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Dnieper, Volga, Ural River, etc. The plain is very fertile. It is good for agriculture.
This region is a densely populated region.

3. The Southern Mountains and Plateaus

The southern mountains lie to the south of the central European plain. It is
the Alps range which is the chain of young fold mountains. The formation of Alps
mountain range is similar to the formation of Himalayan ranges. So they are called
Alpine Mountain System. The Alps range is stretched from the Bay of Biscay to the
Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The Alps are the highest and the most densely settled
mountain belt of Europe. The highest peak of the Alps is Mt. Blanc (4,810) is on
French-Italian border. The Pyrenees Mountains forming a natural border between
Spain and France. There is Carpathean Mountains run eastward from the Alps. The
highest peak of Europe Mt. Elbrus, (5,642m) lies in the Caucasus Mountain between
the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. The Alpine region includes active volcanoes in
Europe such as Mt. Etna in Sicily and the Mt. Vesuvius in Italy.

Climate and Vegetation

The major parts of Europe have temperate type of climate because the major part of
the continent lies in temperate zone. It receives adequate rainfall throughout the year
due to the influence of the sea and the ocean. The climate is very suitable and healthy
for the human settlement. Only the northern part of the continent is dry and cold. It
has Tundra climate which is extremely cold.

The western coastal areas have warm summer and mild winter. This type of climate
is called maritime climate. The southern part along with Mediterranean coastal areas
receives winter rainfall. This climate is characterized by warm-dry summer and cool-
wet winters. The winter rain is brought by the westerlies wind. This type of climate is
called continental climate. The north-west of the continent bordering Atlantic Ocean
has the British type of climate. These regions are near to the sea. So it has warm
summer and cool winters with rainfall throughout the year. The central plain lies in
the interior part of the continent and experiences central European climate. This region
is far away from the sea, so summers are warm and wet and winters cool and dry. The
easternmost part of Europe from the Caspian Sea to the Ural Mountains experience the
Desert climate. Summers are extremely hot and winters are cold. This climatic region
receives very less amount of rainfall. It is called the temperate desert climate.

The natural vegetation of Europe is largely effected by the great variation of climate
across the continent. The Tundra region lies extremely in north and have treeless
vegetation. Due to extreme cold climate the continent only supports the growth of
mosses, lichens and scattered and short tree. The Taiga belt stretches across the
northern Europe just south of Tundra is composed of coniferous forest with trees such
as pine, spruce and fir. Moose, bear and elk are native at the European Taiga.

Small drought-resistant plants border the Mediterranean, Sea. Trees also grow in
that southern most region including Aleppo pine, cypress and cork oak. The Barbary,
Macaques a small troop of primitive native to Europe live here.

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