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PENNSVALLEY
Lesson 18:
Physical Features of Northern Europe
Iceland is a volcanic island located on theMid-Atlantic Ridge, a vast underwater mountain range
that runs the length of the AtlanticOcean. Iceland and other volcanic islands have been formed from
volcanic eruptions that release molten lava from the ocean floor. As the lava cools, it becomes hard
and rock-like.When lava deposits buildup and break the ocean’s surface, new islands are formed.
In the center of Iceland is a high plateau circled bymountains.Parts of this plateau are covered by
a glacier. Glaciers make up nearly 10 percent of Iceland’s land area. More than half of Iceland’s
population live on the southwestern coastal plainwhere the capital city of Reykjavik is located.
During the last IceAge, glaciersasdeepas10,000 feet createdmuchof thespectacular landscape
ofScandinaviaandFinland. (Remember,Scandinavia includes threecountries–Norway,Sweden, and
their neighbor to the south –Denmark.) Norway is both rugged and beautiful. Steepmountains, deep
valleys, andmore than 160,000 lakes dominate this long and narrow country.The coastline has been
carved by glaciers into thousands of fjords, andmore than 50,000 islands are found off the coastline.
Fjords are deep, narrow valleys that are cut into the coastline by glaciers and filled by the sea. Fjords
form perfect inlets and natural harbors.
LikeNorway, themajor physical features of Swedenaremountains and lakes.More than two thirds
of the land area is mountainous and almost 10 percent of Sweden is covered by lakes. Nearly 80
percent of Sweden’s population live in the low-lying areas of the south.
Finland is a flat country, known for thick forests, swampy peat-land areas and thousands of lakes.
More than 60,000 lakes take up nearly 10 percent of Finland’s land area.
Denmark is the southernmost country of Scandinavia and one of themost low-lying land areas in
the world. The mainland of Denmark is a peninsula that extends from Germany. To the east of the
mainland peninsula is an archipelago (a chain or large group of islands) of 483 islands. Most of the
population lives on 97 of these islands.
ACTIVITY 1:
LabelingWaterforms
Lettershavebeenused to identify themajorwaterformsofNorthernEurope.A) Findeachof the letters
below on the activitymap on the previous page. B) If the letter represents a river, trace and label the
river.C)Other waterforms, suchas oceans, only need tobe labeled.D) As you locateeachwaterform,
write its name in the correct blank space at the side of your activity map on page 32. E) Use the
physical map of NorthernEurope in your classroom atlas as a reference.
Waterforms
A
– AtlanticOcean
F
–Gulf of Finland
K
– LakeMjosa (Norway)
B
– ArcticOcean
G
–Gulf of Bothnia
L
– LakeVanern (Sweden)
C
– NorwegianSea
H
–GlamaRiver (Norway)
M
– LakeSaimaa (Finland)
D
– NorthSea
I
–Gota-Klar River (Sweden)
E
– Baltic Sea
J
–Kemijoki River (Finland)
ACTIVITY 2:
LabelingLandforms
Follow the instructions below to label your activity map on the previous page with the landforms that
are
boldfaced
.Use the physical map of Europe in your classroom atlas as a reference.
1. Label the
KjolenMountains
that extend throughNorway and follow thewesternborder of Sweden.
2. Label Denmark’smainland that extends fromGermany and forms the
JutlandPeninsula
.
3. Label Denmark’s largest island
Sjaelland
where the capital city of Copenhagen is located.
4.Use a red colored pencil to trace the
ArcticCircle
.
5. Label
Lapland
, the frozen northern area of Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
6.Use a blue colored pencil to highlight the thousands of
fjords
that are found along Norway’s
western coastline.
7. Iceland is part of the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
, the underwater mountain range that extends the length
of theAtlanticOcean. Label and use a black pencil to trace theMid-AtlanticRidge.
Northern Europe
