...r corners of the orld by European navigators. European nations, particularly Spain, Portugal, France, and Britain, built large colonial empires, ith vast holdings in Africa, the Americas, and Asia. In the 18th century modern forms of industry began to be developed. In the 20th century much of Europe as ravaged by the to orld ars. After orld ar II ended in 1945, the continent as divided into to major political and economic blocsCommunist nations in Eastern Europe and non-Communist countries in estern Europe. Beteen 1989 and 1991, hoever, the Eastern bloc broke up. Communist regimes surrendered poer in most Eastern European countries. East and est Germany ere unified. The Soviet Communist party collapsed, multilateral military and economic ties beteen Eastern Europe and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics USSR ere severed, and the USSR itself ceased to exist.Vegetation Although much of Europe, particularly the est, as originally covered by forest, the vegetation has been transformed by human habitation and the clearing of land. Only in the most northerly mountains and in parts of north central European Russia has the forest cover been relatively unaffected by human activity. On the other hand, a considerable amount of Europe is covered by oodland that has been planted or has reoccupied cleared lands.The largest vegetation zone in Europe, cutting across the middle portion of the continent from the Atlantic to the Urals, is a belt of mixed deciduous and coniferous treesoak, maple, and elm intermingled ith pine and fir. The Arctic coastal regions of northern Europe and the upper slopes of its highest mountains are characterized by tundra vegetation, hich consists mostly of lichens, mosses, shrubs, and ild floers. The milder, but nevertheless cool temperatures of inland northern Europe create an environment favorable to a continuous cover of coniferous trees, especially spruce and pine, although birch and aspen also occur. Much of the Great European Plain is covered ith prairies, areas of relatively tall grasses, and Ukraine is characterized by steppe, a flat and comparatively dry region ith short grasses. Lands bordering the Mediterranean are noted for their fruit, especially olives, citrus fruit, figs, apricots, and grapes.Animal Life At one time Europe as home to large numbers of a ide variety of animals, such as deer, elk, bison, boar, olf, and bear. Because humans have occupied or developed so much of Europe, hoever, many species of animals have either become extinct or have been greatly reduced in number. Today, deer, elk, olf, and bear can be found in the ild state in significant numbers only in northern Scandinavia and Russia and in the Balkan Peninsula. Elsehere they exist mainly in protected preserves. Reindeer domesticated caribou are herded by the Saami of the far north. Chamois and ibex are found in the higher elevations of the Pyrenees and Alps. Europe still has many smaller animals, such as easel, ferret, hare, rabbit, hedgehog, lemming, fox, and squirrel. The large number of birds indigenous to Europe include eagle, falcon, finch, nightingale, ol, pigeon, sparro, and thrush. Storks are thought to bring good luck to the houses on hich they nest, particularly in the Lo Countries, and sans ornament many European rivers and lakes. Scottish, Irish, and Rhine salmon are prized fish here, and in the coastal marine aters are found a large variety of fish, including the commercially important cod, mackerel, herring, and tuna. The Black and Caspian seas contain sturgeon, the source of caviar.Mineral Resources Europe has a ide variety of mineral resources. Coal is found in great quantity in several places in Britain, and the Ruhr district of Germany and Ukraine also have extensive coal beds. In addition, important coal deposits are found in Poland, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, and Spain. Major sources of European iron ore today are the mines at Kiruna in northern Seden, the Lorraine region of France, and Ukraine. Europe has a number of small petroleum and natural-gas producing areas, but the to major regions are the North Sea ith the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and Noray oning most of the rights and the former Soviet republics, especially Russia. Among the many other mineral deposits of Europe are copper, lead, tin, bauxite, manganese, nickel, gold, silver, potash, clay, gypsum, dolomite, and salt.Agriculture Farming in Europe is generally of the mixed type, in hich a variety of crops and animal products are produced in the same region. The European portion of the former USSR is one of the fe large regions here one-product agriculture predominates. The Mediterranean nations maintain a distinctive type of agriculture, dominated by the production of heat, olives, grapes, and citrus fruit. In most of these countries farming plays a more important role in the national economy than in the northern countries. Throughout much of estern Europe dairying and meat production are major activities. To the east, crops become more important. In the nations of the Balkan Peninsula, crops account for some 60 percent of agricultural production, and in Ukraine heat production overshados all other agriculture. Europe as a hole is particularly noted for its great output of heat, barley, oats, rye, corn, potatoes, beans, peas, and sugar beets. Besides dairy and beef cattle, large numbers of pigs, sheep, goats, and poultry are raised by Europeans.In the late 20th century Europe as self-sufficient in most basic farm products. On most farmland advanced agricultural techniques, including the application of modern machinery and chemical fertilizers, ere used, but in parts of southern and southeastern Europe, traditional, relatively inefficient techniques ere still dominant. For much of the period hen the Communists held poer, agriculture in the countries of the Eastern bloc ith the exception of Poland and Yugoslavia and the USSR as based on large, state-oned farms and state-dominated collectives.Forestry and Fishing The northern forests, hich extend from Noray through northern European Russia, are the main sources of forest products in Europe. Seden, Noray, Finland, and Russia all have relatively large forestry industries, producing pulpood, ood for construction, and other products. In southern Europe, both Spain and Portugal produce a variety of cork products from the cork oak. Although all of the coastal European countries engage in some commercial fishing, the industry is especially important in the northern countries, particularly Noray and Denmark. Spain, Russia, Britain, and Poland also are major fishing nations.Mining The present pattern of population distribution in much of Europe has been influenced by past mining activities, particularly coal mining. Coal mined in such areas as the British Midlands, the Ruhr district of Germany, and Ukraine attracted factories and helped establish the industrial patterns that continue today. Although employment in mi...
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