Hey, everybody, Bryan here! So, do you know the difference between Great Britain
and the United Kingdom? Okay, did you know there is no European nation named Holland?
Are you confused? Today we visit western Europe. While we're there, we will spend time on the
physical characteristics of the region, including its nations and their locations, environments,
and climates, and we will eliminate confusion about those issues we just mentioned.
Western Europe is made up of five nations: Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg,
and the United Kingdom. Let's start there in the U.K. The United Kingdom is actually an abbreviated
political term. The formal name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
You see, Great Britain, while also a political term, is the geographic name of the island,
which is the home of England, Scotland, Wales, and adjoining islands,
such as the Isle of Wight. So England, along with the nations of Scotland and Wales,
is part of Great Britain both politically and geographically.
Great Britain is separated from mainland Europe by the North Sea and the English
Channel and separated from the island of Ireland by the Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea.
Additionally, the North Channel lies between Scotland and Northern Ireland,
while St George's Channel can be found between Ireland and Wales. The island of Ireland,
bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, is home to the independent nation the Republic of Ireland
and also to Northern Ireland, which as you now know, with Great Britain, makes up the United
Kingdom. Keep in mind that more than 80 percent of the island of Ireland belongs to the nation
of Ireland, while the most northeastern part belongs to Northern Ireland, a part of the U.K.
As you may have already figured out,
Great Britain and Ireland are the primary islands of an archipelago called the British Isles.
Ireland objects to the term British Isles, by the way, but more on that later.
That includes more than 6,000 smaller islands in addition to the two main islands. U.K. topography
includes low, rolling countryside in the east and south, with hills and mountains in the west
and north. And like its neighbor Ireland, the United Kingdom possesses picturesque coastlines.
Across the Irish Sea, Ireland's land features many hills and mountains as well. Ireland has
few forests but is famously noted for its coastal cliffs overlooking the Atlantic. The capital of
Northern Ireland – which, as you remember, is part of the U.K. – is Belfast, a favorite destination
for most visitors, as is Dublin, the capital and largest city for the Republic of Ireland.
Back in England, many top tourist destinations include Stonehenge; Edinburgh, the capital of
Scotland; and historic cities such as Windsor, Bath, and Cambridge – and, of course, there's
London, the capital and largest city in the U.K. Stops for any trip to London must include Big Ben,
the Houses of Parliament on the river Thames, the famous
Tower of London and the celebrated Tower Bridge, and Buckingham Palace, home to the royal family.
A short jaunt across the North Sea brings you to the Netherlands, which maintains some confusion
regarding its name as well. The Netherlands is sometimes informally called Holland,
but that would be technically incorrect; Holland is actually a geographical region on the western
coast of the Netherlands. Now, don't fret about using that nickname though, as the Dutch, a common
term for the inhabitants of the Netherlands, sometimes refer to their own nation as Holland.
The Netherlands literally means "low country," an apt name for the nation,
considering that about one-fourth of the land is below sea level, and only about half of the
nation is more than 1 meter above the North Sea, its boundary to the north and west.
That lack of altitude affects the nation greatly and will be discussed again in just a moment.
In addition to the North Sea, the Netherlands is bordered by Germany to the east and Belgium
to the south. The Dutch – or Holland, or the Netherlands, or whichever you prefer – are
noted mostly for their prolific assortment of windmills and lovely array of colorful tulips.
Visitors also enjoy the Canals of Amsterdam, Oosterschelde National Park,
and unique and historic architecture in cities such as Utrecht and Rotterdam.
The Kingdom of Belgium, even by European standards, is fairly small,
at less than 12,000 square miles, or just over a third the size of Ireland. Belgium is
bordered to the northwest by the North Sea, the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east,
Luxembourg to the southeast, and France to the southwest. But Belgium is huge when compared to
Luxembourg. With less than a thousand square miles of area, this independent nation,
officially called the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is one of the tiniest nations in Europe and even
smaller than Rhode Island. But size isn't everything. The capital, Luxembourg City,
is one of the four institutional seats – think, capitals – of the European Union, as is Brussels,
Belgium. Both cities are also considered among the most scenic for tourists visiting Europe.
The biodiversity throughout western Europe is relatively low. Many reasons can be attributed
to that fact, including growing urbanization in a small area, early industrialization in the region,
separation from mainland Europe, and, in truth, the fact that many species have been
hunted or otherwise pushed into extinction in the area. In fact, it is estimated that about
100 species became extinct in western Europe in the 20th century alone, including the brown bear
and the gray wolf. This continues a trend that western Europe has experienced for centuries,
with advances in weaponry, increases in population, and other factors.
Environmental issues are omnipresent in Holland... uh, the Netherlands as well, as that nation deals
with past, present, and future flooding issues. Belgium and Luxembourg, both lowland nations like
their Dutch neighbors, fear global warming and the increasing possibility of rising waters.
To combat such problems, the Netherlands created Deltaworks, a system of dikes to hold back the
waters and control flooding. In fact, a system of dikes and polders – a polder is reclaimed
land that was once underwater – allowed the Dutch, in 1986, to annex the province of
Flevoland, which stands on ground created as a result of controlling the floods.
The climates of western Europe are mostly similar, which, given their size and proximity,
isn't surprising. According to this map, all five nations are located in the temperate oceanic
climate zone, as you can see by the bright green color, meaning western Europe's climate generally
includes warm summers and cool winters, with abundant rainfall throughout the year.
The region benefits from the North Atlantic Current, which helps warm the area by pushing
water currents from the Caribbean... weren't we there not too long ago? Toward western Europe.
Although the names of the countries of western Europe may create confusion for some, this region
is among the most important in Europe. As noted, Brussels and Luxembourg City are two institutional
seats of the European Union. All five nations are among the most financially successful in Europe
and the entire world, and London... well, London is one of the most culturally and economically
important cities on the planet – more on that soon. Until next time, keep exploring!