EuropePeninsula of Peninsulas

North Atlantic Drift• Carries warm water from

the tropics to Europe’s west coast, then the prevailing westerlies blow warm air over Europe.

• The effects are felt very far inland (mild/warm climate and adequate rainfall), until they reach the Alps.

• The Alps create a physical barrier, and the climate is more harsh, and they are less densely populated

Deforestation

• Much of Europe has suffered from deforestation due to its long history of being inhabited, and the population boom that demanded farm land

• Due to the North Atlantic Drift, and the humid continental climate further inland, much of Europe is good for farming

The Mediterranean• No Surprise, the

Mediterranean climate and coastline here is great for tourism. It is also good for growing grapes, olives, citrus, and wheat

• Just beyond the coast there are mountains which block the Mistral (cold, dry wind from the North)—France is the exception

• The Sirocco is a hot, steady wind that blows in from Africa during the Summer

Land of the Midnight Sun• In the furthest northern reaches of

Europe, near the Arctic Circle, there is an area where there are some days that the sun never sets.

• The climate type is tundra, the land is permafrost.

• No tress grow here – only mosses and lichens