The EU and Neighbors: A Geography of Europe in the Modern World

The 2nd edition of Europe increases awareness and understanding of Europe and instills incredible diversity that exists in that region, and for readers to appreciate that diversity. It uses the European Union as an organizing focus while discussing modern events in two sections. The systematic section covers the environment, cultural geography, population, settlement systems, economies, and political geography. The regional section examines Europe on a country-by-country basis.

Table of Contents:
INTRODUCTION: THE EUROPEAN UNION 1 PART I SYSTEMATIC SURVEY CHAPTER 1 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS 15 A View from Space 15 Climate and Weather 16 The Variability of European Weather 18 General Climate Considerations 20 Natural Vegetation 25 Topography: Mountains, Plateaux, Rivers, Plains, and Coasts 28 Human Impact on the Environment 35 Further Reading 37 CHAPTER 2 CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY 38 Introduction 38 A Mosaic of Cultures 39 Languages 40 Religions 51 Culture Contrasts 60 Further Reading 62 CHAPTER 3 POPULATION, DISTRIBUTION, DENSITY, MIGRATION AND AGING 63 Introduction 63 Robert Malthus 64 Demographic History 64 The Demographic Transition 67 Distribution of Population 72 EU Population Trends 80 Further Reading 85 CHAPTER 4 RURAL AND URBAN SETTLEMENTS 86 Introduction 86 The Network of Roman Towns 86 The Medieval City 88 The Renaissance City 94 The Industrial City 104 Rural Settlement 107 Settlements in the Modern Era 113 Ethnic Communities in European Cities 125 Summary 125 Further Reading 127 CHAPTER 5 ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY: AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRY, AND SERVICES 128 Introduction 128 Sectors of the Economy 130 Agriculture 130 Industrialization 139 The Stages of European Economic Growth 149 The Impact of Globalization 153 The Impact of the EU on Agriculture, Industry, and Services 154 Summary 156 Further Reading 157 CHAPTER 6 POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY 158 Friedrich Ratzel 158 Mackinder and Bowman 158 World War I 160 Ideas for a United Europe 165 Totalitarian Regimes and Economic Autarcky 166 The New Order in Europe 171 New European Boundaries After World War II 174 The Cold War 175 Economic Cooperation in Western Europe 176 EU Enlargement in 1995 185 Widening Versus Deepening 189 Summary 193 Further Reading 194 PART II THE CORE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION CHAPTER 7 FRANCE AND THE BENELUX COUNTRIES 199 Introduction 199 France 200 Belgium 218 The Netherlands 225 Luxembourg 232 Further Reading 235 CHAPTER 8 GERMANY AND ITALY 236 Introduction 236 Germany 236 Italy 255 Summary 273 Further Reading 273 PART III ENLARGEMENT OF EU CHAPTER 9 DENMARK, IRELAND, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM 277 Introduction 277 Denmark 279 Ireland 285 The United Kingdom 290 Regions of Britain: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England 294 A United Kingdom? 315 Further Reading 318 CHAPTER 10 SOUTHERN EUROPE: GREECE, SPAIN, AND PORTUGAL 319 Greece 320 The Iberian Peninsula—Spain and Portugal 329 Further Reading 343 CHAPTER 11 AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, SWEDEN, NORWAY, ICELAND, AND FINLAND 345 Introduction 345 Austria 346 Switzerland 352 Sweden 361 Norway 367 Iceland 375 Finland 379 Summary 383 Further Reading 383 PART IV ENLARGEMENT IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY CHAPTER 12 EASTWARD EXPANSION 2004: THE BALTICS, POLAND, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, SLOVAKIA, HUNGARY, AND SLOVENIA 387 Introduction 387 The Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania 389 Poland 393 The Czech Republic 402 Slovakia 412 Hungary 415 Slovenia 422 East Europe Summary 424 Further Reading 425 CHAPTER 13 EASTWARD EXPANSION 2007: THE BALKANS 426 Introduction: The Balkans 426 Romania 427 Bulgaria 432 Croatia 437 Serbia 439 Montenegro 442 Bosnia-Herzegovina 444 Macedonia 449 Albania 451 Balkan Summary 453 Further Reading 453 PART V REGIONAL SURVEY: RUSSIA AND FORMER SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS CHAPTER 14 BELARUS, THE UKRAINE, MOLDOVA, GEORGIA, AND RUSSIA 457 Introduction 457 Belarus and the Ukraine 457 Moldova 465 Georgia 467 Russia 470 Summary 494 Further Reading 495 PART VI THE MEDITERRANEAN FRINGE CHAPTER 15 TURKEY, CYPRUS, MALTA, AND GIBRALTAR 499 Introduction 499 Turkey 499 Turkey, The Middle East, and Europe 506 Cyprus, Malta, and Gibraltar 508 Cyprus 509 Malta 514 Gibraltar 521 The EU in Africa 526 Islas Canarias 526 Further Reading 527 CHAPTER 16 THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE WIDER WORLD 529 The EU in World Affairs 529 Widening 530 Deepening 530 EU External Relations 530 The Common Agricultural Policy in World Affairs 532 Imperial Pasts 532 Decolonization 532 The European Union and NAFTA 533 Turkey, the Middle East, and Central Asia 534 The Euro 534 Summary 534 GLOSSARY 536 INDEX 540

About the Author :
Dr. Blouet is a professor of geography and international education at William and Mary University. In 2001,?he received the Gilbert Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education Medal?for meritorious service in support of geographic education, and is a member of the Association of American Geographers, the Medieval Village Research Group as well as the Royal Geographical Society. Dr. Blouet has?had articles?featured in many journals and has published?several books.