E.3+Explain+how+the+following+five+factors+have+influenced+settlement+and+the+economies+of+major+European+countries.+(G,+E)

// First, definitions: // //** absolute and relative locations **// // absolute location is the coordinates of a place on longitude and latitude; relative location is where a place is in comparison with landmarks, or other places. // //** climate **// // repeated weather patterns in a certain location //

//** major physical characteristics **// // features of the terrain, like mountains, lakes, rivers, deserts, etc. //

//** major natural resources **// // parts of nature used by people, such as water, oil, trees, minerals, etc. //

//** population size **// // how many people live in a place //
 * // the top 5 most populated nations are 1. China, 2. India, 3. United States, 4. Indonesia 5. Brazil //

settlement
Europe has a high population density, in all parts of the region, be they mountainous, near rivers, seas, or oceans, or in the plains. Only India, Japan, and parts of China have higher population density than Europe. So, unlike some less densely populated parts of the world, current human settlement in Europe has little to do with the physical geography on a basic level (as does, say, South American human settlement, which is concentrated on the coasts).

source: //The Oxford Atlas of the World// 2005

economy
In contrast, geography is pivotal to the European economy, with the formation and growing importance of the European Union.



There are three policy areas or “pillars” that guide the EU: membership rules and economic ties; common foreign policy; and cooperation in domestic legal matters.

The EU was started in 1950 by six nations— Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Originally called the European Coal and Steel Community, the group sought peace in the region right after the end of World War II, and, undoubtedly, economic recovery and power. In 1957, the European Economic Community (EEC, also called the Common Market) is created with the Treaty of Rome. In the 1960s, the member nations end customs duties in trade, and joint food production. In the 1973, three more nations join the group: Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. In 1979 all citizens of member nations can directly elect members of the European Parliament. In the 1980s, Greece, Spain, and Portugal join the EU. “In 1987 the Single European Act is signed. This is a treaty which provides the basis for a vast six-year programme aimed at sorting out the problems with the free-flow of trade across EU borders and thus creates the ‘Single Market’.”

“In 1993 the Single Market is completed with the 'four freedoms' of: movement of goods, services, people and money. The 1990s is also the decade of two treaties, the ‘Maastricht’ Treaty on European Union in 1993 and the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1999.” Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU in 1995.

In 2004, ten more countries join the EU, and the Euro unit of currency is created and adopted by member nations. An EU Constitution was written in 2004 and voted on in 2005, and was rejected by France and the Netherlands. On the Constitutional-approval front, the EU is currently in a “period of reflection.”

The ten new countries from 2004 are: Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. Romania and Bulgaria are now also members. Croatia, Macedonia, and Turkey are candidates for membership. Turkish membership is being disputed in large part due to geography: most of that nation is in Asia, not Europe. There is also ongoing tension with Greece over disputed Cyprus, and both Greece and Cyprus are EU member nations.

The latest news: On December 7, 2007, the “27 EU countries sign the [|Treaty of Lisbon], which amends the previous Treaties. It is designed to make the EU more democratic, efficient and transparent, and thereby able to tackle global challenges such as climate change, security and sustainable development. Before the Treaty can come into force, which is hoped to be before the next European Parliament [|elections] in June 2009, it has to be ratified by each of the 27 Member States.”

sources: The European Union http://www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showPage.asp?lang=EN EU homepage in English © European Communities, 1995-2008 “Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged, save where otherwise stated.”

Background info on the EU http://www.consilium.europa.eu/faqHomePage.asp?nodeID=0&command=update&lang=en&cmsid=129

History of the EU http://europa.eu/abc/history/index_en.htm

details on events in the EU in the 2000s http://europa.eu/abc/history/2000_today/index_en.htm

Animated map showing the growing EU http://europa.eu/abc/history/animated_map/index_en.htm