List of countries in Southern Europe. Tourism: capitals, cities and resorts. Cards foreign countries region Southern Europe.

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The sunniest, most cheerful and fertile region of the Old World, Southern Europe, seems to have been created by the Creator solely for the tireless enjoyment of life. Its vast expanses harmoniously combine absolutely everything that the soul and body need: a wonderful climate, a warm sea and wonderful beaches - of any color and texture: pebble, white sand, rocky, delicious, and most importantly, healthy cuisine, on whose ingredients you can gain a healthy glow even for delicate young ladies, a variety of wines (also for every color and taste), and finally, an impressive number of attractions and cultural objects, as well as (where would we be without it!) exciting and, most importantly, high-quality shopping. In a word, if there is a desire, anything can be realized in Southern Europe.

You can easily remember the countries of the region by confirming the rule: this includes everything that concerns the “southern shores,” primarily the Mediterranean coast.

These are the states located on the Iberian and Apennine peninsulas: Portugal, Spain, Andorra and Italy, Vatican City, San Marino, respectively, plus their neighboring owners of their own access to the sea Monaco and Greece, the blessed Mediterranean islands of Malta and Cyprus and the countries of the Balkan Peninsula : Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia, etc.

From a tourist point of view, Southern Europe is the most resort region of “civilized” foreign countries, without emphasis on Arab surroundings or tropical exoticism. A high-quality beach holiday in a decorous and noble European setting with a considerable share of spiritual food in the form of a rich “excursion”. Among other things, all conditions have been created here for the “exchange of experience” - thanks to a single Schengen visa, it costs nothing to combine a vacation somewhere on the Cote d'Azur with an excursion in the footsteps (and works) of da Vinci or a blissful pastime in the Alpine heights. As for the pricing policy, here Southern Europe simply offers massive coverage: if you want, go to a popular Greek resort for a couple of hundred EUR “off the top of your head,” or if you want, go to a pompous and lacy palace on the Croisette. In this sense, southern European beaches compare favorably with exotic ones - a shock to all five senses, of course, is not the same, but tourists with any scale of spending can afford to splash around in foreign territorial waters.

Somewhere in the Mediterranean

Another good thing about Southern Europe is its pleasant tactile climate. On the one hand, there are no sudden changes in weather - summer is traditionally hot, winter is moderately cool. On the other hand, there is the longed-for warmth in the middle of the Russian winter (say, +18 °C on the Italian “heel” in January) and a real Mediterranean summer, as opposed to the restless northern cyclones - with the air trembling from the heat, cicadas straining in every possible way, the piercing blue of the sea and sky and on peaceful warm evenings somewhere on the terrace of a fish restaurant in Cyprus.

And of course, one cannot help but mention the mouth-watering dishes of Southern European cuisines, the mere sight of which makes even staunch adherents of gastronomic asceticism go crazy. All these soft cheeses, olives and new wine, juicy tomatoes and fresh herbs, a stunning variety of fish and seafood, an Edenic amount of ripe fruit, sweets, cakes and tartlets... In general, you already understand - in Southern Europe you should definitely indulge in everything heavy, despite the conventions and despite the treacherously creeping towards the next “ten” arrow of the scales!

IN recent years V large countries Southern Europe is undergoing an intensified process of urbanization, although in this respect the region has lagged behind the industrialized countries of Western Europe. On the largest scale, the formation of continuous urbanized areas is characteristic of the Padanian Plain in Italy, the most economically developed of the countries of Southern Europe.

Along with the growth of cities, there is a reduction rural population, moving in droves to cities.

Southern European countries represent the least economically developed region of Foreign Europe. The average per capita income in Southern Europe is almost half the European average. Certain areas of Southern Europe are developed very unevenly. Industrially developed areas contrast sharply with backward agricultural areas.

The economic development trends of all southern European countries in recent years are similar. As a result of the acute economic crisis of 1974-1975. here, as in other capitalist countries, there are a number of complications of a socio-economic nature - a slowdown in economic growth, a deepening monetary and financial crisis, which has a serious impact on the economy. Inflationary price increases have led to a sharp rise in the cost of living. In the tangle of acute social contradictions that southern European countries (as well as other capitalist ones) face, the problem of unemployment has come to the fore.

Difficult economic situation is aggravated by the increase in arms spending, which every year makes up an increasingly larger part of the state budget of southern European countries.

One of the important economic problems is the relative agrarian overpopulation and the intensive flow of labor from agriculture to industry and the service sector. In the countries of Southern Europe (with the exception of “dwarf” states), on average, over 36% of the economically active population is employed in industry, 23% in agriculture, fishing, etc., and more than 40% in the service sector. Despite the reduction in the labor force in agriculture, employment in agriculture is much higher than in the most highly developed capitalist countries. the percentage of people employed in the service sector is primarily associated with the intensive development of international tourism in the region.

The economies of large southern European countries are characterized by a relatively high concentration of production and centralization of capital, especially in leading industries - metallurgy, chemistry, and transport engineering. All sectors of the economy are dominated by a large monopoly. However, along with the few largest concerns, there are a huge number of small entrepreneurs. Monopoly capital began to penetrate into agriculture.

Southern European countries are characterized by active intervention of state capital in the economy. The level of development of state-monopoly capitalism is especially high in Italy. Without the participation of the state, it would be difficult to create such industries as, for example, metallurgy and energy.

Southern European countries are heavily dependent on foreign capital, in particular American capital. Many sectors of the economy of Italy and Greece are greatly influenced by the European Economic Union, of which they are members. This is especially true for agriculture. Italy and Greece are forced to rebuild the traditional structure of their economy due to influence. On economic development The region is negatively affected by the limited mineral, in particular energy, resources. The region's economy is especially affected by the almost complete absence of its own oil - the most important source of energy and raw materials for modern industry. However, despite the lack of some mineral resources, which are very important for the development of a modern economy, Southern Europe has a fairly large mineral resource. In the extraction of mercury ore (cinnabar), asbestos, pyrites, natural corundum (emery), marble and some other minerals, Southern Europe is ahead of many regions of the world. The extraction of bauxite, polymetals, uranium ore, antimony, etc. is also of great importance.

One of the important sources of energy in southern European countries are turbulent mountain rivers, mainly of the Alps and Pyrenees.

One of the southern European countries, Italy, was the first in the world to use geothermal energy to generate electricity. In the future, nuclear power plants will play a major role in all the largest southern European countries, but so far they are only available in Spain and Italy. Currently, in general, in southern European countries the main source of electricity is thermal power plants running on fuel oil or natural gas. Insignificant own oil reserves did not prevent the creation in Southern Europe, primarily in Italy, of an oil refining industry based on imported oil and which took first place in capitalist Europe, as well as a powerful petrochemical industry.

Like oil refining, the South European black industry depends on imported raw materials and fuel. It is characterized by the predominance of steel smelting, iron production and the share of electrometallurgy. Italy together with Spain gives about 8% steel produced in capitalist countries.

Southern Europe is one of the world's oldest non-ferrous metal smelting areas. Bronze smelting, for example, played a huge role in the formation of the ancient civilizations of the Northern Mediterranean. In general, this industry is relatively well provided with local raw materials and is rapidly developing in our time.

From the engineering industries highest value has transport: Italy and give 6- 1% global production of automobiles and marine vessels. Relatively new branches of mechanical engineering, which do not require large consumption of metal but are sensitive to its quality, are acquiring an increasingly important role: precision instrument making, production of office equipment, radio electronics.

Due to a large number In recent years, traditional industries for the countries of the region have been intensively developing due to the availability of cheap labor: textile, leather, footwear.

Rich reserves of various building stones and raw materials for the cement industry contribute to the development of the production of building materials; in particular, southern European countries provide 15% of the cement produced in the capitalist world.

Southern Europe is also known for such industries as the clothing, shoe, cork, canning, and wine industries; Film production is developed, especially in Italy and Spain.

The location of industry in Southern Europe tends to be along sea coasts and port centers as points of import of raw materials and fuel and export of finished products. The development of industry on the coasts conflicts with the needs of the tourism industry.

The agriculture of Southern Europe, in terms of its level of development, lags significantly behind the agriculture of the most developed capitalist countries of Europe, although in terms of the scale of production of some products (olive oil, citrus fruits) it holds the world championship.

The structure of agricultural production in southern European countries is characterized by a sharp predominance of crop production over livestock farming, and in crop production the largest role is played by food crops intended directly for public consumption; a significant proportion of tree crops.

Southern European countries, later than their northern neighbors, embarked on the path of equipping agriculture with new equipment and technology. industrial forms of agriculture were achieved only on a few large landholdings. A small number of large capitalist farms stands out against the backdrop of a huge mass of small and minute peasant holdings, either independent or included in the system of large landholdings as rented plots (often on sharecropping terms). This type of land tenure is one of the main reasons for the comparative economic backwardness and low standard of living of the countries of Southern Europe. However, in recent years, capitalist relations in the region’s agriculture have deepened and expanded.

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In industry, traditionally powerful sectors are the processing of agricultural raw materials, as well as food, light, furniture, etc. last decades Manufacturing industries are actively developing.

The energy sector is focused on imported fuel: oil is imported from Libya and Iran, and gas from Russia and Algeria. The total electricity production in the countries of Southern Europe is 618.3 million kW. In the electric power industry, a significant share of hydroelectric power plants in Italy produces up to 1/3 of electricity, in Spain - almost half, in Portugal - more than 60%. Nuclear power industry is developed only in Spain (8 nuclear reactors producing 19% of electricity). In Italy, after a referendum in 1988, 4 nuclear reactors were closed.

Metallurgy. In the region, especially in Spain, ferrous metallurgy and some non-ferrous industries are developed: aluminum, copper, lead-zinc.

Mechanical engineering. The industry is of international importance, in particular transport engineering (FIAT - Italy and SEAT - Spain, which generally produce more than 4.5 million passenger cars annually). FIAT is the largest private concern in the region (29 thousand workers and employees), uniting more than 100 companies and concentrates in its hands the majority (1.3 million, more than 80%) of passenger car production in the country, and also controls about 15% European automobile market. Its headquarters, as well as its main automobile plant, are located in Turin.

Precision engineering and instrument making are developed in the region. Italy ranks first in the world in the production of certain types of household appliances - refrigerators, washing machines, gas stoves (trademarks ARISTON, INDESIT, ZANUSSI, ARDO; the Merloni factories produce 3,200 washing machines daily. The Olivetti company is known for the production of office equipment and office equipment. Shipbuilding and ship repair are represented in Malta (the Maltese ones are still owned by the state and are the largest in the Mediterranean).

Chemical industry. Petrochemicals occupy a prominent place in the structure of the industry (developing due to imported raw materials), the production of acids, soda, mineral fertilizers, etc. is growing, primarily in Spain, which is rich in various chemical raw materials. The largest Italian chemical concern is Montadison. Portugal is one of the world's leading suppliers of chemical raw materials of organic origin - agar-agar, which is obtained from seaweed and used to produce gelatin. Its main buyer is Japan.

The building materials industry specializes in the production of tiles and facing tiles, tiles, sanitary equipment, etc. This industry has gained significant development in Spain, Italy, and Portugal.

Forestry and woodworking industry. Although the region is not rich in forest resources, Italy and Spain have been famous in Europe for the production of expensive furniture since the Middle Ages. And now these countries are known for their furniture made of natural wood, as well as prefabricated furniture for consumer use. Portugal and Spain are the world's leading producers of cork (cork oak bark).

Light industry. Its largest industry is cotton, which operates mainly on imported raw materials. All countries in the region have developed sewing, textile, and shoe industries (Italy ranks first in footwear exports in the world). Greece is famous for its fur products (products from fur trimmings imported from all over the world have long been made here) from mink.

Food industry. The industry operates primarily on its own raw materials. The canning, wine-making, flour-grinding, pasta, and tobacco industries have international specialization. Portugal is one of the leading countries in the world for the production of canned sardines in olive oil. From time immemorial, winemaking in the countries of the region has been famous: Italy shares first place with France, and Spain ranks third in the world in wine production. The most famous Portuguese wines are port (from the name of the city of Porto) and Madeira (from the name of the island of Madeira with its famous grape varieties). Spanish arch wines Malaga and sherry are also world famous.

South European countries pay great attention to the development of labor-intensive industries (production of household appliances, light appliances, furniture, food, etc.), involving a significant army of working-age population in production. This to some extent curbs economic emigration from the countries of the region.

The video lesson allows you to get interesting and detailed information about the countries of Southern Europe. From the lesson you will learn about the composition of Southern Europe, the characteristics of the countries in the region, their geographical location, nature, climate, and place in this subregion. The teacher will tell you in detail about the main country of Southern Europe - Italy. In addition, the lesson provides interesting information about a tiny country - the Vatican.

Subject: Regional characteristics peace. Foreign Europe

Lesson:Southern Europe

Rice. 1. Map of subregions of Europe. Southern Europe is highlighted in green ()

Southern Europe- a cultural and geographical region, which includes states located on the southern peninsular and island parts of the region.

Compound:

1. Spain.

2. Andorra.

3. Portugal.

4. Italy.

5. Vatican.

6. San Marino.

7. Greece.

8. Croatia.

9. Montenegro.

10. Serbia.

11. Albania.

12. Slovenia.

13. Bosnia and Herzegovina.

14. Macedonia.

15. Malta.

16. Cyprus is sometimes included in Southern Europe

Southern Europe is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

The climate in most of Southern Europe is subtropical Mediterranean.

Almost the entire territory of Southern Europe is located within rigid-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs.

The region's population exceeds 160 million people.

Countries in Southern Europe with the largest populations:

1. Italy (61 million people).

2. Spain (47 million people).

3. Portugal and Greece (11 million people each).

At the same time, the population of the Vatican is less than 1000 people, and the population density is almost 2000 people. per sq. km.

The most numerous peoples of Southern Europe:

1. Italians.

2. Spaniards.

3. Portuguese.

The region's religious composition is diverse. In general, the southwestern countries of the region profess Catholicism, the southeastern ones - Orthodoxy, Albania and partly in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Islam.

Rice. 2. Map of religious denominations in Europe (blue - Catholicism, purple - Protestantism, pink - Orthodoxy, yellow - Islam). ()

According to the form of government, Spain, Andorra, and the Vatican are monarchies.

The most powerful economies in the region are Italy and Spain.

All countries of Southern Europe are characterized by a modern type of population reproduction.

The highest levels of urbanization are in Spain (91%) and Malta (89%).

In most countries, mining, agriculture, mountain pasture husbandry, the production of machinery and instruments, fabrics, leather, and the cultivation of grapes and citrus fruits are widespread. Tourism is very common. Spain and Italy occupy leading places in the world in tourism. The main branch of specialization, in addition to international tourism, is agriculture, in particular, this area is rich in grapes, olives, quite high rates in the cultivation of grains and legumes (Spain - 22.6 million tons, Italy - 20.8 million tons), as well as vegetables and fruits (Spain - 11.5 million tons, Italy - 14.5 million tons). Despite the predominance of agriculture, there are also industrial areas, in particular the cities of Genoa, Turin and Milan are the main industrial cities of Italy. It should be noted that they are located mainly in the north, closer to the countries of Western Europe.

Italy. Population - 61 million people (4th place in overseas Europe). Capital - Rome.

The full name is the Italian Republic. It borders with France in the northwest, Switzerland and Austria in the north, and Slovenia in the northeast. It also has internal borders with the Vatican and San Marino. The country occupies the Apennine Peninsula, the Padana Plain, the southern slopes of the Alps, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia and a number of small islands.

Italy has a variety of mineral resources, but their deposits are mostly small, scattered throughout the territory, and are often located in an inconvenient location for development. Italy is a developed industrial-agrarian country. It is characterized by a combination of highly developed industry in the north and backward agriculture in the southern regions. The economy is dominated by powerful industrial and banking monopolies. In agriculture, especially in the south, remnants of feudalism are strong and backward forms of agriculture dominate. A lot of land still belongs to large landowners. Peasants rent tiny plots of land and pay for it up to half of the harvest. Italy is poor in coal and iron ore, but in its depths there is a lot of mercury, pyrites, gas, marble, and sulfur. About 40% of the electricity consumed by Italian industry comes from hydroelectric power plants. The most powerful of them are built on northern rivers. Italy became the first country in the world to widely use heat to produce electricity groundwater. Several nuclear power plants have been built. Mechanical engineering occupies a leading place in industry. Italian factories produce cars, motorcycles, airplanes, and sea vessels.

Over the past twenty years, 6 million Italians have left in search of work in other countries. The army of the unemployed is constantly replenished by bankrupt peasants. In Italian agriculture, the leading place belongs to agriculture. Dairy and meat farming is developed only in the northern regions. Among the grains, the most common are wheat and corn.

Grapes are grown everywhere. The area occupied by vineyards is greater here than in any country in the world. Italy exports a lot of wine, as well as oranges, lemons, and vegetables. There are many large industrial cities in the north. The most significant of them is Milan. It is the economic capital of Italy. Industrial areas surround the city in a continuous ring. Milan's plants and factories belong to several trusts that control a significant part of the country's industry.

On the shores of the Ligurian Sea, in Northern Italy, lies the country's largest seaport - Genoa. Genoa is a large industrial city. The country's largest shipyards, oil refineries, metallurgical and machine-building plants are located here.

Of all developed countries, Italy has the sharpest territorial contrasts in the level of industrialization. In Southern Italy, less than 15% of the economically active population is employed in industry, while in the North-West it is about 40%. The vast majority of the most advanced high-tech industries are also concentrated here.

The regional policy pursued by the Italian government and the EU is aimed at eliminating the economic backwardness of a number of Central and Southern regions of the country. The industrialization carried out in these areas involves the construction of small enterprises in the light and food industries in small and medium-sized cities in Central and Southern Italy. There is an accelerated development of coastal industrial centers (Ravenna, Taranto, Cagliari in Sardinia, etc.) based on the use of imported raw materials, in particular oil.

In the structure of Italian industry there is constant growth manufacturing shares are the basis of Italian industry. The leading place in the manufacturing industry is occupied by the machine-building complex, whose share exceeds 35%. These include: general mechanical engineering; production of vehicles; production of electrical and electronic equipment; metalworking and production of metal products.

There is some lag in Italy from other industrial countries in terms of scientific potential, so the country in the MGRT specializes in the production of machinery and equipment of medium and low science intensity, supplying a fairly wide range of engineering products to the world market. In particular, it is one of the largest manufacturers of agricultural machinery, electrical appliances, packaging and food processing equipment, machine tools, textile equipment, rolling stock and other vehicles.

Italy is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of consumer goods, distinguished by high quality and exquisite design.

Fuel and energy complex. Italy is extremely poor in energy sources and has an unfavorable energy balance. On average, only 17% of needs are covered from own resources. Almost 70% of the energy balance comes from oil. According to this indicator, Italy is comparable among post-industrial countries only to Japan: about 15% for natural gas, 7 - 8% for coal, hydro and geothermal energy. Own oil production is small - 1.5 million tons per year. Italy purchases 98% of all oil consumed abroad (over 75 million tons). Oil comes from Saudi Arabia, Libya, Russia. Italy has the largest Western Europe in terms of installed capacity of the oil refining industry (200 million tons), but the degree of its utilization is very low. Gas is imported from Russia, Algeria, and the Netherlands. Italy purchases about 80% of solid fuel. Hard coal is imported from the USA and South Africa.

Over 3/4 of the electricity is generated at thermal power plants that use mainly fuel oil. Therefore, electricity is expensive, and imports of electricity from France are high. After the Chernobyl accident, it was decided to stop the operation of existing nuclear power plants and not build new ones. The main goals of the state energy program are saving energy consumption and reducing oil imports.

The Italian ferrous metallurgy operates on imported raw materials. Own production is insignificant - 185 thousand tons per year. Coking coal is entirely imported from abroad, mainly from the USA. Italy is a major exporter of scrap metal, as well as alloy metal ores.

The import of raw materials for the industry predetermined the location of the largest metallurgical plants on the sea coast in Genoa, Naples, Piombino, Taranto (the latter, the largest in the EU, with a capacity of 10 million tons of steel per year).

On the global market, Italy specializes in the production of thin, cold-rolled steel and steel pipes. The main products of non-ferrous metallurgy: aluminum, zinc, lead and mercury.

The country ranks second in the EU and sixth in the world in rolled metal production, accounting for 40% of ferrous metal production in the EU.

The Italian chemical industry specializes in the production of petrochemicals, polymers (especially polyethylene, polypropylene) and synthetic fibers.

The industry is highly monopolized and dominated by large firms. The ENI company ranks first in Europe in the production of acrylic fibers, second in the production of plastics, and third in the production of fertilizers. Montadison provides 1/4 of the country's chemical fertilizer production. SNIA specializes in the production of chemical fibers, plastics, dyes, plant protection products, and medicines.

Italy ranks fifth in the world in drug production.

The oldest and most important region of the chemical industry is the North-West. Due to exacerbation ecological situation, lack of free space, difficulties with power supply, this region specializes in the production of fine chemicals. Major centers are: Milan, Turin, Mantua, Savona, Novara, Genoa.

North-Eastern Italy specializes in the production of bulk petrochemical products, fertilizers, synthetic rubber (Venice, Porto Marghera, Ravenna).

Profile of Central Italy - inorganic chemistry(Rosignano, Follonica, Piombino, Terni and others).

Southern Italy specializes in the production of organic synthesis products, mineral fertilizers (Brenzi, Augusta, Jele, Torto Torres and others).

Mechanical engineering is a leading branch of Italian industry. It employs 2/5 of all industrial workers, creates 1/3 of the total value of industrial products and 1/3 of the country's exports.

The industry is characterized by a high share of transport engineering in production and exports. Italy occupies one of the leading places in the world in car production. The largest automobile company is Fiat (Italian car factory in Turin). It is multidisciplinary and produces locomotives and wagons, tractors, ship and aircraft engines, road transport vehicles, machine tools, and robots. Fiat's capital is Turin, where the Mirafiori headquarters and largest plant are located; automobile factories were also built in Milan, Naples, Bolzano, and Modena. The company has its branches in many countries around the world. In the 1960s participated in the construction of the giant VAZ plant in Tolyatti. Fiat is one of the top ten largest car manufacturers, accounting for 5.3% of global production.

Rice. 4. FIAT car from 1899. ()

Ferrari is famous for producing racing cars.

Italy's international specialization is the production of not only cars, but also motorcycles, scooters, mopeds and bicycles.

Shipbuilding is a crisis branch of transport engineering; The tonnage of ships launched annually does not exceed 250 - 350 thousand tons. reg. t. Shipbuilding centers: Monofalcone, Genoa, Trieste, Taranto.

The products produced by the electrical industry are varied - refrigerators, washing machines, televisions. The industry is highly concentrated in Milan, its suburbs and the neighboring cities of Varese, Como and Bergamo.

The production of electronics products is growing. Italy produces personal computers and electronic components.

Light industry developed in Italy. The country is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of cotton and woolen fabrics, clothing and footwear, furniture, jewelry and earthenware, etc. Italy ranks second in the world in footwear production after China. Italy is famous for its designer houses.

Rice. 5. Giorgio Armani - Italian fashion designer ()

Service sector. Tourism and banking play a leading role in the industry. The most important source of income is tourism. Over 50 million tourists visit Italy every year. More than 3/4 of the total turnover of the Italian tourism business comes from three cities: Rome, Venice and Florence. Almost all tourists arriving in Rome visit the unique state of the Vatican. The so-called shopping tourism is also developing, attracting wholesalers of products from Italian small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as individual consumers of Italian clothing and shoes.

All types of transport are well developed in Italy. More than 90% of passengers and 80% of cargo are transported by cars. The main transport artery of the country is the “motorway of the sun”, connecting Turin and Milan through Bologna and Florence with Rome. In external cargo transportation, sea transport predominates; 80 - 90% of imported goods are delivered by sea. The largest ports: Genoa (cargo turnover 50 million tons per year) and Trieste (35 million tons per year). The main coastal port of the country is Naples.

Agriculture is dominated by crop production. The main crops are wheat, corn, rice (1st place in Europe; over 1 million tons per year), sugar beets. Italy is one of the world's largest and Europe's leading producers of citrus fruits (over 3.3 million tons per year), tomatoes (over 5.5 million tons), grapes (about 10 million tons per year; over 90% is processed into wine) , olives. Floriculture and poultry farming are developed.

Vatican located on Vatican Hill in the northwestern part of Rome, a few hundred meters from the Tiber. The Vatican is surrounded on all sides by Italian territory. The Vatican has a non-profit planned economy. Sources of income are primarily donations from Catholics around the world. Part of the funds comes from tourism (sale of postage stamps, Vatican euro coins, souvenirs, fees for visiting museums). The majority of the workforce (museum staff, gardeners, janitors, etc.) are Italian citizens.

Almost the entire population of the Vatican is subjects of the Holy See (Vatican citizenship does not exist).

The status of the Vatican in international law is an auxiliary sovereign territory of the Holy See, the seat of the highest spiritual leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. The sovereignty of the Vatican is not independent (national), but stems from the sovereignty of the Holy See. In other words, its source is not the population of the Vatican, but the papal throne.

Homework

Topic 6, P. 3

1. What are the features geographical location Southern Europe?

2. Tell us about the Italian economy.

References

Main

1. Geography. Basic level. 10-11 grades: Textbook for educational institutions / A.P. Kuznetsov, E.V. Kim. - 3rd ed., stereotype. - M.: Bustard, 2012. - 367 p.

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Additional

1. Economic and social geography of Russia: Textbook for universities / Ed. prof. A.T. Khrushchev. - M.: Bustard, 2001. - 672 p.: ill., map.: color. on

Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books and statistical collections

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Literature for preparing for the State Exam and the Unified State Exam

1. Thematic control in geography. Economic and social geography of the world. 10th grade / E.M. Ambartsumova. - M.: Intellect-Center, 2009. - 80 p.

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3. The optimal bank of tasks for preparing students. Single state exam 2012. Geography: Tutorial/ Comp. EM. Ambartsumova, S.E. Dyukova. - M.: Intellect-Center, 2012. - 256 p.

4. The most complete edition of standard versions of real Unified State Examination tasks: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyova. - M.: AST: Astrel, 2010. - 223 p.

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Materials on the Internet

1. Federal Institute pedagogical measurements ().

2. Federal portal Russian Education ().

Economic and geographical position of Southern Europe

Southern Europe is very elongated along the parallel - at a distance exceeding 4000 km and compressed by the meridian, barely exceeding 1000 km. Main connections with outside world for most of them are carried out by sea.

Although the macroregion is not territorially compact, it is quite homogeneous in terms of morphostructural and climatic characteristics.

Figure 2 - Mountain systems of Southern Europe

Southern Europe is the most mountainous of the European macroregions (Figure 2).

Three physical-geographical regions are distinguished: Iberian, Apennine, Balkan.

The Iberian Peninsula is located between the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean and is influenced by both of these basins. It forms the westernmost, sub-Atlantic outpost of the Mediterranean. The peninsula is located close to Africa, from which it separated geologically recently, and is isolated from the rest of Europe by the wall of the Pyrenees Mountains. It is more massive than the other peninsulas of the Mediterranean; its outlines, formed by fault lines, are almost rectilinear; The surface structure is dominated by plateaus and block mountains with small areas of lowlands.

The basis of the Iberian Peninsula is the Meseta massif, composed of crystalline rocks and bordered on the north and south by the mountain structures of the Alpine orogenic belt. On the Atlantic Ocean side, the peninsula is bounded by a fault system that is characterized by strong seismicity.

The Meseta is characterized by a combination of plains and blocky mountains. Its internal parts, where the folded base is covered with layers of sedimentary rocks and the heights are 500-800 m, form the plateau of Old (in the north) and New (in the south) Castile. Along their outskirts rise folded-block ridges, massifs and plateaus composed of crystalline (Cantabrian, Iberian mountains) and limestone rocks (Central Cordillera, Catalan and Toledo mountains). The Central Cordillera, which separates the Old and New Castile plateaus from each other, reaches the greatest height (up to 2600 m) and complexity of structure. In the south and southeast rise the folded ridges of the Cordillera Betica, or Andalusian Mountains.

The Pyrenees serves as an important physical-geographical border between the Mediterranean and Central Europe. This mountain system is second in average height in Europe after the Alps, although its highest peaks are significantly inferior to the highest parts of the Alps. While inferior to the Alps in height, the Pyrenees are much less dissected and inconvenient to cross. The highest part of the mountains is the middle part, composed of crystalline rocks. Peak Aneto in the Maladeta massif reaches a height of 3404 m. A significant role in the formation of the relief of this part of the Pyrenees belongs to the ancient glaciation, during which the highest parts of the mountains were covered with glaciers, leaving behind giant circuses. Sharp, inaccessible peaks, steep slopes and wild gorges are characteristic of the highest part of the Pyrenees, which is almost devoid of passes, there are no railways or highways. To the west and east the mountains gradually decrease. Their marginal parts are composed not of crystalline rocks, but of limestone and loose sediments, crossed by mountain passes along which railways and highways connecting Spain with France are laid. However, there are relatively few through routes through the Pyrenees. The first railway through these mountains was built only in 1915.

In the west, the Pyrenees meet the Cantabrian Mountains, the eastern part of which - the Biscay Mountains - orographically, tectonically and geologically serves as a continuation of the Pyrenees. The western part of the Cantabrian Mountains - the Asturian Mountains (over 2500 m) are composed of more ancient rocks, have a greater height, and the relief is characterized by sharp shapes. The northern slope facing the Bay of Biscay is especially steep and strongly dissected. It is crossed by narrow, gorge-like valleys through which rushing watercourses rush down.

The southern mountain system of the Iberian Peninsula (Andalusian Mountains) is close to the Alps. It begins above the Strait of Gibraltar with a high cliff and stretches to the northeast. The continuation of the Andalusian mountains can be traced in the form of low rises in the Balearic Islands. Probably, in the past, this mountain system merged with the northern Apennines and the Alps.

The Andalusian mountains consist of two zones, different in relief and geological structure. The southern crystalline zone is higher. Its massif - the Sierra Nevada (Snowy Mountains) - reaches 3482 m (Mount Mulacen). On the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, snowfields remain throughout almost the entire summer and there is a small cirque glacier, the southernmost in Europe. Traces of Quaternary glaciation and strong erosional dissection create the features of a typical high-mountain relief in many areas of the crystalline zone. A longitudinal tectonic depression separates the outer limestone zone from the crystalline zone with the widespread development of karst relief. Deep tectonic basins contain a dense population and developed agriculture. On the Mediterranean side, the Andalusian mountain system is surrounded by the hilly, cultivated and densely populated Andalusian Riviera.

Lowlands also surround the peninsula in the west, southwest and southeast. Between the Meseta and the Andalusian mountains in the Guadalquivir River basin there is the Andalusian lowland, in the west at the foot of the Meseta - the Portuguese, in the southeast - the Murcia and Valencia. The flat, dune-girdled shores of these lowlands are interrupted by lagoons jutting deep into the land, in which the large port cities of Spain and Portugal are located. In the southwest of Spain it is Cadiz, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean - the capital of Portugal, Lisbon.

The Apennine region includes the Apennine Peninsula, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, etc.

Alpine tectonic structures The Apennine Mountains in the extreme south meet the Hercynian structures of the Calabrian peninsula. This combination is also typical for Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.

The ancient Paleozoic Tyrrhenian massif sank in the Neogene and Quaternary periods, forming the Tyrrhenian Sea and islands. This was accompanied by volcanic activity, which continues unabated even now: Vesuvius, Etna, Stromboli.

Water erosion plays an important role in the relief. Quaternary glaciation in the mountains was limited.

The basis of the relief is the Apennine mountain system, which crosses the entire length of the Apennine Peninsula and passes to the island of Sicily. In the north, the Apennines merge with the Maritime Alps. There is no clearly defined boundary between these two mountain systems, and tectonically, the Northern Apennines are a direct continuation of the Alps. In the west and east, between the mountains and the seashore, there are strips of flat or hilly relief, not related in structure to the Apennines.

In the north, the Apennines stretch along the shore of the Gulf of Genoa, limiting the Padana Plain from the south. The narrow strip between the mountains and the sea is called the Riviera: French - in the west, Italian - in the east. Within the peninsula, the Apennines deviate to the southeast and retreat quite far from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Up to the upper reaches of the Arno River, the mountains are called the Northern Apennines. In this part they are composed of Paleogene, predominantly loose rocks and rarely exceed 2000 m. The predominance of clay deposits in the structure of the Northern Apennines creates conditions for the development of landslide phenomena, which are intensified due to the destruction of forests. Many settlements in the Northern Apennines are located in deep tectonic basins. The ancient city of Florence is located in one of these basins.

To the south, the Central Apennines are composed of Mesozoic limestones and break up into high massifs separated by deep basins and tectonic valleys. The slopes of the massifs are mostly steep and bare. The highest parts of the mountains have experienced glaciation, and glacial forms are clearly visible in their topography. The highest peak of the Apennines - Mount Corno Grande in the Gran Sasso d'Italia massif - reaches 2914 m and is a typical Carling with a sharply defined peak and steep slopes. The destruction of forests contributed to the very strong development of karst formation processes in the Central Apennines.

In the very south, the Apennines come very close to the Tyrrhenian coast and in some places drop directly to the sea. Orographically, the Apennines continue on the Calabrian peninsula under the name Calabrian Apennines. But the mountains of Calabria have a different age and a different structure than the rest of the Apennines. This is a dome-shaped massif composed of crystalline rocks, leveled and elevated by faults. Obviously, it is part of an older structural complex that existed on the site of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and experienced faulting and subsidence in the Neogene.

The coastal strips of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas on the Apennine Peninsula have different structures and topography. The strip along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea reaches its greatest width in the north, where individual crystalline massifs rise among the low hilly plain - part of the same ancient landmass as the mountains of Calabria. Further to the south, ancient and young volcanic formations begin to play a large role in the structure and relief of the Predapennines. There rises a number of extinct volcanoes and stretches of plains composed of volcanic rocks and dissected by rivers. The capital of Italy, Rome, sits on a hilly volcanic plain. There are many hot springs in the area. Even further south, in the Naples area, rises the double cone of Vesuvius, one of the most active volcanoes in Europe. Vast areas around Vesuvius are covered with lava, poured out during numerous eruptions, and are covered with masses of volcanic ash. A powerful volcanic eruption at the beginning of our era led to the destruction of three cities: Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia, located at its foot. As a result of excavations that began in the 19th century, Pompeii was partially liberated from under the thickness of volcanic rocks and turned into a museum-reserve, widely known throughout the world.

On the Adriatic Sea side, at the foot of the Apennines, there is a raised hilly strip called the Subapennines. In the southern part, the Subapennines turn into a karst limestone plateau up to 1000 m high, which stretches from the Gargano Peninsula to the Salentina Peninsula.

The island of Sicily is almost entirely occupied by mountains, which are a tectonic continuation of the Apennines. There are low-lying areas only along the coasts. In the east of the island rises the highest and most active volcano in Europe - Etna, reaching 3340 m in height. Etna is not only the highest volcano in Europe, but also one of the most active active volcanoes on Earth. Its eruptions occurred over a long period of time at intervals of 3-5 years, and more than 100 of them were strong and prolonged, claiming many human lives.

North of Sicily, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, lies a group of volcanic Aeolian islands, some of them permanently active volcanoes. The widespread occurrence of volcanism in this part of the region is associated with recent fault lines along which the land that previously occupied the Tyrrhenian Sea subsided. The subsidence also caused the formation of the Straits of Messina and Tunis and the separation of Europe from North Africa.

The islands of Corsica and Sardinia were still connected with the rest of the land in the Neogene. Both islands are mountainous, especially Corsica, whose mountains reach a height of 2700 m and are composed of crystalline rocks.

At the base of the Balkan Peninsula is the ancient Hercynian Thracian-Macedonian massif, a fragment of the Aegean, which sank in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. What remained of the ancient landmass were islands in the Aegean Sea. In the west and north there are folds of Alpine age. The surface of the region is mountainous, the plains occupy small spaces. In morphostructural terms, Alpine formations are distinguished (in the west and south - the Dinaric Highlands, the North Albanian Alps (Prokletiye), Pindus, Epirus, the mountains of Crete) and Hercynian in the Thracian-Macedonian massif (Pirin, Rila, Rhodope Mountains, Olympus, West Macedonian Mountains ).

In the west is the Dinaric Highlands. It has two structural and morphological belts: the western - plateau-like of Mesozoic limestones and the development of karst processes, and the eastern - with alternating Paleozoic and Mesozoic sandstones, shales, limestones and crystalline rocks. Max. the height in the southeastern part is the Durmitor massif, 2522 m. On the mountain plateaus there are numerous karst fields up to 60 km long, at their bottom there are lake sediments and clayey deposits (terra rossa). Other karst forms are widespread: karr fields, sinkholes, caves. This relief is best expressed on the Karst plateau - a classic example. The mountains drop steeply towards the Adriatic. Along the coast of the island there are ridges parallel to the shore (Dolmatian type). The coast is invasive and shows signs of recent subsidence and flooding.

To the south of Lake Skadar there is the Albanian lowland with numerous hills from 50 to 400 m. Severe swamping.

In the east of the Dinaric Highlands - the complex mountainous regions of Šumadia, Macedonia, the north-eastern Peloponnese and the island of Euboea - Paleozoic sandstones, shales, and crystalline rocks predominate. Karst processes are poorly developed. Dome-shaped peaks, gentle slopes.

The middle Thracian-Macedonian massif of Hercynian age consists of blocky uplifts and tectonic depressions. Most high education- Rila mountains (highest point 2925 m), Rhodopes, Pirin, Osogovska Planina, Shar Planina. The mountains are separated by tectonic basins and fault zones; large ones have a meridional strike with the valleys of the Vardar, Struma, and Morava rivers.

Continuation of the Dinaric Highlands - the Pindus Mountains (Zmolikas, 2637 m) stretch from north to south for 200 km - made of limestone and flysch. The ridges are dissected by deep river valleys. Even further to the southeast are isolated mountain ranges limited by faults (Olympus, 2917 m; Parnassus, 2457 m).

The Peloponnese peninsula is strongly dissected, in the center of the Sparta plateau. Connected to the rest of Greece by the Corinth Canal (6.3 km long, built in 1897).

In the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula are the Thessalian, Upper Thracian, Lower Thracian, and Thessaloniki plains.

Upper and Lower Thracian are located in the trough zone. The first of lake and river sediments, with a flat surface with residual mounds of crystalline rock outcrops.

Lower Thracian from Neogene marine sandy-clayey sediments. Agriculture centers.

In the west and north there are folds of Alpine age, at the base of the peninsula there is the ancient Hercynian Thracian-Macedonian massif - a fragment of the Aegean. In the west of the Dinaric Highlands there are thick strata of Mesozoic limestones - a wide distribution of karst forms: karst fields, sinkholes, depressions, caves, underground rivers, fields. The Karst Plateau is an area of ​​classically expressed karst landforms.

The mountains and peninsular position played a large role in the transport system of Southern Europe. Maritime transport plays a major role in international and domestic transport. All countries have large merchant fleets, some of which are leased. Freight of sea vessels is especially developed in Greece. Air transport is rapidly developing, providing both domestic and international transportation of passengers. All the largest settlements in the region are connected by roads and railways. Through tunnels built in the mountains, connections are made with continental regions of Europe.

The formation of the industrial structure was affected by the almost complete absence of oil and natural gas in the region - the most important sources of energy and raw materials. Mineral fuels are supplied from the countries of Northern Europe, Russia, North Africa and the Middle East. As a consequence, the location of industry tends to gravitate towards sea coasts. The majority of enterprises in the oil refining and petrochemical industries, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, and light industry are concentrated here. The bulk of electricity is produced at thermal power plants running on fuel oil and natural gas.

In Spain, 25% of electricity is generated by nuclear power plants. In conditions of mineral fuel shortage, the use of renewable energy sources is important. In Italy and Spain, the role of hydropower is great. Numerous hydroelectric power plants, providing cheap energy, were built on mountain rivers in the Alps and Pyrenees. The economy of the countries of Southern Europe is increasingly developing the use of solar energy.

In the port cities of Italy, Spain, and Greece, where imported oil is delivered, a powerful oil refining and petrochemical industry has formed. Ferrous metallurgy also depends on imported raw materials. Large deposits coal and iron ore found only in Spain, but their reserves are significantly depleted. Therefore, ferrous metal production enterprises are also concentrated in port centers. Electrometallurgy predominates, and as a result, the steel produced in these countries is of high quality.

The leading industry in the large countries of the region is mechanical engineering. Its basis is the production of vehicles - cars, trucks, and sea vessels. Recently, electronics and electrical engineering and instrument making have been developing at a rapid pace. The brands of Italian refrigerators and washing machines, as well as Olivetti computers, are world famous. In Italy the machine tool industry has reached a high level.

Traditionally, the light and food industries play an important role in the economic development of the economies of the countries of Southern Europe. The countries are major producers of cotton and woolen fabrics, knitwear, clothing and footwear, furniture, and jewelry. The food industry specializes in the production of pasta, olive oil, grape wines, canned vegetables and fruits, and juices.

Rich reserves of various building stones and raw materials for the cement industry contribute to the development of production. A significant part of the products (cladding tiles, marble, cement) is exported.

A peculiarity of agriculture in the countries of Southern Europe is the predominance of crop farming over livestock farming. The reason for this industry structure lies in natural conditions. The warm Mediterranean climate, combined with artificial irrigation, allows the world's most diverse range of crops to be grown. And the presence of a large European market nearby contributes to the production of subtropical crops in large volumes. The disadvantage is the limited amount of land suitable for farming. The use of mountain slopes for agriculture is possible only with the help of terracing, which has long been common in Mediterranean countries. The most typical crops for the region are olives and grapes. A variety of vegetables and fruits are grown everywhere. Among vegetables, tomatoes stand out in terms of production volumes; fruits - peaches, apricots, and cherries. Most of the typical subtropical crops - figs, citrus fruits - are exported. Cereals (wheat, barley, rice), legumes and melons are produced for our own needs. Of the industrial crops, the most important are sugar beets, tobacco and cotton.

The development of livestock farming has always been hampered by a lack of food supply. In recent years, unable to withstand the competition of highly specialized farms in Western and Northern Europe, livestock production has been declining. All major livestock sectors are represented in the region: breeding large and small (sheep, goats), cattle, pigs, and poultry. Sheep are widely raised on natural pastures. Depending on the season, the herds are moved. Stall livestock farming is combined with agriculture and is characteristic of the fertile lowlands, especially the Podan plain in Italy. Here, as well as in the suburban areas of large cities, dairy farming, pig farming and poultry farming are concentrated. Seafood plays an important role in the diet of the region's residents.

The development of the service sector is aimed at serving numerous foreign tourists. Every year, the countries of Southern Europe are visited by more than 180 million vacationers from all over the world. They are attracted by the favorable climate, warm sea, combined with mountainous terrain, unique architectural ensembles of cities, high level of service in numerous hotels and restaurants. Mountain resorts are very popular. The Vatican is a traditional place of pilgrimage for believers. Annual revenues from foreign tourism in each of the major countries in the region amount to tens of billions of dollars.

In terms of population, Southern Europe, with about 180 million people, is the second region in Europe in terms of territory (after Eastern Europe) and population. Among the southern European countries, three countries have the largest population: Italy (57.2 million people), Spain (39.6 million people) and Romania (22.4 million people), which are home to two thirds of the population, or 66.3% of the total number of people living in the region.

In terms of population density (106.0 individuals/km2), Southern Europe exceeds the European average by 74%, but is inferior among internal European regions to industrialized Western Europe, where the population density is 173 individuals/km2.

Among individual countries, industrialized Italy (190 individuals/km 2) and Albania (119.0 individuals/km 2) stand out with the highest population density. Such countries of the Balkan Peninsula as Croatia (85.3 individuals/km 2), Bosnia and Herzegovina (86.5 individuals/km 2), Macedonia (80.2 individuals/km 2) and Spain (77.5 individuals) stand out with lower density /km 2). Thus, the center of Southern Europe - the Apennine Peninsula - is the most densely populated, in particular the fertile Padanian plain and most of the coastal lowlands. The least densely populated highland areas of Spain are where there are less than 10 people per km2.

In the Southern European macroregion, the birth rate is almost the same as in the Western European macroregion - 11 children per 1000 inhabitants. Among individual countries, Albania ranks first in this indicator, where the birth rate reaches 23 people per 1 thousand inhabitants per year, and the natural increase is 18 people. In second place is Macedonia, where these indicators are 16 and 8, respectively, and in third and fourth places are Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the industrialized countries of southern Europe, the birth rate is much lower. So, in Italy - 9% with a minus growth rate (-1), in Slovenia - 10 people with zero natural growth.

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

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

Figure 3 - National composition Southern Europe

Among the non-Roman peoples on the Iberian Peninsula live the Basques, who inhabit a small area of ​​​​Northern Spain. These are the descendants of the Iberians - an ancient population who have preserved their language and elements of culture. The majority of the population of Romania are Romanians, who formed into a single nation from two close peoples - the Vlachs and the Moldovans.

Thus, the economic and geographical position of Southern Europe is characterized by the following features:

1) the proximity of the region to North Africa. Such a neighborhood has a decisive influence not only on natural features, but also on the ethnogenesis of the peoples living here;

2) proximity to the countries of South-West Asia, rich fuel and energy resources, which are lacking in Southern Europe;

3) the wide extent of maritime borders with the Atlantic Ocean, with the seas of the Mediterranean basin, in particular the Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Aegean, as well as the western part of the Black Sea, has diversified and influences economic activity and profitable economic ties Northern European countries with all continents of the world;

4) The Mediterranean is an ancient region of human civilization, it is also called the “cradle of European civilization,” because Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome had a decisive influence on the historical fate of neighboring countries and all of Europe.

In most countries of Southern Europe, the mining industry, agriculture, mountain pasture husbandry, production of machinery and instruments, fabrics, leather, and the cultivation of grapes and citrus fruits are widespread. Tourism is very common. The main branch of specialization, in addition to international tourism, is agriculture, in particular this area is rich in grapes, olives, and quite high rates in the cultivation of grains and legumes, as well as vegetables and fruits. Despite the predominance of agriculture, there are also industrial zones, in particular the cities of Genoa, Turin, etc. It should be noted that they are located mainly in the north, closer to the countries of Western Europe.