Accommodation, natural conditions and resources
The Southern Federal District includes: the Republic of Adygea, the Republic of Dagestan, the Republic of Ingushetia, the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the Republic of Kalmykia, the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, the Chechen Republic, the Krasnodar Territory, the Stavropol Territory, the Astrakhan, Volgograd and Rostov Regions . The center of the district is the city of Rostov-on-Don (Fig. 1).
Figure 1. Composition of the Southern Federal District
The Southern District is the smallest in Russia. Its area is 592.2 thousand square meters. km, it occupies 3.4% of the area of the Russian Federation.
The Southern Federal District includes the subjects of the Federation belonging to the North Caucasian economic region, as well as the territory of the Lower Volga region (Republic of Kalmykia, Astrakhan and Volgograd regions), which, according to the current zoning grid, belongs to the Volga economic region.
This region is located between three seas - the Black, Azov, Caspian, Main Caucasian Range, the Kuma-Manych Depression and the southern tip of the Russian (East European) Plain.
According to natural conditions, the district can be divided into three zones: steppe (plain), foothill and mountainous. Most of the territory is occupied by the steppe zone, located from its northern borders approximately to the line Krasnodar - Pyatigorsk - Makhachkala. The foothill zone is located to the south and stretches in a narrow strip from the southeast to the northwest, gradually turning into a system of mountain spurs. Further south is the mountainous zone, consisting of the Black Sea, Kuban, Terek and Dagestan Caucasus.
The climate of the Southern District is very diverse. With the exception of the highlands, summers are very warm. The average July temperature ranges from 20 to 24°C. The growing season with temperatures above 10° continues here for 170-190 days, and the annual amount of solar radiation in the steppe and foothill zones is approximately 1.5 times greater than in the Moscow region. Winter in different parts of the district is not the same. Average January temperatures range from 2°C in Sochi and Novorossiysk to -9 - -12°C in the steppes of the Volgograd and Rostov regions. The Black Sea has a great influence on the temperature regime, especially in the areas adjacent to it. This is reflected in the softening of the summer heat and the increase in air temperature on the coast in winter. However, in the Novorossiysk Bay in winter (usually from November to March), a cold and strong northeast wind, the bora, often blows. The conditions for it are created when there is a barometric minimum above the sea, and on land the pressure rises sharply. In Novorossiysk, bora can reach the strength of a hurricane. Sometimes the temperature of the gauge dropped below -20°C and the harbor, which was usually free of ice, froze. But the area of distribution of bora is very small; already a few kilometers from Novorossiysk it is not felt.
The water resources of the region are the waters of the rivers of the basins of the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas and groundwater. In the east flows the largest river in Europe - the Volga. Of the other large rivers, the Don, Kuban, Terek, Sulak should be noted. Although water resources are significant, they are unevenly distributed over the territory. The foothills and the Azov-Black Sea plain have a dense river network, and the southeastern and Caspian regions are poor in water. It is also important to note that the region is characterized by intensive use of water resources and a high concentration of water users, so in many areas (especially in Kalmykia) there is a tense situation with water. At the same time, in irrigation systems in agriculture - the main consumer of water, its unproductive losses reach 50%.
The soils of the region are highly fertile: chernozems and alluvial soils occupy more than half of the district's territory. Chestnut soils are also very fertile. These types of soils occupy most of the steppe and foothill regions and are favorable for growing a wide variety of crops. In the semi-desert regions of Dagestan and Kalmykia, brown soils predominate with the inclusion of large massifs of solonetzes and solonchaks, on the mountain slopes - mountain-forest and mountain-meadow soils. They grow valuable forage natural herbaceous vegetation used for fattening livestock, mainly sheep.
The bowels of the Southern Federal District have been studied quite well. About 73% of all-Russian reserves of thermal waters (carriers of deep, "natural" heat), almost 41% of tungsten reserves and about 30% of mineral water reserves are concentrated here. There are reserves of sulfur, cement raw materials, coal, gas, oil, copper, zinc, gold, silver and lead. The largest gas field - Astrakhan - is of national significance.
Today, the region ranks first in Russia in the production of mineral waters, second and third in the production of tungsten and cement raw materials. In terms of coal production (Donbass), the district is in third place after the Siberian and Far Eastern regions. But the main prospects for the economic development of the region are connected precisely with the extraction and production of "black gold".
Oil reserves lying at depths of 5 to 6 kilometers are estimated at 5 billion tons of reference fuel. The drilling of the first exploratory well on the Caspian shelf immediately confirmed the serious "fuel" potential of this area. However, all projects require very large sums of money, about 15-20 billion dollars. Oil reserves are concentrated mainly in the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions, the Krasnodar Territory, the republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia. In the last two republics, reserves have been greatly reduced over the long years of operation.
The resources of ores of non-ferrous and rare metals are significant. Within the district there are unique deposits of tungsten-molybdenum ores - Tyrnyauz (Kabardino-Balkar Republic) and Ktiteberda (Karachay-Cherkess Republic). The deposits of lead-zinc ores are mainly concentrated in North Ossetia (the largest is the Sadonskoye deposit). There are explored copper deposits in Karachay-Cherkessia (Urupskoye) and Dagestan (Khudesskoye, Kizil-Dere). Mercury deposits are known in the Krasnodar Territory and North Ossetia.
Non-metallic minerals are represented by mining and chemical raw materials (significant reserves of barite, rock salt, sulfur). Particularly noteworthy are the largest salt deposits in the Russian Federation in the lakes Baskunchak (Astrakhan region) and Elton (Volgograd region). There are significant reserves of raw materials for the production of building materials (cement marls in the Novorossiysk region, high-quality marble in the Teberda region, quartz sandstones, clays for the production of bricks and ceramics, chalk, granites, etc.).
The Southern Federal District is one of the regions of the Russian Federation that are the least provided with forest resources. When evaluating the forest fund, it is important to take into account its features: 65% of forests are of a high-mountain type, which are not found in the European part of Russia; all the beech forests of Russia are concentrated here, as well as a significant part of such valuable tree species as oak, hornbeam, ash. Obviously, the forests of the region cannot be of operational importance, however, in recent years, in connection with the development of furniture production, intensive felling of valuable wood has been carried out, the reserves of which in the lower tier of broad-leaved species are practically exhausted. Today, it is very important to drastically reduce, or better yet, completely stop cutting forests in the zone of growth of broad-leaved species, refrain from developing the coniferous forest belt, and speed up reforestation work. Forests should be considered solely from the point of view of their recreational and health-improving and environmental utility.
The recreational resources of the federal district are unique. The mild climate, the abundance of mineral springs and therapeutic mud, warm sea waters create the richest opportunities for treatment and recreation. The mountainous regions with their unique landscapes have all the necessary conditions for the development of mountaineering and tourism, the organization of ski resorts of international importance here.
Territorial organization of the economy
The Southern Federal District occupies an important place in the national economy of Russia. It should be noted, however, that the South was characterized by the greatest decline in industrial production. This is explained not only by the general economic crisis, but also by the difficult political situation in the North Caucasus.
The share of the region in the economy of the Russian Federation:
In the production of basic goods: electricity 7.2%, oil 3.2%, gas 2.8%, coal 2.5%, ammonia 8.4%, synthetic resins/plastics 12.7%, tires 7.5% , machine tools 11.9%, cement 16.1%;
· In the production of industrial products: 6.1%;
· In the production of agricultural products: 19.5%;
· In fixed capital investments: 9.5%;
· In foreign investments: 2.3%;
· In retail turnover: 10.4%;
· In the volume of paid services to the population: 10.2%.
Although at present the share of the region in the total Russian volume of industrial production is insignificant, the district has been and remains the country's largest producer of agricultural products.
The basis of the Okrug's economy is made up of intersectoral complexes, among which agro-industrial, machine-building and resort and recreational complexes stand out. It is they who determine the face of the region in the territorial division of labor, and the deepening of specialization in these areas in a market economy seems inevitable. A significant role in the economy of the district is also played by chemical, fuel and energy, metallurgical, production of cement and other building materials, a complex of industries for the production of non-food consumer goods.
Metallurgical complex The Southern Federal District includes enterprises of both ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. Of the ferrous metallurgy enterprises (all of them belong to conversion plants), the Volgograd Krasny Oktyabr plant, which produces high-quality steel for tractor and automobile plants, the Krasnosulinsky and Taganrog plants, should be singled out. The pipe plant in Volzhsky specializes in the production of steel pipes.
Non-ferrous metallurgy is represented by the Volgograd aluminum plant, the Tyrnyauz mining and smelting plant (tungsten and molybdenum ores) and the Electrozinc plant (Vladikavkaz).
An important component of the economy of the Southern Federal District is fuel and energy complex. Almost all coal mining in the district is concentrated in the Rostov region (Shakhty, Novoshakhtinsk, etc.), on the territory of which the eastern wing of the Donbass is located. Although the cost of mining is high due to the deep occurrence (more than a kilometer in some areas) and low thickness (0.7 m) of coal seams, the benefits of the geographical location make it expedient.
Natural gas production is carried out at the largest Astrakhan field in the European part of Russia, as well as at the fields of Kuban and Stavropol. Great prospects are associated with the exploration of the large Dimitrovskoye gas field in Dagestan.
The most reasonable and cheapest way to solve the energy problems of the south of Russia is the maximum saving of all types of fuel resources, the speedy introduction of energy-saving technologies into production and everyday life.
The power industry of the district is dominated by thermal power plants, but the role of hydroelectric power is also great. The largest thermal ones are Nevinnomysskaya, Stavropolskaya, Novocherkasskaya, Krasnodarskaya. Of the hydraulic power plants, one should especially single out the largest on the Volga and throughout the European part of the country, the Volzhskaya HPP (Volgograd) with a capacity of 2.5 million kW. Hydroelectric power stations were also built on mountain rivers - Irganaiskaya, Miatlinskaya, Chirkeyskaya on the Sulak River, etc.
Its southern regions are located in a seismically hazardous zone, which is why the construction of the Krasnodar NPP was abandoned, and the site where the Rostov NPP was built was chosen very poorly - its buildings were located 13 km from Volgodonsk and 10 km from Tsimlyansk, and on the very bank of the Tsimlyansk reservoir. This can lead to serious environmental problems.
Among the industries of building materials in the Southern Federal District, the production of cement stands out. Novorossiysk cement plants, operating on local marls, supply high-quality cement of various grades to many regions of the country and for export. Volgograd region is a major producer of cement. Large glass factories operate in Dagestan and North Ossetia. The remaining branches of the building materials industry (production of bricks, slates, asbestos-cement products, etc.) are of local importance.
The agro-industrial complex of the Southern District provides more than half of the total product. Its central link is agriculture, for the development of which there are exceptionally favorable conditions here. Suffice it to say that, per capita, the region produces twice as much agricultural products as the Russian average.
The South is the largest supplier of grain. The main grain crop is wheat, and corn crops are also widespread. Significant areas are occupied by such a valuable grain crop as rice. It is grown in the lower reaches of the Kuban (Kuban plavni), on irrigated lands of the Astrakhan and Rostov regions, Dagestan.
The region is of great importance in the production of important industrial crops - sunflower, sugar beet, mustard, tobacco. The south of Russia is the largest area of horticulture and viticulture. More than a third of all fruit and berry plantations and all vineyards of the Russian Federation are located here. Only here in Russia subtropical crops are grown - tea, citrus fruits, persimmons, figs (mainly on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory). The south of Russia is the largest producer of vegetables and gourds. They are grown throughout the region, but the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain stands out in particular. Astrakhan and Volgograd watermelons and tomatoes are known and appreciated by the entire population of the country.
Animal husbandry is characterized by high marketability. Cattle, pigs, poultry are bred here. Sheep breeding, especially fine-fleeced sheep breeding, is of great importance. Most of the fine wool of the Russian Federation is harvested in the region. The south is also famous for breeding horse breeding.
A feature of the development of the food industry in the Southern District - an important component of the agro-industrial complex - is not only in its scale, but also in the richest assortment of food products, a significant part of which goes to all regions of the country. There are a large number of enterprises in various sectors of the food industry - meat, fruit and vegetable canning, sugar, flour and cereals, oil and fat, winemaking, tea, tobacco, etc. Astrakhan's fishing industry is world famous.
In general, the agro-industrial complex of the Southern District is highly efficient and its role in the food supply of the Russian population is invaluable.
The resort and recreation complex of the Southern Federal District is of exceptional importance for Russia. The resorts of the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory (Sochi, Anapa, Gelendzhik) are very famous and popular. The famous group of resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters (Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk) is located in the Stavropol Territory. Dombai and Teberda (Karachay-Cherkessia), the Baksan Gorge (Kabardino-Balkaria) and other places with unique natural landscapes enjoy well-deserved popularity among tourists, climbers, skiers.
At the same time, the recreational resources of the Caspian Sea coast are used very poorly. The same can be said about the resources of the mountainous zone of the national republics, but in this case it is not only a matter of insufficient development of the material base. The instability of the political situation, interethnic conflicts, military operations in Chechnya scare away potential tourists.
Population and workforce
Multinationality, or polyethnicity, is a feature of the south of Russia, which largely determines its socio-political situation. The reason is mainly geopolitical. Over the past three millennia, hordes of nomads and numerous conquerors - Romans, Persians, Arabs, Mongols, Turks, etc. - have passed through this peculiar isthmus between Asia and Europe. The Slavs appeared here in the 10th century. (Tmutarakan Principality), and the penetration of Russians began in the 16th century. Nowadays, in addition to the indigenous and East Slavic peoples (Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians, including the Cossacks, make up 75% of the population of the region), representatives of a number of peoples of the Federation (Tatars, Mordvins, Chuvashs, Udmurds), neighboring Transcaucasia (Azerbaijanis, Georgians, Armenians) and far abroad (Greeks, Bulgarians, Koreans; as well as Germans - immigrants from the former Republic of the Volga Germans).
Another feature is the mosaic distribution of ethnic groups; even peoples with their own territorial formations are often scattered outside the respective republics, many of them have diasporas abroad.
The religious structure of the population is no less motley. There are two main religions: Orthodoxy is practiced by about 75% of the population; Islam about 20%. The "Islamic" republics according to the confession of the indigenous population include Adygea, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Chechnya.
In terms of population, the Southern District occupies the 3rd place in Russia, second only to the Central and Volga. The permanent population is 22.8 million people, which is 16% of the Russian Federation (Table 1).
In terms of population density, the district ranks second among the federal districts - 36.98 people per km 2. The population density is higher only in the Central Federal District (58.03 people per km 2). However, the population is distributed unevenly across the territory. Its greatest density is in the Kuban, the least populated are Kalmykia and Dagestan. It should be noted that because of the hostilities in Chechnya, the population of this republic has almost halved (from 1,079,000 in 1994 to 610,000 at the beginning of 2001).
Table 1
Population (end-of-year estimate; thousand people).
| 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| The Russian Federation | 148274 | 148292 | 146304 | 145649 | 144964 | 144168 | 143474 | 142754 | 142221 |
| Southern federal district |
21018 | 22455 | 22762 | 22853 | 22892 | 22850 | 22821 | 22790 | 22777 |
| Republic of Adygea | 437 | 450 | 447 | 446 | 447 | 445 | 445 | 443 | 441 |
| The Republic of Dagestan | 1875 | 2218 | 2486 | 2536 | 2581 | 2602 | 2622 | 2641 | 2659 |
| The Republic of Ingushetia | 192 | 282 | 446 | 456 | 469 | 476 | 482 | 487 | 493 |
| 781 | 835 | 887 | 894 | 901 | 899 | 897 | 894 | 891 | |
| Republic of Kalmykia | 327 | 315 | 307 | 298 | 292 | 291 | 290 | 289 | 287 |
| 425 | 438 | 441 | 440 | 439 | 437 | 435 | 431 | 429 | |
| 652 | 677 | 704 | 709 | 710 | 707 | 704 | 702 | 701 | |
| Chechen Republic | 1172 | 1225 | 997 | 1073 | 1105 | 1121 | 1141 | 1163 | 1184 |
| Krasnodar region | 4691 | 5076 | 5133 | 5132 | 5120 | 5106 | 5100 | 5096 | 5101 |
| Stavropol region | 2478 | 2691 | 2741 | 2736 | 2733 | 2726 | 2718 | 2710 | 2701 |
| Astrakhan region | 1001 | 1019 | 1009 | 1006 | 1005 | 1001 | 998 | 994 | 994 |
| Volgograd region | 2642 | 2738 | 2725 | 2710 | 2694 | 2673 | 2655 | 2636 | 2620 |
| Rostov region | 4345 | 4491 | 4439 | 4417 | 4396 | 4366 | 4334 | 4304 | 4276 |
The largest cities of the Southern Federal District are Rostov-on-Don, Volgograd, Krasnodar, Astrakhan, Stavropol, Sochi, Makhachkala, Vladikavkaz. The number of other cities does not exceed 300 thousand people. Rostov-on-Don is a millionaire city (1,058,000 people). In total, there are 132 cities in the district.
The network of urban settlements is represented mainly by medium and small towns. Share of urban population in 1990-2006 presented in table. 2.
Rural settlements (villages) located in the steppe zone are usually large in territory and population. They sometimes stretch for several kilometers and can have up to 25-30 thousand inhabitants. Mountainous areas are characterized by small and medium-sized settlements.
table 2
Share of the urban population in the total population (estimated at the end of the year; in percent).
| 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| The Russian Federation | 73,8 | 73,0 | 73,2 | 73,3 | 73,3 | 73,4 | 73,0 | 72,9 | 73,0 |
| Southern federal district |
60,0 | 58,1 | 57,6 | 57,5 | 57,5 | 57,5 | 57,1 | 57,0 | 56,9 |
| Republic of Adygea | 52,5 | 53,3 | 52,8 | 52,7 | 52,6 | 52,6 | 52,6 | 52,6 | 52,5 |
| The Republic of Dagestan | 44,0 | 43,4 | 42,4 | 42,6 | 42,8 | 42,8 | 42,7 | 42,7 | 42,6 |
| The Republic of Ingushetia | 27,8 | 41,8 | 42,6 | 42,6 | 42,4 | 42,5 | 42,6 | 42,7 | 42,9 |
| Kabardino-Balkarian Republic | 61,0 | 57,2 | 56,6 | 56,6 | 56,6 | 58,8 | 58,9 | 58,5 | 58,5 |
| Republic of Kalmykia | 46,0 | 38,7 | 43,0 | 43,7 | 44,3 | 44,4 | 44,2 | 44,2 | 44,2 |
| Karachay-Cherkess Republic | 49,1 | 45,7 | 43,9 | 43,9 | 44,1 | 44,1 | 44,1 | 44,1 | 44,0 |
| Republic of North Ossetia - Alania | 69,1 | 69,0 | 66,2 | 65,7 | 65,4 | 65,4 | 65,4 | 64,7 | 64,6 |
| Chechen Republic | 47,8 | 38,6 | 33,5 | 33,8 | 33,7 | 33,7 | 34,0 | 34,3 | 34,4 |
| Krasnodar region | 54,3 | 54,2 | 53,5 | 53,5 | 53,5 | 53,5 | 52,7 | 52,6 | 52,6 |
| Stavropol region | 54,0 | 54,0 | 55,9 | 55,9 | 56,0 | 56,1 | 56,2 | 56,4 | 56,5 |
| Astrakhan region | 68,2 | 67,6 | 67,9 | 67,6 | 67,7 | 67,7 | 67,0 | 67,0 | 66,0 |
| Volgograd region | 75,8 | 74,5 | 74,9 | 75,1 | 75,2 | 75,2 | 75,3 | 75,4 | 75,3 |
| Rostov region | 71,1 | 67,9 | 67,6 | 67,6 | 67,6 | 67,6 | 66,7 | 66,8 | 66,8 |
Foreign economic relations
The Southern Federal District occupies a key economic and geographical position and is strategically important for Russia. As a border region, it ensures Russia's access to the states of the Transcaucasus, the Black Sea and the Caspian basins in order to establish stable interstate relations and consolidate Russia's economic and political positions in these regions.
The accession to the Southern Federal District of the Astrakhan and Volgograd regions, which were traditionally regions of the Volga region and were part of the North Caucasian Military District, made it possible to significantly increase the territory of the Southern Federal District in the northern direction, strengthen the Russian-speaking component and economic parameters of the district due to the industrially developed and economically stable Lower Volga subjects of the Russian Federation.
Located at the intersection of important land, sea, and air communications between the countries of the two continents and having a fairly developed transport infrastructure and an economic diversified complex, the region has a good opportunity to strengthen the country's economy through the organization of transit through its territory of international transport flows, as well as the activation of other forms of VEO .
The northwestern part of the Caspian Sea, as an integral part of the region, has favorable conditions for the development of international transport communications that can provide communication along the shortest route between European countries and the countries of the Near and Middle East, India and China.
About 70% of the total foreign trade turnover of the country is carried out through the southern seaports. Large reserves of hydrocarbon raw materials are concentrated in this region, the development of which should be carried out within the framework of international cooperation.
The unsatisfactory state of the infrastructure for the development of Russia's foreign economic relations is a significant obstacle to inclusion in the MRT, respectively, and to the implementation of the strategy of the FEO of the country and its constituent regions.
The southern macroregion acts as a link between the countries of Transcaucasia, Eastern Europe and Asia, its borders run along three seas. International and interregional economic cooperation within the framework of this district provides an exceptional chance for integration into the world economy.
Foreign trade and commodity structure of exports and imports of the Southern Federal District are presented in the Appendix.
The given economic and geographical characteristics of the Southern Federal District shows that the location and resource availability of this region can really help the development of the Russian economy. But in the Southern District there are many problems that hinder the economic development of the region, and this does not allow it to make a more significant contribution to the revival of the Russian economy.
Asia is the largest part of the world that is part of the single continent of Eurasia. Its area exceeds 43 million square meters. km, the population is 4.2 billion people (slightly less than 59% of all inhabitants of the Earth). This huge region is traditionally divided into several geographical areas that differ significantly from each other. Let us analyze them one by one and then present the characteristics of the EGP of the largest Asian states.
General characteristics of Southeast, Northeast,
South Asia and Middle East
Southeast Asia (SEA)
Southeast Asia is a region located in the extreme southeast of Eurasia and adjacent island groups with a total area of 4.5 million square kilometers. km. Over half of the region's territory is occupied by the Indochina peninsula (3rd in the world in terms of area) and the mountainous regions to the northeast of it. The island part of Southeast Asia - the Malay Archipelago - consists of more than 20 thousand islands (only 5 have an area of \u200b\u200bmore than 100 thousand square kilometers). The shores of Southeast Asia are washed by the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans. The region includes 11 countries: Brunei, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and the Philippines.
The mainland and insular parts of Southeast Asia have a common geological history and are characterized by a strong dissection of the relief, a combination of mountain ranges with lowlands, and a significant number of active volcanoes. Southeast Asia is located in two climatic zones: equatorial (most of the Malay Archipelago) and subequatorial, or equatorial monsoons (the mainland of the region). High average annual temperatures (+26°) have small seasonal fluctuations (± 2-3°) in the insular part of the region and are stronger in some areas on the mainland.
Soils in Southeast Asia were formed under conditions of abundant moisture and high temperatures and belong to two main types: 1) volcanic soils valuable for agriculture, located on the Malay Archipelago, and alluvial, formed by river sediments in the valleys and deltas of the largest rivers on the mainland; 2) ubiquitous unfavorable ferralitic, prone to leaching.
Mineral reserves have not yet been studied enough, however, already discovered deposits indicate the presence in the region of a significant raw material potential on a global scale. Southeast Asia has large reserves of oil and natural gas. Iron ore deposits are small in volume and relatively poor (Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar). Manganese reserves are concentrated almost entirely in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, chromites - in the Philippines. Aluminum ores are represented mainly by bauxite (Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia). Copper reserves are concentrated in the Philippines and Indonesia, nickel and cobalt - in Indonesia and the Philippines. The region is poor in lead deposits, found mainly in Myanmar and Thailand. There are large deposits of tungsten. In terms of tin reserves (Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia), Southeast Asia ranks first in the world. The region has significant deposits of gold (Philippines, Indonesia), as well as tantalum, niobium, mercury, antimony, fluorite, and potassium salts. Stocks of building materials are unlimited.
The population of Southeast Asia is growing dynamically. Countries with high average annual population growth rates (over 2%) include Brunei, Laos, Malaysia, East Timor, Cambodia and the Philippines. The absolute majority of the population of all Southeast Asian countries belongs to the South Asian minor race, which is characterized by a combination of Mongoloid features with some Austroloid features. The ethnic composition of the population of Southeast Asia is very complex and diverse. The religious composition is also very diverse: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Confucianism, Taoism, Sikhism. Under all layers of developed religious systems lie powerful layers of local religious beliefs (Table 9.1).
Table 9.1
Population, GDP and GDP per capita of Southeast Asian states in 2016
In terms of economic development in Southeast Asia, the following groups can be distinguished: the least developed developing countries - Cambodia, East Timor, Laos, Myanmar; large developing countries of the middle level - Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines; new industrial countries - Malaysia, Thailand. Singapore has a special status, which can be considered a developed industrial country, and Brunei, which ranks 5th in terms of per capita income. The growth rate of total GDP in the region is higher than in most other regions of the world (about 5%).
The economic policy of almost all countries in the region is aimed at solving a complex of complex socio-economic problems, most of which date back to their colonial past: poverty, social inequality, low employment, weak health care and education systems. A number of problems arose during the rapidly developing processes of industrialization and urbanization: pollution and degradation of the environment, in particular the human habitat. Particular attention is paid to overcoming the imbalance in the economic development of various regions and parts of the country (Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia).
Sectoral structure of the economy of the Southeast Asian countries in 1980-2010 has undergone significant positive changes - the share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries has significantly decreased in GDP due to the growth in the share of both industry and construction, as well as the service sector.
The extractive industry is well developed in all countries of the region (with the exception of Singapore and Cambodia), which is due to the presence of many types of minerals in them, the growing demand for the industry's products from the national market, and the overall rather favorable situation for some of the types mined in the region. raw materials on the world market.
The manufacturing industry is represented in the region by both large enterprises of all forms of ownership, as well as medium and small factories, factories, workshops, which are mainly in private hands. As a rule, in the industrial structure of almost all countries of Southeast Asia (except East Timor, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar) enterprises of the import-substituting sector and export orientation are combined in one or another proportion. The most developed are the oil refining and petrochemical industries (Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand), chemical industries (except for the small countries of Indochina), electronic and electrical industries (Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand), black (Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam) and non-ferrous ( Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines) metallurgy, shipbuilding and ship repair (Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia), mechanical engineering and car assembly production (Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam).
The agriculture of all Southeast Asian countries has sufficient natural resources not only to fully meet the national needs for its products, but also to form significant export resources. The main agricultural crops of the region are: rice, corn, sweet potato, yams, sugarcane, various fruits and vegetables, tobacco, coffee, tea, spices. Southeast Asia is one of the largest areas in the world with a developed plantation economy (natural rubber, oilseeds, jute, tobacco, etc.). Animal husbandry is poorly developed.
Transport and communications play an important role not only in the socio-economic, but also in the political development of Southeast Asia, providing a variety of intra- and trans-regional commodity, information and personnel flows. The most developed sea and road transport. A variety of communications and communication systems, including satellite, mobile telephony and the Internet, are rapidly expanding in the region.
Intra-regional economic ties are based on the traditional and newest division of labor in Southeast Asia: some of them, such as trade in food products, have existed for hundreds of years, others, in particular the intra-regional exchange of electronic components or tourism, have existed for only a few decades. The main form of intra-regional ties is commodity trade, the average annual growth rate of which in 2000-2010. accounted for 10%, only slightly yielding to the growth rates of foreign trade of the countries of Southeast Asia as a whole (9%). The development of intra-regional economic relations is promoted by the Association of Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN), a regional economic organization established in 1967. At present, it includes all the states of the region, except for East Timor, which received the status of guest of the ASEAN Secretary General.
Trade in goods and services is growing at a pace that is about twice the world average. The total exports of Southeast Asian countries are dominated by finished industrial goods (more than 80% on average), oil, natural gas, tropical agricultural products and seafood, ores and concentrates. The aggregate imports of Southeast Asia are dominated by machinery and equipment, metals and metal products, chemical products, oil and oil products. The main trading partners of the Southeast Asian countries are the most developed countries of the Asia-Pacific region: Japan, the USA, China and Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China), South Korea, Australia, and Taiwan, about 25% fall on the mutual trade of the Southeast Asian countries, among other partners a prominent place is occupied by EU countries (12-15%).
The share of tourism is almost 11% of the total GDP of the Southeast Asian countries.
Cambodia has the largest external debt in relation to GDP - 38%. The main areas of investment: manufacturing industry (electronic, electrical, chemical, food, clothing, footwear, etc.), oil and gas production. Leading investors are the USA, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, EU and ASEAN countries.
In Southeast Asia, Russia mainly supplies metals and products made from them, fuel and energy products, machinery, equipment and spare parts for them (including military equipment), pulp and paper and some other types of mainly industrial raw materials. From Southeast Asia, Russia mainly imports food products and agricultural raw materials, machinery, equipment, assemblies and components for them, natural rubber, as well as other goods, mainly clothing and footwear.
Northeast Asia (NEA)
NEA is a region of Asia (approximately from 46° to 20° N) with a total area of 12 million square kilometers. km, including Mongolia, the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau. The relief of the region is complex: medium-altitude and high mountains and highlands (Dzhugdzhur, Bureinsky Range, Great Khingan, Qinling, Nanlin) alternate with large accumulative plains (plains of the Amur region, Northeast China, Great China).
The region is characterized by active seismic and volcanic activity. The climate is monsoonal with wet summers and dry winters. Soils are dominated by chestnut, brown, red soil, alluvial. Soil erosion causes significant damage to land resources.
Minerals: oil, coal, iron ore, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, antimony, mercury, zinc, gold. In terms of coal supply, the region ranks second after North America (360 billion tons of explored reserves). Large reserves of oil and iron ore have been found only in China, which ranks eighth and fifth respectively in the world in terms of their proven reserves. However, China also lacks its own reserves. The places rich in non-ferrous and rare metals include the southern part of the Sino-Korean platform; in terms of reserves of tungsten, tin and mercury, this area occupies one of the leading positions in the world.
Population - more than 1.65 billion people. (end of 2012), the average annual growth rate is 1.1%. The majority of the region's population is Chinese (about 75%), followed by Japanese (12%), Koreans (5%), Uyghurs (0.5%), Tibetans (0.4%), Zu Zu (0.4%), Mongols (0.4%), Hui (0.3%), etc. In terms of racial appearance, the population of the region represents various variants of the large Mongoloid race. The main religion is Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, Buddhism, Islam are also common, there are Christians. The standard of living differs significantly in different countries of the region, the highest rates are in Macau, Japan and Hong Kong, where the human development index approaches one, the lowest - in the DPRK and Mongolia.
Table 9.1.5
Population, GDP and GDP per capita of the NEA states in 2016
The volume of the region's GDP is 20.20 trillion dollars. in 2013, according to PPP, per capita - about 12,240 dollars. Average annual GDP growth rates in the 2000s accounted for 8% and were determined primarily by the high dynamics of the development of China (10%), South Korea (5.8%) and Taiwan (4.5%).
Economic policy: most states in the region use an export-oriented development model, which involves the gradual liberalization of the economy and the restriction of state functions.
Initially, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong switched to this strategy. They focused on the development of the private sector, stimulating the production and export of traditional labor-intensive goods (textiles, clothing, shoes, toys, etc.). With the increase in foreign exchange earnings, the development of infrastructure facilities, and the improvement of the living and educational standards of the population, there has been a transition to the development of capital-intensive and technology-intensive industries (telecommunications, automotive, robotics, shipbuilding, computers). Traditional labor-intensive industries and assembly industries are being transferred to China, which, largely inspired by the example of its neighbors, has modernized its economy. In the early 1990s transformations aimed at creating a market economy began to be carried out in Mongolia. Only the North Korean economy continues to be among the most centralized and isolated in the world.
The sectoral structure of the economy differs sharply depending on the level of development of the countries of the region. The largest share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries is in Mongolia (3%), the smallest - in Hong Kong (0.1%). Industry occupies a leading position only in the economies of North Korea and China, although its share in GDP is quite high in South Korea (39%), Japan (23%) and China (46%). The service sector plays the largest role in the economy of Hong Kong (85.6%), the smallest - in the economy of North Korea (31%). One of the largest and most advanced in technical terms is the industry of Japan, which produces cars and other vehicles, ships, machine tools, electronic equipment, and metals. Japan and Hong Kong are distinguished by a high level of development of the financial sector, and Macau is the tourism sector.
The problems of low incomes, unemployment, property and social stratification, and social security are especially acute in China and Mongolia. North Korea maintains a system of rationed supply of food and other consumer goods to the population. A high level of employment is traditionally characteristic of Japan, where a system of lifetime employment is used at large enterprises, a system of retraining has been established, and small business is well developed.
Intra-regional ties are developing most dynamically between China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In international economic and political vocabulary, such concepts as "Great China" or "Chinese Circle" are increasingly used. They are understood as an informal economic region, which includes mainland China with its huge labor resources, natural resources and territory, Taiwan with its technologies, Hong Kong with its financial resources. Although there are political and economic problems in the way of institutionalization of economic cooperation, the informal process of integration is developing quite rapidly. About 50% of all accumulated foreign direct investment in the PRC came from huacao (compatriots living abroad). Cooperation with Japan is of great importance for all countries of the region.
The primary role is played by relations with developed countries, primarily the US and EU countries, as well as the development of cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States, which is the most important market for the goods of most countries in the region, accounts for about 30% of the trade turnover of Japan, 23% of the trade turnover of Taiwan, 23% - Macau, 19% - South Korea, 18% - China, 16% - Hong Kong, 7% - Mongolia.
The share of European countries accounts for most of Taiwan's trade turnover - 18%. An increasing role is played by economic relations with the countries of Southeast Asia, which, on the one hand, are important sales markets for a number of goods, and, on the other hand, China's competitors creating a more favorable investment regime for attracting foreign investment.
The volume of foreign trade with Russia in 2013 amounted to: with Mongolia - exports to Russia 0.04 billion dollars, imports from Russia - 1.5 billion dollars, China - 53 and 35 billion dollars, North Korea - 9 million and 0 1 billion dollars, the Republic of Korea - 10.3 and 14.8 billion dollars, Japan - 13.6 and 19.6 billion dollars, Hong Kong - 0.2 and 3 billion dollars, Taiwan - 1.9 and $4.5 billion None of the countries in the region is among the top ten largest investors in the Russian economy. The largest and most promising projects related to the development of Sakhalin oil and gas fields are being implemented with Japan. Economic ties with the region are concentrated mainly in the Russian Far East.
South Asia
The total area of the region is 5.1 million square meters. km. In the north and northwest, it is bounded by the Himalayan and Hindu Kush mountain systems, the ranges of the Iranian highlands, and in the east by the Assam-Burman mountains. Mountain systems prevent the intrusion of cold air masses from the north into this area. The shores of South Asia are washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Includes 7 countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Republic of Maldives
South Asia's natural resource reserves are significant and varied, but distributed extremely unevenly across countries. The basic reserves of minerals are concentrated in India: coal, iron and manganese ores, ores of rare, non-ferrous and precious metals, precious and semi-precious stones. The region is poor in oil and gas reserves. The problem of land resources is of great importance for the countries of South Asia. The presence of large mountain ranges, desert and semi-desert spaces, lack of water resources, the intensity of monsoons - all this limits the size of arable land, negatively affects the formation of the food balance, the structure of agriculture.
Tropical or subtropical climates allow plants to grow throughout the year and allow two or even three crops per year. But water resources are scarce, and sustainable agriculture depends on the availability of irrigation networks. The region ranks second in the world in terms of total area of irrigated land.
Population - more than 1.6 billion people. (2012) is increasing at an average annual rate of 1.6%, i.e. above the world average.
Table 9.2
Population, GDP and GDP per capita of South Asian states in 2016
The peoples of the Indian group of the Indo-European family predominate (Rajasthani, Bengalis, Punjabis, Biharis, Assamese, Oriya, Sinhalese, etc.), in the south of India - the peoples of the Dravidian family (Tamils, Telugu, etc.), in the Himalayas - the Tibeto-Burmese group of Chinese- Tibetan family, in Pakistan there are numerous Pashtuns and Balochs - the peoples of the Iranian group of the Indo-European family. In India and Nepal Hinduism prevails, in Pakistan, Bangladesh, in the Maldives - Islam, in Sri Lanka and Bhutan - Buddhism.
GDP at PPP reached $6 trillion. (2013), which is 3643 dollars. per capita. Relatively high dynamics of economic growth (6.7% of GDP).
Economic policy has undergone major changes in the last decade. The region is moving away from the policy of active participation of the state in economic life towards the policy of liberalism. These actions are combined with the transition from an import-substituting development model to an export-oriented one. The strengthening of export positions allowed most countries in the region to reduce their current account deficit to 2% of GDP. At the same time, a serious problem for the countries of the region is the high level of budget deficit, which is the main cause of domestic and foreign debt and inflation. The external debt of the countries of the region is 23% of their total GDP.
The most important problem in the region is growing poverty. Life expectancy is 64 years, 39% of the adult population is illiterate.
The political and economic situation in the region is largely determined by the confrontation between the two largest states: India and Pakistan. Unresolved territorial problems associated with the state of Jammu and Kashmir often transformed this confrontation into military conflicts. The presence of nuclear weapons on both sides poses a threat to national security not only to the states of South Asia. The tense geopolitical situation in the region largely predetermined the quality of economic cooperation between these countries within the integration grouping of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The mutual trade turnover of the countries of South Asia does not exceed 3% of their total foreign trade turnover. Cooperation between them is limited to issues of communications, metrology, environmental protection, the fight against drug trafficking and terrorism. The exception is the economic relations between India and Sri Lanka, between which at the end of 1998 a free trade agreement was concluded.
Russia in South Asia traditionally relies in its policy on political, economic and military-technical cooperation with India. At the same time, it maintains good neighborly relations with other states of the region, including Pakistan.
Middle East
The region covers vast territories from Egypt in the west to Pakistan in the east, from the Mediterranean coast and the island of Cyprus in the north to the southern edge of Southwest Asia and the Persian Gulf. The total area is more than 5 million square meters. km. There are 16 sovereign states here.
After the Second World War, when the consumption of industrial fuels increased sharply in the world, the importance of the Middle Eastern countries increased due to the presence of gigantic hydrocarbon reserves. Their main deposits are located in the oil and gas province of the Persian Gulf, where more than 60% of the world's proven oil reserves and 20% of gas lie. The high quality of the product, low production and transportation costs have turned the region into a world storehouse of first-class energy carriers and chemical raw materials of the latest branches of fine technology. In addition to oil and gas, almost all raw materials and materials most commonly used in industry have been found in the bowels of the region. The biggest problem of these countries is the lack of water, extremely dry and hot climate, often incompatible with human life. The problem of fresh water is solved at the expense of underground sources and sea desalination.
The most developed part belongs to the subtropical climate. Tropical deserts and semi-deserts extend to the south. Soils: sandy, stony, alluvial.
Population - more than 328 million people. Its average annual growth rate is about 2%, mainly due to the Persian Gulf countries, where it reaches 5% or more. 90% of the total population is dispersed along the sea coast and large rivers (Tigris, Euphrates). One of the distinguishing features is the similarity of ethnic and religious composition, since the majority of the population is Muslim Arabs, on a national basis, the peoples of Israel, Turkey, Afghanistan and Iran are the exception, although in these countries the population is predominantly Muslim. In many countries, Islam has been elevated to the rank of state religion. One of the phenomena of Islam is that this religion, unlike others, which are limited to issues of faith and rituals, tries to regulate all aspects of a believer's life, including the economic one. Arabic is the predominant language.
The countries of the region differ significantly both in terms of economic potential and level of development. Most of the countries are in the middle income group, with the exception of Yemen and Afghanistan, which are in the category of the poorest countries. The group of oil-producing countries of the Persian Gulf stands apart, where per capita income is comparable to the industrial states of Europe and Israel. The average annual growth rate of the economies of the countries of the region is more than 3% (see Table 9.3).
In the socio-economic reality of the countries of the region, two areas of management can be distinguished: traditional and modern, oriented to the external market. The economic initiative of Iraq for a long period was constrained by international sanctions, the economies of Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen and Syria were paralyzed by many years of civil wars. Most countries are characterized by efforts to create a favorable investment climate.
Private capital is very cautious, functions mainly in the form of trading houses and is concentrated in trading and speculative operations, experiencing a traditional prejudice against industrial activity. Most of these countries, with the exception of Israel and Turkey, remain outside the scope of modern scientific and technological achievements, having mastered only their individual elements and only to the extent that their scientific and technical capabilities and level of competence allow it.
Table 9.3
Population, GDP and GDP per capita
states of the Middle East in 2016
| Country/Indicator | Population, million people | GDP, billion dollars | GDP per capita, thousand dollars |
| Israel | 8,17 | 33,7 | |
| Jordan | 8,1 | 12,1 | |
| Lebanon | 6,2 | 18,2 | |
| Yemen | 27,4 | 2,7 | |
| Saudi Arabia | 28,1 | 53,6 | |
| Oman | 3,3 | 44,6 | |
| Qatar | 2,2 | ||
| Bahrain | 1,4 | 50,1 | |
| Kuwait | 2,8 | 70,2 | |
| Afghanistan | 33,3 | 1,9 | |
| Iraq | 38,1 | 15,5 | |
| Iran | 82,8 | 17,3 | |
| Palestine | 4,5 | 3,0 | |
| Syria | 17,1 | 5,1 | |
| Turkey | 80,2 | 20,4 | |
| Cyprus | 1,2 | 32,8 | |
| Total | 344,87 | 19,5 |
A characteristic feature of agriculture is the emphasis on the production of traditional food products of the local population, the share of plant and animal raw materials for processing is relatively small (the exception is cotton, citrus fruits, olives). The largest producers of agricultural products are Turkey, Iran, Israel. In the region as a whole, a third of the labor force is employed in agriculture and up to 15% of GDP is produced. Most countries are chronically dependent on food imports.
The industry is dominated by the extraction and primary processing of national mineral and agricultural raw materials. The countries of the Persian Gulf are entirely focused on the oil and gas sector. One can speak about the development of modern industries only in relation to Israel and Turkey. Constant tension and armed conflicts provoked a rather high degree of militarization of the economy (50% of all military spending in third world countries). The service sector traditionally plays an important role in the region's economy due to its distinct transit position, not only as a transport crossroads, but also as a center of international trade (UAE) and capital flows (Bahrain). An important source of income and foreign exchange earnings is the tourism business (Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Palestine).
Daily per capita income in the Oil Six countries is on average 60 times greater than in countries such as Yemen or Afghanistan. The process of urbanization is rapidly gaining momentum, and the countries of the Persian Gulf, implementing voluminous programs of socio-economic development, attract millions of immigrant masses.
Intra-regional ties are based on pan-Arab and pan-Islamic solidarity: rich oil-producing countries provide tangible gratuitous material support to weaker neighbors. The Arab states cooperate within the framework of the League of Arab States (LAS), and, together with other countries of the region (except Israel), within the framework of the international organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula created the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf (GCC), which is very influential in the third world. The activation of economic ties runs into irresolvable ideological contradictions in the interpretation of Islam, rivalry in the struggle for leadership in the region and competition of similar goods in foreign markets.
The share of the region in world trade does not exceed 3%. The structure of exports is dominated by raw materials, early vegetables and fruits, dates, cotton, leather goods. Most countries limit themselves to one or two export items, only Israel and Turkey are countries with diversified exports. In the structure of imports, 75% falls on industrial products, primarily capital equipment, vehicles and durable household goods, food is purchased in large quantities (10% of imports). The highest dependence on the import of vital goods remains with the monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula, Afghanistan, Yemen and Jordan.
According to various estimates, the Persian Gulf countries placed about $800 billion in the financial markets of Western countries, the total amount of savings of the population of these states exceeded $800 billion. The United States, Japan and countries of the Asian South have joined the traditional partners in foreign economic relations from among the former European metropolises.
The peak of cooperation with Russia (USSR) came in the second half of the 20th century, when the young independent states tried to create a national model of a socialist society on the wave of anti-colonialism and anti-imperialism. The most active were the revolutionary democratic forces of Syria, Iraq, South Yemen, and Afghanistan. Large loans, capital equipment, technicians were sent to these countries, the armies of these countries were equipped with the most modern weapons systems. Traditional export goods (oil, gas, fruits, vegetables, drinks, tobacco) went in the opposite direction. Relations with Israel have been frozen since the beginning of the Israeli war against the Arabs in 1967 and have begun to recover since the early 1990s. In modern conditions, Russia has significant volumes of trade with Turkey ($32.7 billion), the United Arab Emirates ($2.5 billion) and Israel ($3.5 billion). Trade with the countries of the region is invariably reduced to a positive balance in favor of Russia.
Economic and geographical position of Southern Europe
Southern Europe is very elongated along the parallel - for a distance exceeding 4000 km and compressed by the meridian, barely exceeding 1000 km. The main communications with the outside world for most of them are carried out by sea.
Although the macroregion is not territorially compact, it is quite homogeneous in terms of morphostructural and climatic features.
Figure 2 - Mountain systems of Southern Europe
Southern Europe is the most mountainous among the European macro-regions (Figure 2).
There are three physical-geographical regions: the Pyrenees, the Apennines, the Balkans.
The Iberian Peninsula is located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and is influenced by both of these basins. It forms the westernmost, Atlantic outpost of the Mediterranean. The peninsula is located close to Africa, from which it separated geologically recently, isolated from the rest of Europe by the wall of the Pyrenees. It is more massive than other Mediterranean peninsulas; its outlines, formed by fault lines, are almost rectilinear; the surface structure is dominated by plateaus and blocky mountains with small areas of lowlands.
The basis of the Iberian Peninsula is the Meset massif, composed of crystalline rocks and bordered from the north and south by mountain structures of the Alpine orogenic belt. From the side of the Atlantic Ocean, the peninsula is limited by a fault system, which is characterized by strong seismicity.
Meseta is characterized by a combination of plains with blocky mountains. Its inner parts, where the folded base is covered by strata of sedimentary rocks and the heights are 500-800 m, form the plateau of Old (in the north) and New (in the south) Castile. On their outskirts rise folded-block ridges, massifs and plateaus, composed of crystalline (Cantabrian, Iberian mountains) and limestone rocks (Central Cordillera, Catalan and Toledo mountains). The highest height (up to 2600 m) and the complexity of the structure reaches the Central Cordillera, which separates the plateaus of Old and New Castile from each other. In the south and southeast rise the folded ranges of the Cordillera Betica, or Andalusian mountains.
The Pyrenees serve as an important physical and geographical border between the Mediterranean and Central Europe. This mountain system, in terms of average height, is the second in Europe after the Alps, although its highest peaks are significantly inferior to the highest parts of the Alps. Yielding to the Alps in height, the Pyrenees are much less dissected and inconvenient to cross. The highest is the middle part of the mountains, composed of crystalline rocks. Peak Aneto in the Maladeta massif reaches a height of 3404 m. A significant role in the formation of the relief of this part of the Pyrenees belongs to the ancient glaciation, during which the highest parts of the mountains were covered with glaciers that left behind giant cirques. Sharp, impregnable peaks, steep slopes and wild gorges are characteristic of the highest part of the Pyrenees, which is almost devoid of passes, there are no railways or highways. To the west and east the mountains gradually decrease. Their outlying parts are not composed of crystalline rocks, but limestone and loose deposits, crossed by mountain passes, along which railways and highways are laid, connecting Spain with France. However, there are relatively few through routes through the Pyrenees. The first railway through these mountains was built only in 1915.
In the west, the Pyrenees merge with the Cantabrian Mountains, the eastern part of which - the Biscay Mountains - orographically, tectonically and geologically serves as a continuation of the Pyrenees. The western part of the Cantabrian mountains - the Asturian mountains (over 2500 m) are composed of more ancient rocks, have a great height, the relief is distinguished by sharpness of forms. The northern slope facing the Bay of Biscay is especially steep and strongly dissected. It is traversed by narrow, gorge-like valleys, through which turbulent streams rush down.
The southern mountain system of the Iberian Peninsula (Andalusian Mountains) is close to the Alps. It begins above the Strait of Gibraltar with a high rock and stretches to the northeast. The continuation of the Andalusian mountains can be traced in the form of low rises in the Balearic Islands. Probably, in the past, this mountain system merges with the northern Apennines and the Alps.
The Andalusian mountains consist of two zones, different in relief and geological structure. The southern crystalline zone is higher. Its array - the Sierra Nevada (Snowy Mountains) - reaches 3482 m (Mount Mulasen). On the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, snowfields remain for almost the entire summer and there is a small cirque glacier, the southernmost in Europe. Traces of Quaternary glaciation and strong erosional dissection create features of a typical high-mountain relief in many parts of the crystalline zone. A longitudinal tectonic depression separates from the crystalline outer limestone zone with a wide development of karst relief. In deep tectonic basins, a dense population is concentrated and agriculture is developed. On the Mediterranean side, the Andalusian mountain system is girded by the hilly, cultivated and densely populated Andalusian Riviera.
The lowlands encircle the peninsula also in the west, southwest and southeast. Between the Meseta and the Andalusian mountains in the Guadalquivir river basin is the Andalusian lowland, in the west at the foot of the Meseta - the Portuguese, in the southeast - the Murcia and Valencia. The flat, dune-girdled shores of these lowlands are interrupted by deep lagoons protruding into the land, in which the major port cities of Spain and Portugal are located. In the southwest of Spain it is Cadiz, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean - the capital of Portugal, Lisbon.
The Apennine region includes the Apennine Peninsula, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, etc.
The Alpine tectonic structures of the Apennines in the extreme south merge with the Hercynian structures of the Calabria Peninsula. This combination is also characteristic of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.
The ancient Paleozoic massif of Tyrrenida sank in the Neogene and Quaternary, forming the Tyrrhenian Sea and islands. This was accompanied by volcanic activity, which does not fade even now: Vesuvius, Etna, Stromboli.
In the relief, a large role is played by water erosion. Quaternary glaciation in the mountains was limited.
The basis of the relief is the Apennine mountain system, which crosses the Apennine Peninsula along its entire length and passes to the island of Sicily. In the north, the Apennines merge with the Maritime Alps. There is no clearly defined border between these two mountain systems, and in tectonic terms, the Northern Apennines are a direct continuation of the Alps. In the west and east, between the mountains and the seashore, there are strips of flat or hilly relief, which are not related in structure to the Apennines.
In the north, the Apennines stretch along the coast of the Gulf of Genoa, limiting the Padan plain from the south. The narrow strip between the mountains and the sea is called the Riviera: French - in the west, Italian - in the east. Within the peninsula, the Apennines deviate to the southeast and retreat quite far from the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Up to the upper reaches of the Arno River, the mountains are called the Northern Apennines. In this part, they are composed of Paleogene, mostly loose rocks and rarely exceed 2000 m. The predominance of clay deposits in the structure of the Northern Apennines creates conditions for the development of landslide phenomena, which are intensified due to the destruction of forests. Many settlements in the Northern Apennines are located in deep tectonic basins. The ancient city of Florence is located in one of these basins.
To the south, the Central Apennines are composed of Mesozoic limestones and break up into high massifs, separated by deep basins and tectonic valleys. The slopes of the massifs are mostly steep and bare. The highest parts of the mountains experienced glaciation, and glacial forms are clearly expressed in their relief. The highest peak of the Apennines - Mount Corno Grande in the Gran Sasso d'Italia massif - reaches 2914 m and is a typical carling with a sharply defined peak and steep slopes. The extermination of forests contributed to a very strong development of karst formation processes in the Central Apennines.
In the very south of the Apennines, they come very close to the Tyrrhenian coast and in some places cut off directly to the sea. Orographically, the Apennines continue on the Calabrian Peninsula under the name of the Calabrian Apennines. But the mountains of Calabria have a different age and a different structure than the rest of the Apennines. This is a dome-shaped massif composed of crystalline rocks, leveled and uplifted by faults. Obviously, it is part of an older structural complex that existed on the site of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and experienced faults and subsidence in the Neogene.
The coastal strips of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas on the Apennine Peninsula have a different structure and relief. The strip along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea reaches its greatest width in the north, where, among a low hilly plain, separate crystalline massifs rise - part of the same ancient land as the mountains of Calabria. Further south, ancient and young volcanic formations begin to play an important role in the structure and relief of the Predapennines. There rises a number of extinct volcanoes and stretches plains composed of volcanic rocks and dissected by rivers. On a hilly volcanic plain stands the capital of Italy, Rome. There are many hot springs in the area. Even further south, near Naples, rises the double cone of Vesuvius, one of the most active volcanoes in Europe. The vast areas around Vesuvius are covered with lava that erupted during numerous eruptions, and covered with masses of volcanic ash. The strongest volcanic eruption at the beginning of our era led to the death of three cities: Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia, located at its foot. As a result of excavations that began back in the 19th century, Pompeii was partially freed from under the thickness of volcanic rocks and turned into a museum-reserve, widely known throughout the world.
From the side of the Adriatic Sea, at the foot of the Apennines, there is an elevated hilly strip, which is called the Subapennines. In the southern part of the Subapennina, they pass into a karst limestone plateau up to 1000 m high, which stretches from the Gargano Peninsula to the Salentina Peninsula.
The island of Sicily is almost entirely occupied by mountains, which are a tectonic continuation of the Apennines. Low-lying areas are only along the coasts. In the east of the island rises the highest and most active volcano in Europe - Etna, reaching 3340 m in height. Etna is not only the highest volcano in Europe, but also one of the most active active volcanoes on Earth. Its eruptions occurred over a long period of time with intervals of 3-5 years, more than 100 of them were strong and prolonged, claiming many human lives.
To the north of Sicily, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, is a group of volcanic Aeolian Islands, some of them permanently active volcanoes. The wide distribution of volcanism in this part of the region is associated with recent fault lines, along which the land that formerly occupied the Tyrrhenian Sea subsided. The sinking also caused the formation of the Straits of Messina and Tunnis and the separation of Europe from North Africa.
The islands of Corsica and Sardinia were connected with the rest of the land even in the Neogene. Both islands are mountainous, especially Corsica, whose mountains reach a height of 2700 m and are composed of crystalline rocks.
At the base of the Balkan Peninsula is the ancient Hercynian Thracian-Macedonian massif, a fragment of the Aegean, which sank in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. From ancient land there are islands in the Aegean Sea. Alpine folds in the west and north. The surface of the region is mountainous, the plains occupy small spaces. In morphostructural terms, alpine formations are distinguished (in the west and south - the Dinaric Highlands, the North Albanian Alps (Prokletie), Pindus, Epirus, the mountains of Crete) and Hercynian in the Thracian-Macedonian massif (Pirin, Rila, Rhodopes, Olympus, West Macedonian mountains ).
In the west - the Dinaric Highlands. It has two structural and morphological belts: the western one - plateau-like from Mesozoic limestones and the development of karst processes, and the eastern one - with alternation of Paleozoic and Mesozoic sandstones, shales, limestones and crystalline rocks. Max. the height in the southeastern part is the Durmitor massif, 2522 m. On the mountain plateaus, karst fields up to 60 km long are numerous, at the bottom of their lacustrine sediments and clay deposits (terra rossa). Other karst forms are widespread: karr fields, funnels, caves. This relief is best expressed on the Karst plateau - a classic example. Towards the Adriatic, the mountains drop steeply. Along the coast of the island there are ridges parallel to the coast (Dolmatian type). The coast is ingressive in nature and shows signs of recent subsidence and flooding.
To the south of Lake Skadar is the Albanian lowland with numerous hills from 50 to 400 m. Strong swamping.
In the east of the Dinaric Highlands - the complexly built mountainous regions of Shumadia, Macedonia, the northeast of the Peloponnese and the island of Euboea - Paleozoic sandstones, shales, and crystalline rocks predominate. Karst processes are poorly developed. Domed peaks, gentle slopes.
Middle Thracian-Macedonian massif of Hercynian age from block uplifts and tectonic depressions. The highest formations are the Rila mountains (the highest point is 2925 m), the Rhodopes, Pirin, Osogovska-Planina, Shar-Planina. The mountains are separated by tectonic basins and fault zones, the large ones have a meridional strike with the valleys of the rivers Vardar, Struma, Morava.
A continuation of the Dinaric Highlands - the Pindus Mountains (Zmolikas, 2637 m) stretch from north to south for 200 km - from limestone and flysch. The ridges are dissected by deep river valleys. Even further to the southeast are isolated mountain ranges limited by faults (Olympus, 2917 m; Parnassus, 2457 m).
The Peloponnese peninsula is strongly dissected, in the center of the Sparta plateau. Connected to the rest of Greece by the Corinth Canal (length 6.3 km, built in 1897).
In the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula, the plains are Thessalian, Upper Thracian, Lower Thracian, Thessaloniki.
Upper and Lower Thracian are located in the trough zone. The first of lacustrine and river sediments, with a flat surface with residual mounds of outcrops of crystalline rocks.
Lower Thracian from Neogene marine sandy-argillaceous sediments. farming centers.
In the west and north there are folds of Alpine age, at the base of the peninsula - the ancient Hercynian Thracian-Macedonian massif - a fragment of the Aegean. In the west of the Dinaric Highlands, there are thick strata of Mesozoic limestone - a wide distribution of karst forms: karst fields, funnels, depressions, caves, underground rivers, fields. The Karst Plateau is an area of classically pronounced karst landforms.
The mountains and the peninsular position played a big role in the transport system of Southern Europe. Maritime transport plays an important role in international and domestic transportation. All countries have a large merchant fleet, part of which is leased. The charter of sea vessels is especially developed in Greece. Air transport is developing intensively, carrying out both domestic and international passenger transportation. All the largest settlements of the region are interconnected by roads and railways. Through the tunnels built in the mountains, communications with the continental regions of Europe are carried out.
The formation of the structure of industry was affected by the almost complete absence of oil and natural gas in the region - the most important sources of energy and raw materials. Mineral fuels are supplied from the countries of Northern Europe, Russia, North Africa and the Middle East. As a result, the placement of industry is characterized by an attraction to the sea coasts. Most of the enterprises of the oil refining and petrochemical industries, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, and light industry are concentrated here. The bulk of electricity is produced at thermal power plants running on fuel oil and natural gas.
In Spain, 25% of electricity is produced by nuclear power plants. In conditions of shortage of mineral fuel, the use of renewable energy sources is relevant. In Italy and Spain, the role of hydropower is great. Numerous hydroelectric power plants, providing cheap energy, are built on mountain rivers in the Alps and the Pyrenees. The increasing development of the economy of the countries of Southern Europe, receives the use of solar energy.
In the port cities of Italy, Spain, Greece, where imported oil is delivered, a powerful oil refining and petrochemical industry has been formed. Ferrous metallurgy also depends on imported raw materials. Large deposits of coal and iron ore are only in Spain, but their reserves are significantly depleted. Therefore, enterprises for the production of ferrous metals are also concentrated in port centers. Electrometallurgy prevails, as a result, the steel produced in these countries is of high quality.
Mechanical engineering is the leading industry in the large countries of the region. Its basis is the production of vehicles - cars and trucks, marine vessels. Recently, electronics and electrical engineering, instrumentation has been developing at a high pace. The brands of Italian refrigerators and washing machines, computers of the Olivetti company are world famous. In Italy, machine tool building has reached a high level.
Traditionally, the light and food industries play an important role in the economic development of the economy of the countries of Southern Europe. The countries are major producers of cotton and woolen fabrics, knitwear, clothing and footwear, furniture, and jewelry. The food industry specializes in the production of pasta, olive oil, grape wines, vegetable and fruit preserves, and juices.
Rich reserves of various building stone and raw materials for the cement industry contribute to the development of production. A significant part of the products (facing tiles, marble, cement) is exported.
A feature of agriculture in the countries of Southern Europe is the predominance of crop production over animal husbandry. The reason for this sectoral structure lies in natural conditions. The warm Mediterranean climate, combined with artificial irrigation, allows the world's most diverse range of crops to be grown. And the presence of a vast European market in the neighborhood contributes to the production of subtropical crops in large volumes. The disadvantage is the limited land suitable for the day of agriculture. The use of mountain slopes for agriculture is possible only with the help of terracing, which has been common in the Mediterranean countries for a long time. The most characteristic crops of the region are olives and grapes. A variety of vegetables and fruits are grown everywhere. Tomatoes stand out among vegetables, peaches, apricots, and cherries stand out among fruits. Most of the typical subtropical crops - figs, citrus - are exported. Cereals (wheat, barley, rice), legumes and gourds are produced for own needs. Of the industrial crops, sugar beets, tobacco and cotton are of the greatest importance.
The development of animal husbandry has always been hampered by the lack of a forage base. In recent years, unable to withstand the competition of highly specialized farms in Western and Northern Europe, livestock production has been declining. All the main branches of animal husbandry are represented in the region: breeding of large and small (sheep, goats) cattle, pigs, and poultry. Sheep are bred everywhere on natural pastures. Depending on the season, the herds are moved. Stable animal husbandry is combined with agriculture and is characteristic of the fertile lowlands, primarily of the Podan Plain in Italy. Here, as well as in the suburban areas of large cities, dairy farming, pig breeding and poultry farming are concentrated. Seafood plays an important role in the diet of the inhabitants of the region.
The development of the service sector is aimed at serving numerous foreign tourists. More than 180 million tourists from all over the world visit the countries of Southern Europe every year. They are attracted by favorable climate, warm sea combined with mountainous terrain, unique architectural ensembles of cities, high level of service in numerous hotels and restaurants. Mountain resorts are very popular. The traditional place of pilgrimage for believers is the Vatican. Annual income from foreign tourism in each of the major countries in the region is tens of billions of dollars.
In terms of population, Southern Europe, with about 180 million people, is the second region in Europe in terms of area (after Eastern Europe) and population. Among the southern European countries, three countries stand out with the largest population: Italy (57.2 million people), Spain (39.6 million people) and Romania (22.4 million people), which account for two-thirds of the population, or 66.3% of the total number of residents in the region.
In terms of population density (106.0 individuals / km 2), Southern Europe exceeds the European average by 74%, but is inferior among the inner European regions to industrialized Western Europe, where the population density is 173 individuals / km 2.
Among individual countries, the industrially developed Italy (190 individuals / km 2), Albania (119.0 individuals / km 2) stands out with the highest population density. Less dense are such countries of the Balkan Peninsula as Croatia (85.3 individuals / km 2), Bosnia and Herzegovina (86.5 individuals / km 2), Macedonia (80.2 individuals / km 2) and Spain (77.5 individuals /km 2). Thus, the center of Southern Europe - the Apennine Peninsula is the most densely populated, in particular the fertile Padana Plain and most of the coastal lowlands. The least densely populated are the highlands of Spain, where there are less than 10 people per km2.
In the South European macro-region, the birth rate is almost the same as in the Western European macro-region - 11 children per 1,000 inhabitants. Among individual countries, Albania occupies the first place in this indicator, where the birth rate reaches 23 people per 1 thousand inhabitants per year, and the natural increase is 18 people. On the second - Macedonia, where these figures are 16 and 8, respectively, and on the third - fourth - Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the industrialized countries of southern Europe, the birth rate is much lower. So, in Italy - 9% with a negative growth (-1), in Slovenia - 10 people with zero natural growth.
Southern Europe is the least urbanized on the European continent. Here, 56.1% of the population lives in cities. The largest cities in the region are Athens (3662 thousand), Madrid (3030), Rome (2791), Belgrade, Zaragoza, Milan, Naples, Bucharest and others. Most of the southern cities were founded a very long time ago, back in the pre-Christian era. In many of them, monuments of the ancient period and later eras (Rome, Athens and dozens of other equally famous southern cities) have been preserved.
Southern Europe is quite racially homogeneous. The population of the region belongs to the Mediterranean or southern branch of the Caucasian large race (white). Her characteristic features are small stature, dark wavy hair and brown eyes. Almost the entire population of southern Europe speaks the languages of the Indo-European language family. The population of Italy, Spain, Romania, Portugal belongs to the Romanesque peoples who speak languages that are formed from ancient Latin. In the high Alpine regions of Italy live Ladino, Friuli, who speak Romansh, in Spain - Catalans and Galicians. Portugal is settled by the Portuguese. Southern Slavs live on the Balkan Peninsula. These include Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Slovenes and Macedonians. The South Slavic peoples belong to the Mediterranean race. In addition to the Slavs, Albanians and Greeks live here. The language and culture of the Albanians is strongly influenced by the South Slavic influence. Ethnic Greeks are the descendants of the ancient Greeks - Hellenes, who were strongly influenced by the Slavs. The anthropological type of modern Greeks differs from the ancient Greek, speech has changed.
Figure 3 - National composition of Southern Europe
Of the non-Roman peoples, the Basques live on the Iberian Peninsula and inhabit a small area of northern Spain. These are the descendants of the Iberians - an ancient population who have preserved their language and cultural elements. Most of the population of Romania are Romanians, who formed into a single nation from two close peoples - the Vlachs and the Moldavians.
Thus, the economic and geographical position of Southern Europe is characterized by the following features:
1) the proximity of the region to North Africa. Such a neighborhood has a decisive influence not only on natural features, but also on the ethnogenesis of the peoples living here;
2) proximity to the countries of Southwest Asia, rich fuel and energy resources, which are lacking in Southern Europe;
3) the wide extent of maritime borders with the Atlantic Ocean, with the seas of the Mediterranean basin, in particular the Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Aegean, as well as the western part of the Black Sea, has influenced and is affecting the economic activity and beneficial economic relations of the North European countries with all continents of the world in many ways;
4) The Mediterranean is an ancient region of human civilization, it is also called the "cradle of European civilization", because Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome had a decisive influence on the historical fate of neighboring countries and all of Europe.
In most countries of Southern Europe, the mining industry, agriculture, mountain pasture animal husbandry, the production of machinery and instruments, fabrics, leather, the cultivation of grapes and citrus fruits are widespread. Tourism is very common. The main branch of specialization, in addition to international tourism, is agriculture, in particular, this area is rich in grapes, olives, quite high rates in the cultivation of cereals and legumes, as well as vegetables and fruits. Despite the predominance of agriculture, there are also industrial zones, in particular, the cities of Genoa, Turin and. It should be noted that they are located mainly in the north, closer to the countries of Western Europe.
Foreign Europe has several characteristic features that determine its economic and geographical position. It occupies a vast territory, stretching from south to north for 5 thousand square meters. km, and from west to east - 3 thousand km.
The main features of the economic and geographical position of foreign Europe
The Egp of Foreign Europe is determined by two factors. The first of these is the neighboring position of countries relative to each other. Foreign Europe is dominated by small states, which are either separated by insignificant distances or have direct borders. These borders usually pass along such natural boundaries that do not present barriers to transport connections, due to which transport links between European countries are very well developed.
The Belgians joke that on a high-speed train you can accidentally miss their country and get off in a neighboring state. And there is some truth in this joke - it takes two hours to cross this European country.
Rice. 1. Belgian high-speed train.
The second factor that determines the economic and geographical position of Foreign Europe is the coastal position of most of its member states. They are usually located near busy sea routes, which the “mistresses of the seas”, as a rule, laid themselves in the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries. And if in the eastern part of the region there is no country that would be more than 600 kilometers away from the sea, then in the western part this figure is even less. Thus, the EGP of the countries of Foreign Europe is also determined by their proximity to the sea. There are states that are not in vain called “daughters of the seas” - it is simply impossible to imagine them without a fleet and related infrastructure. These are Italy, and Great Britain, and the Scandinavian countries, and Portugal, and Spain.
Rice. 2. Port in Liverpool.
The main territory of Foreign Europe, where 9/10 of the total population lives, is no more than three hundred kilometers from the sea.
Other factors
The characteristics of Foreign Europe are not limited to the two main features described above. It should also be noted that it is in an advantageous position for contacts, not only internal, but also external. Foreign Europe is not only located at the junction with Africa and Asia, but it is not for nothing that it is called the “big peninsula of Eurasia” - it is far advanced into the ocean. This ensures a high level of imports of manufactured goods around the world.
From a geographical point of view, this region is usually divided into four parts - northern, western, southern and eastern, but the economic map looks very different and is based on the location of sources of raw materials, trade relations between countries and the level of industrial development. According to it, Foreign Europe is also divided into four parts according to its characteristics - highly developed, old industrial, agricultural and new development.
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Rice. 3. Plant in Alsace.
Urbanization of Foreign Europe
A significant part of the population of the region lives in cities - there are countries that are more than 80% urbanized, which can be learned from a textbook for grade 11. The classification of cities is based on various features - from population to economic and geographical position. Large European cities have a common EHC - they are multifunctional, combining the roles of an industrial center, cultural and economic policy and having developed transport links, both internal and external.
What have we learned?
What are the two characteristic features that determine the economic and geographical position of Europe abroad - this is the neighboring position of countries relative to each other and the coastal or close to the sea location of most states. We clarified how to determine into which parts this region is divided by geography and by the level of industrial development. We received general data on the level of urbanization of this part of the world, the benefits of its location and economic advantages. In addition, we received information why the geographical location of the region contributes to the development of imports, and at the junction of which parts of the world it is located.
The average population density is 115 people/km2.
The region is located on the Mediterranean peninsulas - the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan. EGP features:
1) the countries are located on the main sea routes from Europe to Asia, Africa and Australia, and Spain and Portugal - also to Central and South America, which affected the development of the region.
2) The location between Central Europe and the Arab countries of North Africa, which have multilateral ties with Europe.
All countries (except the Vatican) are members of the UN, the OECD, and the largest are members of NATO and the European Union. Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations led by Great Britain.
Natural conditions and resources. The Mediterranean Sea largely determined the similarity of the natural conditions of the region.
The lack of fuel p.i. There is almost no oil here, very little natural gas and coal. Non-ferrous metals: Al (Greece belongs to the top three European leaders), mercury, Cu, polymetals (Spain, Italy), tungsten (Portugal). Huge stocks of building materials - marble, tuff, granite, cement raw materials, clay.
In the southern European countries, the river network is underdeveloped.
Large tracts of forests have survived only in the Pyrenees and the Alps. The average forest cover of the region is 32%.
Natural and recreational resources: warm seas, many kilometers of sandy beaches, lush vegetation, picturesque landscapes, numerous sea and mountain resorts, as well as areas favorable for mountaineering and skiing, etc. Population. Traditionally, Southern Europe is characterized by a high birth rate, but the natural population growth is low: from 0.1% per year in Italy to 0.4-0.5% in Greece, Portugal and 0.8% in Malta. Women account for 51% of the region's population.
Peoples: belonging to the Romance group of the Indo-European language family - the Portuguese, Spaniards, Galicians, Catalans, Italians, Sardinians, Romansh; Greeks (Greek group of the Indo-European family); Albanians (Albanian group of the Indo-European family); Maltese (Semitic group of the Semitic-Hamitic language family); Turks (Turkic group of the Altaic language family); Basques (in the rank of a separate family). The composition of the population in the countries of the region is predominantly homogeneous. High rates of mono-ethnicity are characteristic of Portugal (99.5% - Portuguese), Italy and Greece (98% of Italians and Greeks, respectively), and only in Spain a significant proportion (almost 30%) of national minorities: Catalans (18%), Galicians ( 8%), Basques (2.5%), etc.
Religion: Catholic Christians (Z and C), Orthodoxy (V).
Placement of the population. The highest density is in fertile valleys and coastal lowlands, the lowest is in the mountains (Alps, Pyrenees), in some areas up to 1 person/km2.
The level of urbanization in the region is much lower than in other parts of Europe: only in Spain and Malta, up to 90% of the population lives in cities, and, for example, in Greece and Italy - more than 60%, in Portugal - 36%.
The active population is about 51 million people. In general, 30% of the active population is employed in industry, 15% in agriculture, and 53% in the service sector.
Features of economic development and. The countries of the region still lag economically behind the highly developed states of Europe. Although Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy are members of the EU, but all of them, except Italy, lag behind the leaders in many socio-economic indicators. Italy is the economic leader of the region, belongs to highly developed industrial and agricultural countries, with a clear trend towards the formation of a post-industrial type of economy. At the same time, contrasts in the development of many industries and production, in the social sphere, in the socio-economic conditions of the North and South, are still significant in the country. Italy lags behind many highly developed countries in terms of scientific and technological development. Outstripping some countries of Western Europe in terms of net income from tourism, it is inferior to them in terms of the scale and intensity of international trade and credit and financial transactions. Spain. It is the second country in the region in terms of socio-economic development. In the Spanish economy, a significant role is played by the public sector, which accounts for up to 30% of the country's GDP. The state carries out economic programming, controls the railways, the coal industry, a significant part of shipbuilding and ferrous metallurgy. In the second half of the 80s. XX Art. Portugal experienced a significant economic recovery. The average GDP growth during this period was one of the highest in the EU and amounted to 4.5-4.8% per year, in 2000 the GNP was $ 159 billion. Greece has a larger GNP than Portugal (181.9 billion . in 2000). The country's industry is significantly monopolized by large local and foreign capital (mainly the United States, Germany, France and Switzerland). Up to 200 companies receive over 50% of all profits. Greece has rather high inflation rates for EU countries (3.4% per year). Government measures to reduce it (cutting state subsidies, freezing wages, etc.) predetermine social instability.
Economy.
‒ mechanical engineering (production of automobiles, household appliances, technological equipment for light and food industries)
‒ furniture industry
‒ production of building products and equipment
- light industry (fruit and vegetable canning, oilseeds - production of olive oil, winemaking, pasta, etc.)
- agriculture: farming - growing a variety of subtropical crops: citrus fruits, wood oils, grapes, vegetables, fruits, essential oil plants, etc.
‒ animal husbandry - sheep breeding and, in small volumes, beef cattle breeding
‒ merchant shipping and ship repair
