THE 5 MAIN NATURAL REGIONS OF EUROPE - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The main natural regions of Europe are the Iberian, Atlantic, Central, Mediterranean and Eastern. In this way, the entire territory is covered, including the British Isles and the seas that are located around the continent.

The European continent is located mostly in latitudes that are known as northern, that is, its territory is located mainly in the northern hemisphere of the planet. This means that the natural regions of the continent can count on warm and cold temperatures on a stationary basis throughout the year.

The central, Iberian and Atlantic regions have a slightly warmer climate than the other regions, this is due to the presence of the seas that surround them. On the other hand, the other regions have colder and drier climates, characterized by low rainfall and strong winds.

Different natural regions of Europe

1- Iberian region

Night view of the Iberian Peninsula from space. Source: NASA's Earth Observatory CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

The Iberian Region is inhabited mostly by Spain and a small percentage by Portugal. It has a slightly irregular relief, with some plateaus and the Cantabrian mountain range.

These subtle variations in the relief allow the presence of two predominant types of climates: humid on the coast and dry in the southern, eastern and central areas.

Within this region there are also plains that are mainly exploited with agricultural activities. In the more humid areas it is common to find corn crops and grazing cattle and milk.

In the driest parts, the cultivation of various products predominates (vine, wheat, olive, sugar, tobacco and cotton). This division of the region is possible thanks to the fact that the most populated areas of the region are located on its coastline, in the extreme north of the territory.

2- Atlantic region (The Great European Plain)

Farm fields of the European Plain in the Odessa Oblast, Ukraine. Source: Heulwolf CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

This region includes the countries of Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the Scandinavians. This is how it occupies most of the European territory, the most economically important coasts and seas in the world (the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean).

The Atlantic natural region has a relief full of highs and lows, which allows it to boast diverse climates influenced both by geography and by the Atlantic breezes.

In this region, summers are not excessively hot, winters do not reach extreme temperatures, and there is permanent rainfall throughout the year. The diversity of temperatures and soils makes this one of the most exploited and populated regions of the continent.

The Scandinavian countries have marked differences in their geography due to the presence of the Fjord mountains, which give this area of ​​the region a tundra climate. This area of ​​the region is also close to the Arctic Circle, which is why it is rich in water resources.

In general, the flora and fauna of the Atlantic Region is characterized by having many small forests, separated from each other, with conifers that do not reach much height and herbivorous mammals (caribou, reindeer and ox) and carnivores (wolves, foxes and martas).

Most of the animals that live in the north of the region tend to move to the south of the continent, especially when winter comes and goes in search of food.

The countries within this natural region stand out for their high demographic concentration, their industrial development in different fields (metalworking, automotive, textile, hydrocarbons, nuclear energy, chemicals, mining, among others). They are high producers of vegetable pulps, thanks to their forest wealth.

3- Central region (Transverse Cordilleras)

View of the Puigsacalm mountain. Source: Xavier Béjar CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

Within this region are the European countries of Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Liechtenstein, Ukraine, Lithuania, Moldova, Belarus, Estonia and Latvia.

The topography of this region includes plains to the north, mountains (Alps), and basins. In this way, the predominant climates include the cold of the high mountains and the Atlantic with less extreme temperatures, rains and seasons.

It is a region with high water wealth, which has allowed it to develop prosperous river routes. Its vegetation consists mainly of pine and lichen forests.

However, this vegetation varies depending on the height of the mountains. In general, it is a region with a tundra ecosystem in some regions and a little warmer towards the Mediterranean.

Its inhabitants are mainly of German, Alpine, Norman and Nordic origin. Like the Atlantic region, the central region is densely populated and exploited. Therefore, it presents a vast industrial development in different fields (metalworking, chemistry, optics, among others).

At the agricultural level, you can find cereals such as barley and grasslands for grazing dairy cattle.

4- Mediterranean region

A Mediterranean forest in Corsica. Source: Free Art License CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

This region gets its name from the sea that surrounds it: Mediterranean. It is located in the extreme south of Europe and includes the Italic and Balkan peninsulas.

Italy can be found on the Italian peninsula and Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Malta are located in the Balkan.

Its topography is characterized by having mountainous elevations (Alps and Carpathians) that divide the territory into visibly different zones. It has small plains and river basins.

The climate is generally less extreme than in the north of the continent, so the summers are dry and warm. On the other hand, the region has mild rains, controlled by the presence of the Alps.

There are endemic plant species in the region such as the cork oak or cork tree. It is also common to see olive trees, vine and pine forests of the maritime type. In the same way, it has an exotic flora rich in endemic mammals of the area.

The good weather conditions, the wealth of the region and the development of industries, mainly tourism, have made it one of the most densely populated regions in Europe.

On the other hand, the population of this region is mainly of Germanic, Hellenic and Latin origin.

5- Eastern Europe

Siberian taiga. Source: Vadim tLS Andrianov CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

It is the second natural region of Europe that occupies a greater extension of territory. It includes the territory of Russia, limited by the Ural Mountains and the highlands of Kazakhstan.

Its topography is full of contrasts, as it has vast mountain ranges, large plains and long rivers, mostly navigable.

In the center of the region there is a climate with long winters and shorter summers, this climate is known by the term continental and generally has low temperatures all year round.

Thanks to this, a large part of the aquatic fauna is made up of species such as trout, sturians and carp.

The terrestrial fauna is has bison and large animals suitable to withstand extreme temperatures. The vegetation, on the other hand, is rich in conifers.

The main economic activities in this region depend mainly on mining and agricultural production. It is, therefore, one of the least exploited and inhabited regions in Europe.

References

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