The British Isles and Scandinavia
     Objectives

Identify the major geographic features of the United Kingdom.
Describe the geography of Ireland.
Point out geographic similarities and differences among the Scandinavian countries.

     Chapter Overview

Chapter 10: The British Isles and Scandinavia

The United Kingdom is made up of four regions: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Winds blowing across the warm North Atlantic Current bring a moderate climate to the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom has a strong economy and is rich in energy resources. From the 1500s until the mid-1900s the United Kingdom was one of the world's most powerful nations. Known as the Emerald Isle because of its green meadows and trees, Ireland is a country with a growing economy. The Irish trace their ancestry to Celts who settled there around 500 B.C. The Irish today live mainly in cities and towns.

Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland make up the region of Scandinavia. The Scandinavian Peninsula is occupied by the countries of Norway and Sweden. Most of their people live in the southern areas of these two countries. North Sea oil and gas have made Norway a wealthy nation, and Sweden also is a wealthy industrial country. With its thick forests, Finland is a major producer of wood and paper products. Denmark lies on the Jutland Peninsula and the 500 islands that surround it. With some of the richest farmland in Northern Europe, Denmark exports many agricultural products. Denmark's citizens enjoy a high standard of living. Because of its location on top of a fault in the North Atlantic, Iceland is a land of hot springs and geysers. The country's economy depends heavily on fishing.

     Quick Notes

The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The landscape of the United Kingdom consists of highlands and lowlands.
Winds blowing over the North Atlantic Current provide the United Kingdom with a mild climate.
The United Kingdom is a major industrial and trading nation.
Literature and parliamentary democracy are two of the United Kingdom's greatest gifts to the world.

The Republic of Ireland

Ireland is called the Emerald Isle because of its lush vegetation that stays green year-round.
The Irish were once dependent on the land. Now they are developing an industrial economy.
Ireland's stormy political history has caused frequent changes in government policies.

Scandinavia

The region of Scandinavia is made up of the countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Finland.
The warm North Atlantic Current, an extension of the Gulf Stream, keeps temperatures mild in many parts of Scandinavia.
The economies of the Scandinavian countries depend on produce from the land and the sea.

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