GEOGRAPHY
12 – EUROPE: LOCATION, AREA, POLITICAL AND PHYSICAL FEATURES
Std. 7
2024 - 2025
I. Name the following.
1. The two mountain ranges in the south-east which separate Europe from Asia.
The Ural Mountains in the east and the Caucasus Mountains.
2. The largest country in Europe.
Russia.
3. The smallest country in Europe.
The Holy See (formerly the Vatican City)
4. The longest river.
River Volga.
5. The highest peak in the Alps.
Mont Blanc (4,807m).
6. Two plateaux which form part of the Southern Plateaux.
The Meseta of Spain and the Central Massif of France.
7. Two highlands which form part of the Southern Plateaux and Highlands.
Ardennes Mountains and The Ural Mountains.
8. Busiest waterway of Europe.
Rhine.
9. The capital of Germany.
Berlin.
10. Three well-known volcanoes in the Alpine Ranges.
Mt. Etna, Mt. Stromboli and Mt. Vesuvius of Italy.
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11. Any 2 freshwater lakes in Europe.
Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega.
12. The mountain which form a natural boundary between Spain and France.
Pyrenees.
13. The capital of Russia.
Moscow
14. The mountain system which extends like an arc separating Italy from France and
Switzerland.
Alps
II. Answer the questions.
1. In which hemisphere does Europe lie? Name the continents that surround Europe?
Lies in the middle of the northern hemisphere. The continents that surround
Europe are North America to its west, Asia to its east and Africa to its south.
2. What special advantage has Europe enjoyed due to its location?
Owing to its geography it has exerted a great influence on the rest of the world as
small European nations had colonies several times bigger than themselves.
3. How did the sea play an important role in the development of Europe?
The sea has played an important role in social, political and economic
development of Europe.
The coastline is highly irregular.
4. Europe is rightly called the ‘peninsula of peninsulas’.
The continent itself juts out westward from Eurasia.
Surrounded by the Arctic Ocean in the North, the Atlantic Ocean in the west and
the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea in the South.
Has many smaller peninsulas such as the Scandinavian, Iberian, Italian and Greek
peninsulas which are quite prominent.
These are all surrounded on three sides by water.
The Northern Mountains
a) Mention the extent of the Northern Mountains.
These old fold mountains in the north and north-
west extend from Norway and Sweden to Scotland.
b) Why have they been reduced to low hills?
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After facing erosive action of glaciers for millions of years, they have been
reduced to low hills with gentle slopes.
c) State the characteristic features of these mountains.
Made up of very hard crystalline rocks and were once lofty and rugged.
2. What are fiords? How have they been formed?
Fiords are narrow but deep inlets of water with
steep sides that break and indent the coastline
making it irregular.
In the coastal regions, fiords have been formed
because of the drowning of glacier valleys.
The Central European Plains
1. Where are the Central European Plains located? State their extent.
South of the Northern Mountains lies a vast triangular plain that extends across
central Europe from Atlantic Coast in the west up to the Ural Mountains in the
East.
2. Why are the Central European Plains densely populated?
These plains are very fertile because of alluvium deposited by big rivers and good
for agriculture.
3. Describe the Central European plains.
The plains are partly covered with glacial deposits and partly by alluvium
deposited by big rivers
The plains are not absolutely flat but are rolling lands with hills.
The Southern Plateaux and Highlands.
1. Name the plateaux which are made of old rocks.
The Meseta of Spain
The Central Massif of France
Highlands of Bohemia.
2. List some uplands that do not rise more than 1,800m above sea level.
TheVosges, Jura, Ardennes mountains of France, Black Forest and Harz
mountains of Germany, Ural mountains
The Alpine Mountain System
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1 (a) What does the Alpine Mountain System consist of?
It consists of chains of young fold mountains.
(b) Describe these mountains.
These mountains have high peaks, deep valleys and rugged slopes.
They are made up of several parallel ranges.
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common here.
This mountain system extends like an arc separating Italy from France and
Switzerland.
(c) Which of the Alpine mountains form the backbone of Italy?
The Apennines run southward forming the backbone of Italy.
Rivers and Lakes
1. What is the significance of the big and small rivers of Europe?
The rivers are navigable and are also interconnected by canals to form an
efficient system of waterways.
Thus several big towns and cities have sprung up along the banks of these rivers.
These rivers are important for industries too.
2. Why are Volga, Danube and Rhine called international rivers?
These large rivers flow through many countries and are considered ‘international
rivers’.
3. How were the freshwater lakes formed in northern Europe?
These lakes were formed after the Ice Age when water from the melting snow was
left behind in the hollows carved out by the glaciers.
4. Why is Caspian Sea also called a lake?
Caspian Sea is surrounded by land on all sides.
Its water is salty because it’s a large lake and therefore a lot of evaporation takes
place during the day which increases the salinity of its water.
III. Given below is the picture of the highest peak of Europe.
1. Name the peak.
Mt.Elbrus.
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2. Name the mountain range in which it lies.
The Caucasus Mountains.
CASE STUDY: TOURISM IN SWITZERLAND
SWITZERLAND
Switzerland is called the ‘Paradise of the Earth.’
It is located in the centre of Europe.
The country is dotted with small, numerous lakes and picturesque villages.
a. The Matterhorn
The Matterhorn is Switzerland’s iconic pointed peak which rises to 4,478m.
It is the one of the highest mountains in the Alps.
The charming village of Zermatt is at the foot of the mountain which is known
for its horse-drawn carriages.
b. Jungfraujoch: The Top of Europe
Jungfraujoch: The Top of Europe has an observation terrace and scientific
observatory at a height of 3,454 m
This is Europe’s highest train station.
c. Interlaken
A popular summer holiday resort.
It is known for its breathtaking views of the mountains along with beautiful
flower gardens.
d. Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva is Europe’s largest Alpine lake
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e. The Rhine Falls
The Rhine Falls are the largest falls in Central Europe.
f. ‘There is sustainable tourism in Switzerland’ Give a reason.
Switzerland is one of most beautiful places in the world. It is a country with
small, numerous lakes and picturesque villages. Tourism is important for local
economies in the Alps, so steps have been taken to preserve this magnificent
landscape for future generations.
V) Multiple choice questions:
1. An important mountain range of Europe is _________________.
a. The Andes
b. The Alps
c. The Rockies
d. None of these
2. Which of these lakes is not found in Europe?
a. Vanern
b. Como
c. Titicaca
d. Ladoga
3. The ________________ in Rome is a world heritage site.
a. Christ the Redeemer
b. Machu Picchu
c. Colosseum
d. Petra
VI) Answer in brief:
1. The Scandinavian countries are generally considered to have a separate cultural identity.
Find the information on the following points.
Geographical significance
Employment
Education
Happiness Index
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Europe: Mountain Ranges
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Europe: Mountain Ranges
(Kindly make photocopies for P.W.)
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Europe: Rivers
Europe: Rivers
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(Kindly make photocopies for P.W.)
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Europe: Peninsulas
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Europe: Peninsulas
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(Kindly make photocopies for P.W.)
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