WRG 1B – Flashcard
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What is a microstate?
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States that do not have the attributes of "complete" states but are on the map as tiny yet separate entities nonetheless.
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Which country in Western Europe has the largest population and economy?
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Germany
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How did East Germany and West Germany differ?
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West Germany has a much higher GDP per capita than East Germany. Also West Germany was a democracy and East Germany was communist.
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What factors allowed West Germany's economy to thrive?
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Emerging industrial complexes and its transport infrastructure.
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Why was the reunification of East and West Germany costly?
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Because of the outdated factories, crumbling infrastructures, polluted environments, drab cities, inefficient farming, and inadequate legal and other institutions.
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What is the oldest state in Western Europe?
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France
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Why is France considered to have a superior location? What is the downside to their location?
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It has a coastline on t he Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, the Calais, and a window on the North Sea. Its downside is that it has no natural harbors.
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Define site. Define situation.
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Site- the physical attributes of the place it occupies. Situation - its location relative to surrounding areas.
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How did "site" and "situation" affect the growth of Paris?
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The site was a relatively good area because of the water access but the situation helped because of all of the nearby large cities that made France into a central to transport goods from.
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What is a primate city?
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A city that is disproportionately large compared to all the others in the urban system and exceptionally expressive of the nation's culture.
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Describe France's agricultural and industrial development.
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France is developing industrially because of manufacturing giants centralized in France and is developing agriculturally because of its sustainability with itself and the area around it is used in efficient ways to grow the most food for the most people.
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Which region of France is considered an economic powerhouse and one of the Four Motors of Europe?
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The Rhone-Alps region because of its location near central Europe and it is known for its communication aspects.
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Which countries form the northwest corner of Europe's Mainland Core?
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Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg.
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Why are the Benelux countries considered a highly productive trio?
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Their high GDP per capita.
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What is a polder? Where can they be found?
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A low-lying tract of land. In the Great European Plain.
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What is the Randstad?
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A group off highly productive Dutch cities and their hinterlands.
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Define conurbation.
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An extended urban area.
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Describe the cultural fault line that divides Belgium.
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A diagonal line that cuts across Belgium, separating the Flemish-speaking majority centered on Flanders in the northwest from the French speaking minority in Wallonia.
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What is the land size and population of Luxembourg?
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20 square miles and 543,202 people.
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Why does Luxembourg have an unmatched per-capita income?
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Because of the low population and the high income for false teeth.
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Why is the Alpine sub-region of Switzerland considered to have a restrictive environment? How have they overcome this setback?
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It is a restrictive environments because mountains surround Switzerland, but they have over come this set back because they have security and neutrality, which in turn supports their banking system.
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Why is Austria tightly linked to Eastern Europe?
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It has the Danube running straight through it so that river as a widely used trade route links it.
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What is the largest city in the Alpine sub-region?
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Vienna
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What is the "velvet divorce"?
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The negotiated settlement that was the split between the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
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Why is the Czech Republic considered at the center of European action?
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The Czech Republic is a crossroads for trade between East and West Europe.
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Which countries make up the United Kingdom?
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England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
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What caused the split between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland?
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The small protestant area of Ireland was kept when the rest of Ireland was released from British rule. This small area was in Northeastern tip, hence Northern Ireland.
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What factors allowed Britain to become the world's largest colonial empire?
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The uniting of the Welsh, Scots and Irish.
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Define hegemony.
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Political dominance.
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How did Britain lose its superpower role in Europe?
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It was challenged by the rise of other major superpowers.
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How does London anchor England's core?
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It is a major trade center and contains more than one seventh of England's population.
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How did Wales contribute to the Industrial Revolution?
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It contributed high-quality coal.
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Which industries have assisted Scotland in becoming a major component of the United Kingdom?
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Coal and Iron industries.
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Why is Northern Ireland considered a "troubled legacy" of British colonial rule?
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It has been filled with war and economically declining.
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Who made up the largest portion of Ireland's immigrant population following its membership into the European Union?
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People of Irish descent.
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When did the Republic of Ireland gain its independence?
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1921.
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Why was the Republic of Ireland known as the Celtic Tiger?
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Relation to the miraculous economic development they had.
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What is the current status of the Republic of Ireland (post 2010)?
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Economically distressed.
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What are the countries that make up southernmost Europe?
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Italy, Spain, Portugal and Malta
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Which of the southern states in Europe is an island state?
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Malta
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Which of the southern states is the most populous and has the most advanced economy?
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Italy
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Is the northern half or southern half of Italy the strongest socially and economically, as well as, the most progressive politically?
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Northern Half.
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Which city is Italy's capital and cultural focus?
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Rome
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What area in Italy is considered to be the "functional core"? Why?
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Lombardy. It is a leader in the manufacturing complex.
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What is the Ancona Line?
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The distinct contrast line between the rest of Europe and the core functional region.
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Why is Milan an important city in Italy?
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It is a manufacturing leader, most populated city, and is a leading financial and service-industry headquarters.
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Describe the territory in Italy known as the Mezzogiorno.
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The stagnant south off Italy, it is also a large periphery.
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Describe the Iberian Peninsula?
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The peninsula that Spain and Portugal lie on.
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What is an "Autonomous Community"?
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A community that has its own parliament and administration that control planning, public works, cultural affairs, education, environmental policy and international commerce.
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Why are the people (the Basque) in Catalonia secessionist minded?
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Because off their political strength and economic power.
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Why is membership in the European Union important to Portugal?
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Because membership entails transfers from poor to rich countries.
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Why was Malta important to trade? What role did Britain play in Malta's development?
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It was an ancient crossroads for trade. It helped to develop Malta by using it as a shipping and military area which helped it to start to flourish.
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Why is Athens considered a primate city?
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The population of the city is one-third of the countries.
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Why is only a portion of Cyprus recognized as a legitimate government?
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Because 40% of it is under Turkish control.
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What is the relationship between Serbia, Montenegro, and Kosovo?
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They were all originally one country but Montenegro and Kosovo voted for independence and gained sovereignty.
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Which of these countries are predominantly Muslim?
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Bosnia and Albania.
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What are the two poorest countries in Europe?
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Albania and Moldova.
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What are the two names sometimes given to the northern domain of Europe?
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Scandinavia or the Baltic Region.
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How do language, religion, and government encourage a close relationship between the Scandinavian countries?
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The languages are mutually intelligible, there is a large population of Lutherans in all of the countries and they are all democratic and pro-women's rights.
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How are women treated in this area?
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They are treated well and participate in government there more than any other countries in the world.
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What was Sweden's role in the development of nuclear power?
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It was a pioneer in nuclear power development.
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What is the cornerstone of Norway's economy? How has that changed since 1970?
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It's fishing industry. Now it is the large amount of oil and natural gas in its sector of the North Sea.
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Why did Norway choose not to join the European Union?
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Because it didn't want to trade it's economic independence for a larger and possibly safer organization.
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What is meant by a break-of-bulk function? How does this affect Copenhagen, Denmark?
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It is the process of transshipping from accessible Ports to non accessible ports to lower costs.
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How did Denmark gain control over Greenland? Is it still under Danish control?
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There was a union that Denmark made with Greenland. No.
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How do Finland's forests affect its economy?
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A majority of exports are wood or wood-related products.
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How is Estonia related to Scandinavia?
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Longstanding linguistic and ethnic ties.
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What is the relationship that still remains between Russia and its neighbors Latvia & Lithuania?
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Both were tightly integrated into the Soviet system, but they have a bad relationship.
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Define exclave.
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A place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it.
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What are the characteristics of Iceland's environmental landscape?
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A volcanic glacier studded island surrounded by frigid waters.
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Where does over half of Iceland's population live?
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In the Capital Reykjavik.
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How did Soviet occupation of Poland affect its economy?
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Its economy plummeted because of the state it was left in by the Soviets.
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Why was the European Union slow to allow Slovakia to become a member?
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The capital was synonymous with corruption and inefficiency.
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What is irredentism? Why was irredentism important to Hungary?
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A government's support for ethnic or cultural cohorts in neighboring or more distant countries.
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What is Romania's economic condition? Why is it considered a pivotal area on the Black Sea?
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It is weak economically. Because it is a bridge between central Europe and the realm's southeastern corner.
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What is Bulgaria's current relationship with the United Kingdom?
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It is Bad.
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Why is the Ukraine's location considered crucial to Europe? Why is it critically important to Europe's future?
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It links the core of Russia to the European periphery but it also forms the northern shore of the Black Sea across from Russian.
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Why has it been difficult for the Ukraine to completely separate from Russia?
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Because Ruissia is closely linked to it politically and econommically.
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Describe Moldova's economy?
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Moldova has the weakest economy of any of the countries in Europe.
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How does the government in Belarus affect employment and education?
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Four fifths of the population of Belarus is employed by the state.
