About Europe Physical Map
This Europe physical map highlights all the physical features on the continent. Countries of Europe and international boundaries are marked and mapped. The Europe physical map also contains topography, elevation levels and the physical outlines of rivers and sea masses. The different elevation levels on the Europe map are color-coded from low elevation (green) through medium elevation (yellow) to high elevation (brown to white). Relief shading gives this Europe map a realistic texture and contours.
The main feature of the map is a large green North European Plain that covers most of France, Germany, Poland and Western Russia. High ground does extend to all of northern Europe, but in Norway and Sweden that high ground is provided by the continuous Scandinavian Mountains.
Southern Europe is characterized by big mountain ranges. The Alps traverse through France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. Mont Blanc, 4810 m high, is the highest summit of the Alps and the highest summit of Southern Europe. Pyrenees Mountains separate Spain from France. The Carpathians are the principal mountain range of Central and Eastern Europe, extending through the countries of Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and Romania.
Europe physical map also marks out the many rivers that traverse the continent, the Danube, Rhine and Volga rivers all visible as blue lines running through different parts of the map. Many of the major lakes in northern Europe are also marked out on the map.
Eastwards, the relief of the continent shows a gentle inclination towards the vast interior uplands of post-Cretaceous age, forming a broad dome of high ground extending northwards from the crest of the Central Russian Upland. The general dividing line between Europe and Asia is provided by the southern slope of the Ural Mountains.
The physical map of Europe highlights the Major Ocean and Sea surrounding the continent of Europe. The map includes the Atlantic Ocean to the West, the Arctic Ocean to the North, and the Mediterranean Sea to the South. Additionally, the map includes smaller seas such as the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the Adriatic Sea. The map also includes the coastlines of Europe including peninsulas and parts of islands such as the Iberian Peninsula, the Italian Peninsula, and the British Isles.
This physical map of Europe provides an overview of all important physical characteristics of the continent. In addition to demarcating the individual countries and their borders, it also highlights areas of mountainous relief and plains. The major rivers, lakes and seas are marked and the contours of the relief clearly visible. This gives a good idea of the distribution and general structure of the physical features of Europe.
Physical Geography of Europe
Europe is a small continent (10 180 000 km2; 7 705 500 miles2), only a quarter of the size of North America, or less than half a million square kilometres less than Australia (turn it upside down and you will see why). It is situated in the Northern Hemisphere and covers about 7% of the Earth’s surface. It borders the Arctic Ocean and, in the south, is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea. In the east it is separated from Asia by the Ural mountains extending from the Arctic Ocean to the Caspian Sea over a distance of 2 500 km (1 553 miles). The Ural River is generally accepted as the official border between the two continents. All of the European countries are marked on Europe physical map and outlined with their borders. With a lot of low plains, high mountains and inshore extensions of land, Europe’s geography is an incredible part of our world.
Major Landforms and Elevation Patterns
The physical map of Europe is depicted in the map above by colour shading. Much of the surface of Europe is made up of low-lying ground, although there is also many mountain ranges. The biggest feature on the physical map of Europe is the broad North European Plain which extends from northern France through the Low Countries, Germany, Poland and down to western Russia. This huge agricultural plain is shown in green on the above map and is the most fertile and most heavily populated part of the continent.
The higher parts of the map are shown in colour as yellow, brown and white, representing Europe’s mountain ranges. The Scandinavian Mountains follow the coasts of Norway and Sweden in northern Europe, while the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians and Balkan Mountains stretch southwards. Many of these mountain ranges serve as natural frontiers but are also powerful geographical factors.
Mountain Systems and High Peaks
Europe’s mountain ranges are perhaps best represented by the highest mountain range in the continent – the majestic Alps. These mountainous peaks extend across four countries including France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. This is home to Western Europe’s highest peak, Mont Blanc (4,807 m/15,774 ft). Another significant mountain range found in Europe is the Pyrenees that serve as a border region between Spain and France. To the east of these, the long chain of the Carpathians follow a general easterly direction passing through much of Central and Eastern Europe, through countries such as the Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania.
The mountain ranges of the Balkans – including the Balkan Mountains that traverse across the Balkan Peninsula from west to east on its south side, as well as those that surround the peninsula on its east, west and north sides – are characteristic of southeastern Europe. The border between Europe and Asia is also marked by a large continental range running from north to south through the center of the Russian continent, often referred to as the Ural Mountains. The highest mountain in Europe at 5,642 meters (18,510 ft), Mount Elbrus, is also found in the Caucasus Mountains.
Plains, Plateaus, and Uplands
In Europe plains predominate over other forms of relief. The largest such area is the vast North European Plain that covers a large part of Western Europe, crossing many countries, including Britain, France, Germany and Poland. This plain has always been one of the key agricultural and industrial regions of the continent. Further east the land slowly rises to the low hills of the Central Russian Upland.
Plateaus and mountainous terrain may not take up as much real estate across Europe when compared to the rest of the world, but they’re no less prevalent across the landscape. The Iberian Meseta, a high plain that dominates much of Spain, and the high ground of Central Europe are shown as gentle uplands on the map above in shades of light brown and yellow.
Rivers and Inland Water Systems
Physical maps highlight the major rivers that have 'carved out' many countries' shapes. The Volga is the longest European river at 3,530 km long (2,194 miles) and flows from the Valdai Hills to the Caspian Sea. The Danube River is 2,860 km (1770 miles) long and flows from Germany through Switzerland and 10 countries before emptying into the Black Sea. The Rhine River is Western Europe's major river, providing the only passage for large ships and barges.
There are also the many lakes of northern Europe, formed by glaciers in the past and providing much of the country’s freshwater as well as playing a crucial role in its varied ecosystems. Lakes cover a large percentage of the surface of countries such as Finland and Sweden.
Coastal Features and Surrounding Water Bodies
Take a good look at the highly indented coastline of Europe on the map. It is nearly surrounded by the oceans of the Atlantic, Arctic, and Mediterranean. But in addition to these major seas, there are the North Sea and Baltic Sea to the east, and to the east of these is the Black Sea. Southern Europe borders the Adriatic Sea.
There are several notable peninsulas which project from the European land mass including the Iberian Peninsula (home to Spain and Portugal), the Italian Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula. North of Greece the Scandinavian Peninsula is also depicted. Several large islands are also shown including the British Isles (comprising Great Britain and Ireland), Iceland and the Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia.
Climate Influence and Natural Diversity
Physical features of the land play an important role in the climate and environment of Europe. The Atlantic Ocean has a moderating influence over the climate of Western Europe and mountain ranges like the Alps act as a ‘climate barrier’. North of these ranges the climate is generally cold, and south of them the land is generally dry with a warm climate.
Europe is small in terms of area but geographically and environmentally quite varied. Many different landscapes exist, including plains, mountains and a long coastline. The varied landscapes support a variety of ecosystems.