.
It has been developed to such a degree of perfection that many
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 73
Englishmen and Americans have come to the sandy shores of
Denmark to learn how the Danes have stamped out bovine tuber-
culosis and developed agricultural cooperation to an unusual
degree.
Find further evidence along this line in bulletins on Denmark by
the United States Department of Agriculture, and in "Agricultural
Cooperation in Denmark," by H. Rider Haggard.
1. Study the list of Danish exports in the Stateman's Yearbook,
and see how they show the place of agriculture in Danish life.
What do the imports, crop averages, and exports indicate as the
main industry and as its chief auxiliary? Note especially the acre-
ages of man food and cow food. Compare the number of cows and
hogs in the United States and Denmark with respect to population
and acreage. Do the same for Iowa and Denmark.
2. Examine Denmark's mineral imports and see how they have
been pinched by the warring nations. Show how England and
Germany, exportefs of coal and iron, might have bargained with
Denmark. What should the United States export to Denmark dur-
ing the war? What should we not export? We have been its
chief source of forage grains.
3. If Denmark manufactures cloth or machinery, what must it
import?
4. What part do steel rails, cream separators, lumber and fish pre-
sumably play in Danish commerce?
5. The Danes import margarine for home consumption and
export butter. What do you infer about their wealth?
Norway and Sweden.
The Relation of Diverse Physical Conditions of Adjoining
Countries to Industries and Politics.
In the following study of Norway and Sweden contrast the two
countries at every step in order to see how far geographic differ-
ences explain the historic and political separation.
1. Physical Features. — Norway and Sweden make up what is
known as the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway on the west and
Sweden on the east are separated by a mountain system known to
those countries as the "keel." It is more like a plateau, however,
with peaks rising above it and the lower land cut and grooved by
74 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
deep valleys. Norway, in the main, makes up the higher part
of the plateau, so that, except in the southeast, the country is
hilly and not adapted to agriculture. In Sweden the topography
is more favorable.
Sweden may be divided into four physical regions: (1) the
mountain and highland district of the north, (2) the central low-
land with flat-lying plains, deeply wooded, containing many lakes,
(3) the so-called Sinland highlands, a gently undulating country,
(4) the lowlands of the extreme south, made up of very flat-lying
plains with rich agricultural land and extensive meadows.
Due to the greater elevations in the west and erosion by ice and
water, the Norwegian coast is deeply indented, and many of the
indentations are so pronounced as to isolate fragments of the pla-
teau, making a series of islands along the coast. Inland channels
of deep water are thus formed, so deep that large steamers can ply
close to land. Only at rare intervals must a ship leave the pro-
tected waters when cruising along the coast. *
What are the agricultural possibilities in countries like this?
Compare the advantages of Norway and Sweden in this respect.
Would you expect these countries to export or import food stuffs?
Verify your statements by noting exports and imports before the
war for both Norway and Sweden. Make comparisons of the two
countries on a per capita basis.
2. Climate. — The climate of Norway and Sweden is unique in
comparison with other countries of the same latitude. Southern
Sweden has about the same latitude as Hudson Bay, yet the tem-
perature in January averages about 32° in Sweden and about 4" F.
at Hudson Bay. The comparative mildness of the Swedish tem-
perature is due to prevailing winds from the southwest. These
winds not only carry the ocean temperatures to this region, but
drive the upper and warmer water layers of the Atlantic toward the
east, so that they pile up along the coast. This, in a large measure,
accounts for the ice-free harbors along the coast of Norway. On
the southwest coast the mean daily temperature is never below 32°
F. The Norwegian summer is hottest in the southeast about
Christiania with a daily mean of 62.5° F.
The cloudiness of these countries is very high. In the north as
many as three days out of four are cloudy. During the summer
months the hours of sunshine are long, as in all nothern countries,
and thus the heat accumulated in twenty-four hours is greater than
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 75
in countries farther to the south. The winter nights, on the con-
trary, are extremely long and the day correspondingly short.
The rainfall is greatest on the west and especially the southwest
coast, where as much as 80 inches is recorded. Eastward it de-
creases, so that the average rainfall for Sweden is about 20 inches.
In both Norway and Sweden the rainfall on the whole increases
from north to south.
Compare the climate of Christiania with that of Chicago, St.
Louis, New York.
Write an account of a few effects that such a climate as that of
Norway might have upon the habits and industries of the people.
If the climate of Sweden were like that of Italy what change would
you expect in the mode of life of the Scandinavians?
3. Minerals. — Neither Norway nor Sweden is rich in minerals.
The lack of coal is a very marked feature and a great handicap.
The problem of supplying fuel for heating and for the production
of energy is enormous. This has been especially true during the
war period. In Norway the metallic minerals are hardly worth
noting, although silver, copper, and iron are mined in small quan-
tities. One of the important industries is the mining and prepara-
tion of stone products.
In Sweden iron ore far outranks all other minerals. Swedish
iron ore, because of its purity, is famous the world over, and is in
great demand. Comparatively little of the ore is smelted in Sweden
because of the lack of coal. The little that is smelted is done with
charcoal and makes an especially valuable kind of steel. A little
copper, silver, gold, lead, and zinc are produced.
What problems face Norway in making a great industry out of
its rock products? What problems face Sweden as to iron. Pay
special attention to (a) probable markets, (b) supply of labor, (c)
supply of shipping and railway facilities, (d) supply of power,
(e) maintenance of labor, and (f) kind of imports in return for
exports.
4. Forestry. — Norway has forests in the southeast and in the
Trondhjem districts, and forestry is a relatively important in-
dustry to Norway. But as a world producer, Norway is insignificant,
although in recent years the pulp industry has become important.
In Sweden, on the contrary, the widely distributed forests are
highly important, not only to the nation, but to the outside world.
y(i THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
The sawmills are mostly along the Bothnian coast and are run
either by steam, water power, or electricity. Vast quantities of
timber are floated down the larger rivers in the north and down
flumes and canals along the smaller streams.
What nations lead in the production of timber? How does Sweden
rank? Why should forest industries in Sweden rank so much higher
than in Norway? In getting out the timber what problems that were
relatively simple in our northern forests are difficult for Norway and
Sweden? What is the relation between the forests and water power
in these countries?
5. The Fisheries. — Fishing is an important industry for both Nor-
way and Sweden, although much the more important for Norway.
In Norway cod fishing ranks first but mackerel, salmon, herring, and
sea trout fisheries are also important. Swedish sea fisheries are mostly
in the calm waters, along the shore and mean much less to the nation
than the oceanic cod fisheries do to Norway. In Norway deep-sea fish-
ing has had a tremendous influence on the life and development of the
people.
Enumerate some of the characteristics of Norwegian development
that may have been influenced by their deep-sea fisheries.
6. Commerce. — Considerably more than one-third of Swedish ex-
ports are forest products. Lumber is by far the largest item, but wood
pulp also takes high rank. Two other groups of products stand out
prominently: (1) minerals, especially iron, steel, and iron ores, (2)
food products derived from animals, such as, fish, meat, cheese, and
butter. These three groups make up about two-thirds of the entire
export. Sweden has two great items of import, food products for
both animals and man, and coke and coal. About one-half of the
entire imports come under these headings.
Norway is more of a commercial nation than Sweden. In fact, on
the basis of her population she is the first nation in the world in ship-
ping. As it is, her mercantile marine before the war was exceeded
only by those of Great Britain, Germany, and the United States. Her
chief exports are forest products and fish products. These make up
fully two-thirds of the exports. Food, especially grains, clothing, and
coal make up the leading imports.
Enumerate the factors contributing to Norway's greatness as a fish-
ing and commercial nation.
Note the differences in natural conditions in this resoect between
Sweden and Norway.
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE yy
How do the kind and quantity of exports from these countries give
an index as to the nature of each country?
How do the kind and quantity of imports and exports show the life
and industries of the people?
At various times a close political union has existed between Norway
and Sweden. Discuss the physical factors that have been influential
in leading to this.
What are the geographical reasons which led Norway to allow much
of her mercantile marine to be destroyed by Germany without de-
claring war?
What geographic reasons are there why we have heard less about
the sinking of Swedish than of Norwegian ships?
Compare the native resources of Sweden and Norway and try to
determine which has the brighter future from this point of view.
Which has the better geographic position ?
Sum up the geographical conditions of all kinds which today keep
Norway and Sweden apart not only physically but in aims and in-
terests.
Austria and Hungary.
Diversity of Relief in Relation to Diversity of People and Interests.
General Statement.
A study of the physical map of Austria and Hungary will show the
following distinct physiographic provinces :
1. Hungarian Plain. — This is the largest physiographic unit and in-
cludes nearly one-third of the total area of the empire as it existed in
1914. The levelness of the plain, together with the fact that its maxi-
mum rainfall comes in the summer, makes it especially adapted to
cereal agriculture of the extensive type. This agricultural tendency
is accentuated by the fact that the plain is not a region of any con-
siderable mineral wealth. Communication within the plain is easy, and
the Danube affords outlets both to the northwest and to the south-
east. Racial unity generally prevails throughout the plain.
2. Carpathia and Transylvania. — This is a rugged region bordering
the Hungarian plain from the north around to the east. Because of the
rugged nature of the region, and the presence of forests and of mineral
resources, the principal occupations are mining and forestry. Communi-
cation is difficult and in the higher Transylvanian section the mountains
to the west form such a barrier that the Rumanian inhabitants find
it easier to maintain communication with Rumania than with the
78 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
Hungarian plain. Transylvania contains the greater part of the
Rumanians of Hungary who make up 14+per cent of the total popula-
tion of that kingdom. These Rumanians do not speak the Magyar
language.
3. Galicia and Biikozviiia. — To the northeast of Hungary and
separated from it by the Carpathians, locally known as the Beskids, lie
the Austrian provinces of Galicia and Bukowina, which together may
be classed as a distinct physiographic province. Much of this province
consists of deeply cut valleys. Of the two main lines of drainage, one,
the Vistula, is tributary to the Baltic, and the other, the Dniester, to the
Black Sea. In addition to agricultural and forest resources, Galicia pos-
sesses the third most important oil field of Europe. The part center-
ing about Cracow also shows considerable industrial development.
Ethnically Galicia and Bukowina are principally Slav, and together they
contain about 30 per cent of the population of Austria.
4. Bohemia and Moravia. — These Austrian provinces constitute a
lowland area somewhat similar to Hungary, but much smaller, less
level, and with the advantage of some valuable mineral resources. A
low range of mountains separates the two, and the physiographic
separation is further increased by the fact that the drainage of Bo-
hemia is carried to the North Sea by the Elbe, while that of Moravia
finds its way into the Danube. These two provinces, together with
Silesia, are one of the industrial sections of Austria. Racially the
Bohemians are Czechs, a people who have their own language, who hate
the Austrians, and whose political aspirations look toward an inde-
pendent state. The Moravians are Slovaks and are in sympathy, politi-
cally, with Czechs.
5. Upper and Lozver Austria. — These two provinces are classed to-
gether and separated from the preceding because of their racial unity
even though they are not a clearly defined physiographic unit. They
contain the bulk of the German element of Austria and Hungary.
Favorable location with respect to lines of communication, possession '
of mineral and forest resources, and racial characteristics have been
elements that have contributed to make this the industrial section
of Austria.
6. Alpine District. The several provinces within the Alps constitute
another distinct physiographic region. Lumbering and woodworking
are the most important of the industries. What little farming is done
is of the intensive type. Important mineral resources are lacking.
The people are largely German, though in the last century the exten-
I
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 79
sion of the boundaries to the southward brought in a considerable
Latin element. In the more maccessible portions, there are also sup-
posed to be remnants of some of the earliest races of Europe.
7. Karst Region. — This section comprises the provinces of Croatia,
Bosnia, Herzgovina and parts of Carniola, Slavonia and Dalmatia.
Limestone abounds, and here is developed the classic example of rough
topography known as "karst." The mineral resources are considerable,
but they are as yet little developed. Agriculture is the chief industry,
but it, too, is in a low state of development. One great handicap to
agriculture is the fact that the major part of the rainfall comes in the
non-growing season. Ethnically the people are Jugo-Slavs.
8. Adriatic Provinces. — The narrow coastal strip draining into the
Adriatic forms a separate physiographic province. It is interesting to
note that though Austria and Hungary are relatively near the Adriatic
coast, they do not form its natural hinterland. The people of this sec-
tion are largely of Latin and Greek origin, and their outlook is more
toward the sea than toward the empire at their back, and Austria-
Hungary is regarded as an inland empire.
Problems
1. What relation have geographic conditions to the many different
ethnic units within Austria and Hungary.
2. Which shows the greater ethnic diversity, Austria or Hungary,
and why?
3. a. On a map note the Austrian provinces, and note particularly
how Austria is located with respect to Hungary.
b. Do you think political unity in Austria is strong? State your
reasons.
c. Who are the governing people in Austria? What percentage
of the population are they, and how do they maintain their
political control?
4. Apply questions 3b and 3c above to Hungary.
5. How nearly is Austria-Hungary an economic unit? (See table
page 38.)
6. In making up her armies would it be wise for Austria-Hungary
to mix the different races in the unit, say regiments, or make separate
units for each race? Explain.
7. What are the elements of strength and of weakness of Austria-
Hungary as a political unit? What vulnerable point have the Allies
attacked ?
8o THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
8. Is Austria-Hungary an element of weakness or one of strength
to Germany as an ally, in the latter's Berlin to Bagdad program?
Explain. Should Germany be successful in carrying out this program,
what would be the status of Austria-Hungary? Explain.
Russia.
I. Influence of Isolation and Monotony of Climate and Relief
on Habits and Character of the People.
General Relations. — The magnitude and solidarity of Russia are in
marked contrast to the small size and diversity of the other great Euro-
pean powers. Its area is so great that the various parts have little
relation to one another and little interest in each others affairs. In
position Russia stands apart from the regions of industrial and com-
mercial activity and may be considered a heterogeneous mass of un.
organized and undeveloped possibilities. The world has long wondered
whether this mass would gradually become cemented and develop as
a unit or whether the disintegrating influences would prevail with the
consequent breaking up into smaller nations.
Russia's physical isolation from the leading commercial nations is
most pronounced. On the north the Arctic Ocean is of little value
as an avenue of communication. Although the port of Murman is
now open all the year and Archangel for six to nine months, the un-
inhabited character of the country around these ports and the great
distance from the agricultural and industrial regions prevent them
from being much used except under the stress of war. On the east,
European Russia merges gradually into the fairly prosperous regions
of western Siberia, but farther east an undeveloped and inhospitable
tract of mountains interposes a vast obstacle to commerce with Japan
and North America. The sale of Alaska to the United States was due
to the alienation caused by unbridged distance. On the south Russia
is much less effectively isolated than on the north and east. Yet deserts
such as those of central Asia, an inland lake like the Caspian Sea, and
high mountains like the Caucasus Range, which runs west as far as
the Sea of Azov, are a most eflfective barrier to prosperous commercial
enterprises. Only from the Sea of Azov westward does the Black Sea
for a few hundred miles offer easy access to the outside world. Yet
even there the straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles under
the rule of their former Turkish masters checked the flow of
commerce. On the west a rigorous climate bars Russia from Scan-
dinavia on the north, while in the south the rugged topography of the
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 8i
Carpathians interposes a less formidable barrier toward Austria. Only
in the middle is there no effective barrier. It has been well said that
"Germany is Russia's only neigfhbor."
The Great War clearly demonstrated the physical isolation of Russia.
Hostilities with the Central Powers closed the greater part of her
commercial frontier. The difficulties of furnishing supplies through
the White Sea and the Pacific ports were so great that her fighting
efficiency became quickly and most seriously reduced. This led to
military disasters which in turn made possible the revolt which over-
threw the government. With the complete withdrawal of the Allies'
support Russia lay prostrate, and the Allies were confronted by the
question of how to give real assistance to the fallen country. The
fact that isolation from Germany is less complete than from the En-
tente Allies makes this question the more difficult of solution.
The monotony of Russia does as much as the isolation to retard her
progress. One of the most pronounced elements of monotony is the
absence of regions of high relief. Most of the plain of European
Russia is less than 600 feet above sea level, and almost nowhere are
there heights exceeding 1,200 feet.
Only on the borders of the country, in the Urals, Caucasus, and
southern Crimea does the land rise into real mountains. Because of
their peripheral location these mountains tend toward isolation and
do not give topographic variety to the great interior. The Valdai
Hills, whence flow some of the longest rivers in the world, reach an
altitude of only 1,150 feet. Though important as a watershed, they
have little effect on the general topography of the plain, and the rivers
which flow from them are rarely interrupted by rapids and falls such
as characterize the streams of more rugged countries. Thus Euro-
pean Russia may be considered as a vast unbroken plain hemmed in
on all sides but the west by icebound ocean, mountains and inland seas.
The climate of Russia also tends toward monotony. On the whole
it is but slightly affected by the ocean and hence is classed as typically
continental. On the west, to be sure, from Petrograd southwest-
ward to Poland the influence of the Atlantic penetrates across the
plains of southern Scandinavia and northern Germany. Here the pre-
cipitation averages above 20 inches per year. Much of it comes as
snow and covers the ground for more than four months. Low as this
precipitation is and cold as western Russia may be, the influence of
the ocean is still clear, for farther inland toward the east the winters
are colder, the summers hotter, and the rainfall less than in the Baltic
82 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
and Polish regions. In some places the range from the highest to the
lowest temperature is 150° F.
The plains of Russia permit the cold winds from the north to reach
far to the southward. Hence, even at Odessa the snow cover lasts
from 70 to 90 days per year. Likewise, in summer the hot winds from
the dry southeast may carry their blasting effects into the agricultural
interior. Thus, in southeastern Russia the rainfall is much less than
in western Russia, and the region around the Caspian Sea is very arid.
In spite of the great extremes of temperature the climate of Russia
brings mtense monotony into the life of the Russians. In the first
place, all parts of the country are so much alike that intercourse of one
part with another is not able to do much in the way of introducing
new ideas. In the second place, a far more important effect is due
to the fact that the cold winters make it almost impossible for the
farmers to do any work half the year. The winter days are short and
dark, for even Odessa in southern Russia lies as far north as Quebec.
Since most of the Russians are farmers this means that for many
months the majority of the people sit in their close, stuffy houses,
doing nothing. They talk and talk and plan great things, but during
the winter nothing can be accomplished. Then when spring finally
comes in May there is a sudden rush of farm work which for a time
takes all the people's energy. They can not work so well, however,
as people who are in the habit of steady work at all seasons. Thus,
the Russians as a people have acquired the habit of being idle for long
periods and working vigorously but not very effectively at others.
They have also acquired the habit of making great plans but not carry-
ing them out.
Although the habits of the people are much the same all over Russia,
there is a good deal of diversity of race and language. Except in the
case of border peoples, like the Georgians, all the races of Russia except
the Jews have lived upon terms of comparative equality and have shown
little jealousy of one another until they were stirred up by Germany.
The Tartars of the southeast, the Cossacks of the south, the Little
Russians, the Poles, and the Lithuanians are conspicuous examples of
diverse peoples who are ready and able to live together in harmony
if only they are all given equal rights in a just government.
Special Problems.
1. The physical isolation of Russia. — On an outline map of Europe
or Eurasia locate seaports and inland border towns through which
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 83
trade may be carried on by Russia with foreign countries. Which of
these cities are so situated that their ocean communications are not
controlled by any other country? What physical and climatic condi-
tions impair the value of these places as commercial gateways? List
those controlled by Germany ; by Austria and Hungary ; by Turkey ; by
Sweden. Compute the approximate distances of Petrograd, Moscow,
Kiev, and Samara (1) from the northern ports of ^Murmansk and
Archangel, (2) from Vladivostok, (3) from the German frontier.
From these data prepare a statement as to the connection between
Russia's isolation and her failure in the Great War.
2. Relief. — Plains are generally considered to be highly favorable
to national progress. They afford easy communication (1) by rail,
(2) by wagon road, (3) by canal, and (4) by river. (5) They are
blessed with deep rich soil, and (6) they permit of a dense popula-
tion. Show in detail whether Russia really enjoys these advantages.
In these respects how does Russia compare with the western lowland
of Europe and with the Mississippi Valley region of the United States?
On this basis do you think that the relief of Russia is an advantage or
a disadvantage? How far is it responsible for the fact that Russia
is the most backward of the great powers of Europe?
3. Climate. — On an outline map mark the belts where the rainfill
is less than 10 inches, 10 to 20 inches, above 20 inches. On the same
map draw the isotherms for July in solid lines and for January with
dotted lines. How much of Russia is too warm for man's best physical
development in summer? How much is too cold for great mental
activity (average below 32°) in winter?
Compare the position of Russia with that of Canada. Compare rain-
fall and temperature conditions of Russia with those of the parts of
Canada and the United States lying east of the Rocky Mountains.
Take another outline map of Russia and with the Atlas of World
Agriculture as a guide mark by selected symbols the areas where
spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, rye, and forests are most abun-
dant. What relations are evident between climate and agriculture?
To whan extent does climate create diversity of interests in Russia?
Compare the interests of the herdsmen in the dry southeast with those
of the peasants who raise rye in the central regions and those who
raise wheat in the south. How do these differences compare with the
difference between the manufacturing people of the west or north.
of England and the farming people of the eastern plain.
4. Summary. — Write out a brief statement of the influence of
84 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
position, climate, and relief in shaping the trend of Russian develop-
ment. Distinguish between effective and ineffective influences.
II. The Resources of Russia in Relation to Other Countries.
Minerals. — Notwithstanding the monotonous relief of Russia the
mineral resources are highly varied and abundant. Among these
should be named coal, iron, petroleum, gold, platinum, mercury, man-
ganese, salt, and building stone. (See table page 45.)
Although coal of some kind is mined in several parts of European
Russia, good coal is found only in the Donetz basin of southern
Russia and in the Dombrov district of Poland. Other good deposits
are found in central Siberia south of Tomsk, but they are far from
Europe.
Although the demands arising from proximity to other minerals
and to industrial centers are greatest near the Polish 'coal, develop-
ment has been greatest in the Donetz basin because of both quality
and quantity. There has been little development in the Caucasus, in
Turkestan, and in Siberia.
Iron ore of good quality is found in Ekaterinoslav and Kherson.
Deposits are also worked in the Ural region in central Russia and in
Poland but are generally of lower grade than those first named.
Farther to the north in the lake country are some bog ores of inferior
quality.
In petroleum, Russia has been a great producer. The Baku region
stands as a conspicuous example of intensive development in a country
where extensiveness is almost a national characteristic. Outside of
the Caucasus-Caspian Sea region petroleum has been found in the
Urals and in Turkestan, but no great production has yet occurred.
The Caucasus region is rich in manganese. Before the Great War
this was one of the principal sources of the world's supply and large
quantities were exported to England, the United States, and Germany.
The Urals are especially rich in gold and platinum. In gold Russia
ranked fourth among the countries of the world and in platinum pre-
eminently first, producing over 90 per cent of the total supply.
Find the per capita production of coal, iron, petroleum, and gold in
Russia, Germany, England, Mexico, Japan, Canada, and the United
States. What do your figures indicate as to the importance of mineral
industries in Russia?
Forests. — Russia ranks as one of the foremost countries of the world
in forest resources. This is true no matter whether Siberia be in-
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 85
eluded or not. The forest belt extends almost entirely across Russia
from Petrograd eastward and southeastward to the Urals and on into
Siberia. To the north lie the tundras and to the south the treeless
steppes. The upper slopes of the Caucasus are forested and the Ural
region is heavily tree-covered. The importance of the timber supply
is reflected in the general use of wood for houses and boats as well
as for fuel, both in houses and for locomotives. The forests are
largely government owned and have been developed for the double
purpose of conservation and revenue.
Soils. — The soils of Russia are varied and predominately fertile.
The northern part is glacial and in the northwest in Finland and
northward, boulders of all sizes are numerous. These were trans-
ported by the ice from the northern Scandinavian mountains and from
the granitoid outcrops of Finland. As one leaves this district and
goes eastward or southward the texture is finer, so over much of the
glaciated area the soil is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay much like
that of Iowa or northern Illinois. Still farther south lies the famous
"black earth country" with a soil of high fertility, greatly resembling
the loess of the Mississippi Valley region and by some claimed to be
identical with it. This lies southwest of Moscow ana comprises an
area of over 350,000 square miles. Southeastern Russia is an oldsea-
bottom, parts of which have become highly impregnated with salts
due to the evaporation of saline brines and a rainfall so low that they
have not been leached out. On the whole, however, even this area
is fertile. Its productivity is low because of insufficient rainfall
rather than because of an unresponsive soil.
Specific Problems.
1. Mineral Resources. — A. Mark on an outline map the principal
iron ore regions. For each iron ore district determine its distance to the
nearest important coal field. In general how do distances compare with
those from northern Minnesota to Chicago and the ports on Lake Erie ?
From maps in the Industrial Atlas study transportation facilities be-
tween coal and iron regions. Compare Russia, the United States,
England, and Germany in this respect.
B. Locate definitely the principal centers of petroleum production.
From the Statesman's Yearbook or the encyclopedia determine the
c^pproximate production and exports of petroleum from Russia. How
did Russia compare with the United States before the war? How
account for the high state of development of this industry? What
86 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE '
relation have the petroleum regions borne to the military operations
in the southeast?
C. What are the principal uses of platinum? What countries
served as the principal markets.? What "effects have Russia's internal
disorders had on the production of platinum? How has this affected
Ihe AlHes?
2. Soils and Agriculture. — Correlate the principal cereal-producing
areas of Russia with the kinds of soils which predominate there.
What is the determining factor in giving rise to the cattle industry
of the Cossack region? Compare the soil and topographic conditions
of the wheat region of Russia with those of the wheat region^ of the
Central Plains of the United States. What varieties of wheat and
oatS; developed in Russia, have been introduced into the United States
with extraordinary success?
From information obtainable in the yearbooks of the U, S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture determine the rank of Russia in production and
exports of wheat, rye, barley, oats, and sugar beets. In general, whai:
is true of yields per acre compared with other countries? How ac-
count for this? To what countries did Russia export large quantites
of grain before the war? How did Russia's entry into the war affect
her commercial relations in this regard? What was the effect on the
demand for supplies from the United States?
Summarize Russian agriculture in its relation to soil belts; to cli-
matic conditions; to home consumption; to foreign trade.
3. . The Forest. — Summarize the climatic conditions prevalent i:.
the forested region as regards temperature, rain and snow. What ap-
parently marks the northern limit of forests? What the southern
limit? What possible use can be made of forest products west of
the Urals in the iron ore region?
Trace the trans-Siberian railroad from Petrograd to Moscow and
eastward. What relation does it bear to the forested zone? Infer
the use made of the forest in building this railway.
Summary. — Make a list of the 15 largest cities of Russia and locate
them on the outline map.
From the preceding studies of climate, minerals, soils, and forests,
together with distribution of population as indicated by the location
of cities, prepare a concise summary of the industrial development of
Russia as affected by these factors. In this connection discuss also
the human element and bring out clearly the geographic advantages
and disadvantages.
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 87
Italy.
Contrast Between North and South Italy.
General Statement. — Few countries of equal size are more diverse
than Italy. The north is among the most prosperous and progressive
parts of the world, but the south is decidedly backward. In the north
not only is agriculture highly developed, but manufacturing is well
advanced in proportion to the resources of coal and metals, and science
and art are well established. In the south, on the contrary, there is
almost nothing in the way of manufacturing, in spite of the fact that
water transportation is easier than in the north. Instead of science
and art there is the most widespread illiteracy. Farming is the chief
occupation, but it is carried on much more carelessly than in the north.
Moreover, a large number of the farmers also lazily depend upon flocks.
The population is much less dense than in the north, but the people
are poorer, in spite of the larger amount of land at their disposal.
Many are undernourished, and this combines with other things to
cause disease.
A traveler in northern Italy observes about the same sort of city
and country life as in the rest of western Europe. But when he
reaches southern Italy he is struck with the atmosphere of ease that is
found in cities and in the country. Doorsteps are often filled with
idle people. Happy lolling seems a popular occupation. Idle hands
seem more common than busy ones. To many travelers, "sunny"
Italy of the South is remembered as "lazy" Italy, while northern Italy
seems a land of industry.
Problems. — 1. In order to understand this contrast between the
north and south the first necessity is to compare the climatic differences.
On a map of the rainfall of Europe find the average rainfall in the
north and in the south of Italy. Which part gets a rainfall favorable
to the growth of crops while the temperature is favorable, that is, in
the warmest six months of the year ? Which part must depend chiefly
on irrigation? In the encyclopedia or Bartholomew's Atlas find the
temperature by months at Naples or some place south of that city,
and compare it with a similar record of some place, such as Milan,
in northern Italy. How many months average above 65° in each
case, and how many average belov/ 40°? What do you infer from
this as to the stimulating quality of the climate in the two regions?
2. Look up malaria in the encyclopedia and other sources. What
do you find as to the distribution of malaria in Italy ? Remember that
88 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
malaria occurs chiefly in places where pools of water are stagnant
during the summer. Are such pools likely to appear in a place where
irrigation is practised and where during the dry season the streams
diminish until only small pools remain, or in places where the rainfall
is sufficient to keep the streams running all the year?
3. Enumerate the neighboring peoples of northern Italy. With
what peoples do the southern Italians come into easy contact? What
effect should these different sets of neighbors produce upon the north-
ern Italians as contrasted with the southern Italians?
Turkey.
Constantinople and the Straits as a Geographic and Political Problem.
General Statement. — The Straits near Constantinople are the only
water barrier between southeastern Europe and the part of western
Asia between the Black and Mediterranean Sas. The narrow channel
of the Bosphorus which unites the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmora
is 18 miles long with a minimum width of 800 yards, a maximum
width of 2^ miles, and a depth of 66 fathoms in mid-stream. In the
center a strong surface current from the Black Sea sometimes reaches
a speed of about six miles an hour in narrow places, but below the
surface and along the shores there is a strong counter-current. The
narrowness of the Straits and their "bottle neck" character makes
them easy of military control. This is one reason why Russia has
never been able to wrest them from Turkey, in spite of the fact
that Russia's great grain trade and much of its other trade must pass
this way. Herein also is the main cause of the British naval disaster
at the Dardanelles in 1915.
From the earliest times there has been a constant flow not only of
trade along the waterway at Constantinople but of immigrants into
Europe across the Straits. This is evidenced by the racial stratification
of Europe in the Balkans and farther west in Europe. Usually, the
farther westward the race the earlier the time of its invasion.
From very early times commerce as well as immigration has made
this a principal route between Asia and Europe. Here the silks of
China, the spices and gums of the Spice Islands and of India, and
the coral and jade of India — products of high value and small bulk —
were brought in exchange for the metal ware, coin, and other products
of western Europe. It was largely to this traffic that Constantinople
owed its early growth ; the benefits of the trade were felt even as far
as the towns of western Europe. The strangling of this trade by
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 89
the Seljukian Turks, which culminated in their capture of Constan-
tinople in 1453, had an important bearing on the ultimate rounding of
the Cape of Good Hope by the Portuguese and the discovery of
America. The so-called Berlin to Bagdad route is an attempt to re-
vive this land route. Naturally, Constantinople, where the water
traffic between the Black and Mediterranean Seas meets this land
traffic, has always been one of the world's great cities and is today
one of the most difficult problems before the peace conference.
Before the war, the Russian Empire, in spite of its control of be-
tween one-seventh and one-sixth of the total land surface of the globe,
had no ice- free ports other than those on the Black Sea. These were
of little value so long as their outlet to the Mediterranean was con-
trolled by a foreign power. For two and a half centuries one of the
great objects of Russian expansion was to gain control of an ice-free
port to the open sea. Germany checked westward expansion, Japan
prevented any Russian control of ice- free ports on the Pacific south
of Vladivostok, England gave Russia no chance to expand to the
Indian Ocean, and Turkey backed by England kept the doorway of
the Bosphorus and Dardanelles tightly closed to Russian warships.
Thus Russia, and particularly the great cereal-producing regions of
European Russia, felt seriously handicapped by the lack of an unre-
stricted outlet to the sea. Thus the importance of Constantinople and
the Straits was constantly brought to the world's attention.
In addition to all this, Constantinople is vitally important because
a strong nation in control of the Bosphorus stands always as a menace
to British control of Egypt and of India, and threatens the severance
of the flow of British commerce through the Suez Canal.
To summarize, there are three vitally important points to consider
in connction with the geography of the Straits at Constantinople:
(1) the great land route between Europe and Asia; (2) the Straits
as the natural water outlet of the great agricultural regions of south-
ern Russia; and (3) Great Britain's vital interests in Egypt and in
India.
• Problems. — 1. How does this three-fold importance of the Straits
account for the fact that Turkey, the "sick man of Europe," with. its
misrule has been able to maintain its control of Constantinople?
2. Write an estimate of the relative importance of the Straits to
Russian, British, and German interests both commercially and po-
litically. Account for the present British and Russian relationship in
regard to them.
90 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
3. What advantages and disadvantages are there in having a weak
nation controlling the Straits?
4. State arguments for and against internationalizing the Bos-
phorus; who would gain, and who would lose if this were done?
The Balkans.
General Relations.
The Balkan countries of Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey owe
their troubles largely to the following conditions:
(1) The natural resources of this region are not particularly good;
although there are some metal deposits in the mountains they are not
developed and do not include much iron and, especially, coal, which
is by far the most important.
(2) Agricultural conditions are not favorable. The chief diffi-
culty arises from the extreme variability of the rainfall. For a few
years the rainfall is abundant, the crops are good, and the peasants
prosper. Then come a few bad years when the rain is insufficient,
crops on the poorer lands fail, and the unfortunate peasants fall into
poverty and debt.
(3) Another unfavorable condition is the thin rocky soil. This is
due partly to topography and partly to summer droughts followed by
floods. A glance at the map will show that a large percentage of the
region is made up of hill and mountain slopes. These retain only the
coarser soils. Many of the peasants have found it impossible to sup-
port themselves by raising crops and have turned to flocks and herds.
These they pasture among the mountains, for grass is there fairly
plentiful. In such a country, lawlessness and quarrels are very likely
to arise. Herdsmen are especially prone to encroach upon the rights
of others, especially in times of insufficient rain when the grazing is
poor. Then they take their famished flocks to places claimed by their
neighbors. Thus, the poverty of the Balkans tends to create a spirit of
unrest. It also fosters illiteracy, for the people can not afford to have
schools. In addition to this, the poverty arising from the natural con-
ditions prevents the building of good roads and railroads and thus
keeps the people apart so that they see little of the outside world and
remain separated and suspicious.
(4) Another difficulty in the Balkans arises from the fact that
the country is cut up into a great number of small valleys and
basins. Each of these is more or less separated from its neighbor
by mountain ridges and hills. To connect the basins by roads
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 91
would be hard even for a prosperous people, since they must
either cross bare rocky slopes or follow narrow and, in many
places, difficult valleys. The result is that the basins are isolated
from one another. Each valley looks out for itself and knows
little of its neighbors.
(5) A fifth difficulty of the Balkans lies in the fact that because of
their division into mountain valleys and basins and because they are
hard to penetrate they have become the refuge of many different races.
Since the Balkans form the bridge between central Europe and western
Asia, the races are drawn from both regions. Some have crossed the
Bosphorus and Dardanelles, others have been forced in from the plains
on the north. Still others have migrated from the south. When once
one of those races becomes lodged in the mountains the conditions of
poverty and lack of roads and isolation tend to preserve its old habits,
language, religion, and prejudices. In consequence, the differences
among the diverse people have been preserved and accentuated rather
than wiped out. Thus, it comes to pass that the Balkans are a sad
mixture of many races.
(6) Finally, theBalkans suffer because they arein the pathwayfrom
central Europe to the East. The main railroad from central Europe
passes up the valley of the Morava River to Nish. There it turns up
a side valley and crosses into the valley at the Maritsa and so proceeds
through Bulgaria to Adrianople and thence to Constantinople. Another
branch continues south from Nish and down the valley of the \'ardar
to Salonika. These two lines form main highways of communication
to the Mediterranean and the East. Hence, Germany and Austria have
been eager to control them. That was one reason for the present war.
So. to the difficulties of their own region are added the intrigues of
outside nations. Yet the ever-present cause of the trouble of the
Balkans is found in their rugged relief and poor soil and in their
separation into many basins, inhabited by a poverty-stricken people of
diverse races, antagonistic one to another.
Problems on the Balkans
In order to appreciate the present condition of the Balkans and their
historic significance, we must understand the effect \\^hich has been
produced by the combination of the six conditions mentioned above.
Go to the encyclopedia, to Mill's International Geography, and to
other reference books, and make a list of the following facts :
(1) The races that inhabit the Balkan area.
92 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
(2) The languages spoken there.
(3) The religions or great branches of the Christian church which
there have a foothold.
(4) The wars in which the Balkans have had a part since 1600
A. D.
(5) The percentage of illiteracy in the various Balkan countries.
(6) The per capita value 6i the exports and imports.
(7) The size and names of the ten chief cities.
Write out a statement of the way in which the six geographic
conditions named above have influenced the Balkans in respect to
these seven points. Compare the Balkans with France and the United
States in these seven points.
Spain
I. The influence of the Peninsular Position of Spain.
The Iberian Peninsula, like Italy and Korea, is a natural unit
which favored the development of an individual race from a com-
mon stock. It is bounded by the sea except on the north, where
the lofty Pyrenees shut it oflF from continental Europe. Spain
alone may be considered a unit because of the wide stretch of in-
hospitable country which lies along the Portugal border. The
early settlements on the coast and lower stretches of rivers of
Portugal were far removed from the settlements on the Mediter-
ranean, and even today the intercourse between Spain and Portu-
gal is chiefly by sea.
Within the boundaries thus marked out is a group of geographic
conditions to which the inhabitants must adjust themselves and
from which they can not escape. The Pyrenees with only three
practical passes in a distance of 250 miles have proved a more
effective barrier than the Strait of Gibraltar and the quiet waters
of the Mediterranean. The coast on the north is rocky and steep
with fiordlike indentations which serve as harbors, but the region
adjoining the coast is mountainous and access to the interior from
this direction difficult. The eastern coast has alternate stretches
of low shore and rock cliff, and the southern coast from the mouth
of the Guadiana to Gibraltar is bordered by flat land. Along this
stretch of shore and eastward to Cartagena the peninsula is easily
accessible from Africa — a geographic fact which has had a pro-
found effect on the development of Spain. The Roman, Carthag-
inian, and Mohammedan conquerors came by sea from the south
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE 93
and the east. Spain is the connecting link between Europe and
Africa.
Compare the boundaries of Spain with those of Germany, of
France, of Italy, of the United States. What political advantages do
they afford? What advantages do they give Spain as a seafaring
nation?
Discuss the following quotations: "Africa begins at the Pyre-
nees"; "In almost all periods of history either the masters of Spain
have borne rule in Africa or the masters of Africa have borne rule
in Spain."
Note that Spain owns Cueta and five other stations on the Mo-
rocco coast and that Spain's natural relation to Morocco and her
special interests in that country were recognized by the Algeceras
convention of 1905.
II. The Influence of a High Plateau.
Although bordered by the sea, Spain has the features of a conti-
nental mass. It forms a huge block with an average elevation of
about 2,500 feet, terminating seaward in steep slopes. It is girdled
by a narrow coastal plain except on its northwest and northeast
borders. It is the highest country of Europe in average altitude,
and its capital city has the highest altitude. This great central
table-land with ranges of east-west mountains affords no natural
traffic routes from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean or from
southern Spain to other countries of Europe. The surface of the
plateau is cut by gorges and canyons, and only a few rivers are
navigable for short distances from the sea. Spanish rivers have
been described as having "a long name, a narrow channel, and very
little water." Railroads follow circuitous routes with steep grades
and many tunnels and cross passes at elevations 4,000 to 6,000 feet
above sea level.
On a phy&ical map of Spain trace the course of the principal
rivers and note their rapid descent as they pass from the plateau
to the coastal plain. Trace the line of railroad from Valencia to
Madrid, from Lisbon, Portugal, to Madrid. What does it indicate as
to the topography and accessibility of the central plateau?
The plateau embraces two large lowland valleys, Ebro and
Guadalquiver, which gave rise to the important ancient provinces
of Aragon and Seville. Compare the number and size of the cities
within these valleys with those on the adjoining highlands.
94 THE GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE
The climate of Spain presents great contrasts. In the provinces
bordering the Bay of Biscay the rainfall is abundant and the tem-
perature mild throughout the year. Outside of this small area the
climate of Spain is characterized by deficient rainfall and extremes
of temperature. On the southeast coast the small precipitation
comes in winter, and irrigation is necessary along the whole Medi-
terranean border. The coast strip from Gibraltar to Almeria has
the warmest winter climate of Europe, and this region and the
oases in Murcia are the only places in Europe, where the date palm
ripens. The climate of the central plateau, which embraces about
five-sixths of Spain, is very unlike that of any part of the coast.
On this great bare table-land spring and autumn are usually pleas-
ant seasons, although cold mists of spring may envelop the land
for days; the winters are cold and w^et; the summers are warm
and dry. Cold rains and snows which last short periods give to
the plateau a cheerless aspect in winter. In summer, hot days
followed by cold nights and long periods without rain or even
clouds give the plateau a dried-out and sunburnt appearance. Vege-
tation withers, the roads are deep with dust, and the "air for weeks
at a time is gray and hazy with dust.
From the viewpoint of occupation and settlement the climatic
elements of primary importance which characterize the central
plateau are deficient rainfall and great and sudden changes of tem-
perature. The topographic feature of greatest significance is the
presence of valleys within the plateau, valleys which have milder
climate than the adjoining uplands. The natural vegetation on the
plateau is chiefly grass and shrubs.
Bearing in mind the rainless summers and the short and vari-
able growing season, what food products would you expect to find
grown on the plateau? What parts of Spain produce grain, fruit,
animal products? To what extent and in what parts of Spain is
irrigation practised?
What is the location of the three provinces having the smallest popu-
lation per square mile? How many of the ten largest cities of Spain
are accessible to seagoing ships? Note the position of Madrid with
reference to agricultural and mining regions and convenient routes of
transportation. Has its location any geographic advantages?
One-fourth of the productive soil of Spain is natural grasslands
unsuitable for agriculture. To what extent is Spain a sheep-pro-
THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE cjs
ducing country? A characteristic feature of plateau life is the
periodic mig-ration of herds from highlands to lowlands in winter,
returning to the highlands in summer. Is this necessary or merely
a custom? Why have stringent laws governing this migration
been enacted? What conflicting interests have the herdsman and
the agriculturist?
The inhabitants of Spain, with unimportant exceptions, consti-
tute a racial unit but not a linguistic unit. Basque, Castilian, and
Catalonian languages are spoken. Castilian is spoken by the pla-
teau people and has become the official and widespread language.
Catalonian is the language of the Ebro Valley and of the eastern
coast. Basque is the language of the region near the junction of
the Cantabrian and Pyrenees Mountains.
From an encyclopedia or other reference work, find in what re-
spects these languages differ. On a physical atlas note the loca-
tion of these language groups. Have geographic factors been in-
fluential in the development of these languages? Note the posi-
tion of the little republic of Andorra, which has maintained its
independence for a thousand vears.
REFERENCE BOOKS.
A. General works.
1. Military Geology and Topography, Yale University Press, New
Haven, 1918.
Chapter VIII of this text discusses the relative independence of
various countries as regards raw mineral materials.
2. Industrial and Commercial Geography, by J. Kussell Smith,
Henry Holt & Co., 914 pp.
A standard text dealing with trade routes and the source and
nature of materials for manufacture.
3. Physical and Commercial Geography, by Gregory, Keller, and
Bishop. Ginn & Co., 469 pp.
This book discusses the relation of man to his natural environ-
ment and the geographic influences on trade.
4. Topography and Strategy in the War, by D. W. Johnson, Henry
Holt & Co., New York, 1917.
This book discusses the meaning of favorable and unfavorable
topography from a military standpoint.
5. Civilization and Climate, by Ellsworth Huntington. Yale University
Press, New Haven, 1915.
A discussion of the part played by climate in giving energy to some
parts of the world especially western Europe.
B. Europe as a whole.
1. The Continent of Europe, by L. W. Lyde, Macmillan Co., Lon-
don, 446 pp., 1913.
2. The Frontiers of Language and Nationality in Europe, by Leon
Dominian, New York, 1917.
3. Oxford Geographies, vol. 3, Europe, by F. D. Herbertson, Ox-
ford University Press, HI pp., 1909.
C. Countries of Europe.
1. Central Europe, by Joseph Partsch, D. Appleton & Co., 258 pp.,
1903.
2. Britain and British Seas, by H. J. Mackinder, D. Appleton &
Co., (World Series).
3. Western Eurooe and the Mediterranean, bv E. Reclus. D. Ao-
pleton & Co. (World Series;.
4. Scandinavia and Arctic Region, by Clement R. Markham, D.
Appleton & Co. (World Series).
5. Russian Europe, by Prince Kropatkin, D. Appleton & Co.
(World Series).
6. The Nearer East, by D. G. Hogarth, D. Appleton & Co. (World
Series).
7. Belgium, its Institutions, Industries and Commerce, Minist. de
I'Indust et Travail, St. Louis Fair Edition, 528 pp., 1904.
8. Belgium and the Belgians, by Cyril Scudamore, Blackwood, 362
pp., 1901.
9. Bulgaria and her People, by Will S. Munroe, Page 410 pp., 1914.
10. Denmark and the Danes, by W. J. Harvey and C. Reppien,
Potts, New York, 346 pp., 1915.
11. Handbook of Northern France, by W. M. Davis, Harvard Uni-
versity Press, Cambridge, 1918.
12. Hungary and the Hungarians, by W, B. F. Bovill, New York,
352 pp., 1908.
13. Austria-Hungary, by Geoffrey Drage, London, 846 pp., 1909.
14. Sweden, 2 vols., edited by Gunnar Andersson.
15. Sweden and its People and its Industries, edited by G. Lund-
borg, Stockholm, 1904.
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