Europe: physical geography of the second- smallest continent By National Geographic Society, adapted by Newsela staff on 09.07.18 Word Count 494 Level 560L

Image 1. Sunrise over the coast and rock formations at Praia de Marinha, Portugal.

Europe is the world's second-smallest continent. There are many countries on the European continent. In the west is the country of Iceland. Russia's Ural Mountains are the most eastern part of Europe. Norway is the country that is farthest north. In the south are the countries of Greece and Malta.

Europe can be split into four major regions. The Western Uplands are in the north. South of that is the North European Plain. Below that are the Central Uplands, which stretch across Europe. The Alpine Mountains are found in the center of the continent.

Western Uplands

The Western Uplands are made of very old rock. This rock was shaped by huge sheets of ice. The ice covered the land thousands of years ago. Then, the ice melted. The melting ice carved into the rock, creating marshes and lakes.

North European Plain

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. The North European Plain is home to many rivers. These

waterways allowed for early communication, travel and farming. The climate is good for many crops. Many people live in this area.

Central Uplands

The Central Uplands are covered in forests. Very few people live in this region. Most of its people only live in the river valleys.

Alpine Mountains

The Alpine Mountains are filled with tall peaks. There are also lots of steep mountainsides. Some major volcanoes are found here.

Flora And Fauna

Europe is filled with different plants and animals. In the north, it is too cold for most trees. Only small plants can grow. Huge herds of reindeer feed on these tiny plants.

Farther south, it is slightly warmer. Evergreen trees like spruce and fir start to grow. Moose and bears live in these areas.

Even farther south, it is warmer. Here, you can find large forests with many different kinds of trees. There are large forests in these areas.

The areas in the south of Europe are hot and dry, so the trees do not need much water. Europe's only monkey lives in this region. It is called the Barbary macaque.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. Many sea animals live in the waters around Europe. People often fish in these waters. In many places, they have fished too much. Now, some animals that live in the sea are in danger of dying out.

Pollution has caused problems for plants and animals in Europe. Now, some of Europe's animals are in trouble. There aren't many places left for them to live in the wild.

Many groups are trying to help Europe's plant and animal life. They have been working on it since the 1900s. These people are trying to protect the environment and the places where animals live.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.